pl;zzzz help i dont understand this

[-RikU_]

people are talkin bout stock? what is it on there? and people say duplicate it and when I look at their pic they didn't dupe theres please help someone make a basic noob guide so I can understand better. =(

[chaywa]

Stock = The Picture used to create the sig...by duplicating we mean duplicate it at the same place on the sig, and add effects layer by layer, instead of adding it all on one layer (you can merge layers)...subsequently it may not be apparent, but the duplication is there in some form...

[-RikU_]

ok people say they use a 450x150 and a stock isnt a stock the 450x150 or however it comes? Im so confused and have no clue how to use this but I want to.

do you have a newb guide?

[Maelstrom]

Riku, just ask your miscellaneous questions in here; I'll try to answer them.

"Radient Gard"--I have no idea what this means. I'm assuming "Radial Gradient." Look at the toolbar on the lefthand side of the screen, the one with 2 columns. On the right hand column, the 6th icon down, is the Gradient Tool. If you see a Paint Bucket icon there, just right click the icon and select Gradient Tool.

You use it by taking the cursor and stretching it across the canvas, this will give you a gradient--essentially a gradual shift from one color to another. You can change the colors by using the color selector on the left hand toolbar where there's white and black squares. If you click the color square, it'll bring up a new menu where you can alter the color.

You can change the type of gradient as well; there should be different types of icons on the upper left hand side--a circle gradient, diamond gradient, etc. The circle gradient is called a "Radial Gradient;" most people use this one for sigs because Tux/C_U/C4strife/ExMachina all do it. >_>

Layers are a bit hard to understand at first, because its completely different from any other art thing (at least that I know of). On the right hand side is a window labeled "Layers" and this shows you the number of layers there are.

Layers are just what they sound like. Imagine that you have 4 sheets of transparent paper. The one on top is the first; the bottom is the 4th. When you're currently working on the 4th sheet of paper, you can doodle all over it--but you're not affecting any of the other sheets. In fact, once you're done doodling on the 4th sheet, you could switch to the first sheet and write "Riku's Doodle" on top of it--then hold all the sheets on top of each other. Since the paper's transparent, it would seem like the title and the doodle are on the very same page--but they're not. If you wanted to go back and change the title to "The Musings of Madness" you could do so without affecting the doodle itself because it's on another sheet of paper than the doodle.

Layers in Photoshop are just like that.

Say you wanted to make maple-leaf brushes on top of the stock image of, say, FFVII's Cloud Strife because you're a massive Canadian/FFVII fanboy. Then, instead of brushing the maple leafs on top of the stock, you could make a new layer, then brush maple leafs on that new layer--this way, if you decide to undo it, you can simply delete the layer instead of trying to find a completely new picture of Cloud to work on.

Layers also work in organizing your sig. You may want to devote a layer specifically for a certain type of brushing. It also ennables you to identify just which part of the sig you're actually working on, since the stock, effects (like brushing), renders (3-D shapes to give the image texture) will all be on different layers.

Layers also help to refine a said layer. "New Adjustment Layers" under the Layers option on the top bar will give you different things like "Brightness/Contrast, Hue/Saturation, Curves, Color Balance." These new layers can be "Grouped with the Previous Layer" to affect only that layer. . .so if you want to make the stock layer brighter, go to new adjustment layers and select "Brightness/Contrast" and increase the brightness. . .and this won't affect the rest of the sig at all.

Fitting a stock into a layer is easy. Just create a new canvas that's going to be your sig (usually anywhere around 120 x 380), then look at your stock image. If you're ready to transfer it to the new 120 x 380 canvas, select the move tool (the first icon on the right column of the toolbar on the left hand side of the screen), click the stock, hold, and drag it over to the new canvas. The stock should appear as a new layer.

Please, please, please go look for tutorials and experiment yourself so I don't have to write essays like this. Photoshop is one of those hands-on things where you learn by touching it and playing around with everything; my typing stuff isn't going to help you.

Anymore questions; just post them here--I'll try to answer them. With shorter posts.

You can change the type of gradient as well; there should be different types of icons on the upper left hand side--a circle gradient, diamond gradient, etc. The circle gradient is called a "Radial Gradient;" most people use this one for sigs because Tux/C_U/C4strife/ExMachina all do it. >_>

Radial Gradient is a very useful tool on PS. It is probably the best way to blend your stocks and add lighting.

[-RikU_]

ok maelstorm can you make a basic guide from the start using a regular picture? Lol sorry I just have no clue....I was actually better on Photoshop
I just need a step by step with screenies of how to put 2 things together nd do most of the designs like the designs in my sigs

[Maelstrom]

. . .

So everything I typed was completely incomprehensible?

Fulfilling your request will take time, because 1) I'm in college, 2) It's finals week, 3) I have a 25 paged paper due in less than one week, and 4) I'm lazy.

I can definitely do it for you, but considering the time it'll take (at least 2+ weeks) I'd imagine that you'd be much better off just asking any specific questions that you have.

Also, sig making can become a complicated process; were I to describe every single detail that went into it, the tutorial would be pages and pages long--there's lots and lots of tricks and tips that go into the sig production process; describing each one would be tedious.

Again, I suggest you try things out for yourself, read up on the (simpler) tuts on this board, and anything you don't understand, just ask here. Any specific questions that you have (i.e. "what does this tool do?/how do I extract stocks?") I'd be happy to answer.

[-RikU_]

Its ok I can wait.

[Eclipse]

^ i suggest you check out the photoshop 101 noob tut. it answers your questions

[-RikU_]

how do you get the things on the right to appear again that say layers and stuff? cause I deleted it for some reason.

[Color Me Evil]

Should be under View>>Layers.