PSE 2020 Simple way to add written signature to photos?

[SuzieQQQ]

Could you please provide a simple way to add a hand written signature to photographs?  As an artist I would like to add my signature to my digital artwork.  I've seen quite a few video, but they are older and not clear at all.  Thank you.

[Walter_H]

This YouTube video gives a good description of creating a "Signature Brush". Or maybe something from this YouTube Search Results page might work better for you.

[hatstead]

One way is to make a brush with your signature. There are a lot of tutorials that populate a google search. Once created and saved, such a signature brush can be applied to the artwork with a click of the mouse. If you are having a problem defining a signature brush from a tutorial that you have in mind, please reference same and let us know where you encounter a problem.

Here is such a tutorial:

https://www.dummies.com/photography/photo-software/adobe-photoshop-elements/how-to-create-a-custom-b...

The other option is to write your signature with a broad, black pen on white paper, then scan this, and save it as a file,

You can open the signature file in PSE, use the Magic wand tool to select/delete the white background , leaving just the signature itself. surrounded by a checkerboard pattern, which denotes transparency. Then, after this manipilation, go to File>Save for web. In the dialog that comes up, check the "Transparency" box, and for file type in the drop-down, select PNG24'

Save this, and copy/paste to the artwork as indicated.

 It sounds more difficult than it is!

[SuzieQQQ]

Hi - thank you for the responses.

I would like to sign my name on a piece of white paper, take a photo and add on my computer, then place my signature (with transparent background) on a photograph/artwork.  I can get to this point, but after these steps, all the instructions get complicated and not clear or easy.  Can you provide simple instructions or a correct video for my purposes?  Thank you thank you!

[hatstead]

Will be pleased to assist you.

In Photoshop Elements Editor, are you at the point in the work-flow where you have the signature with transparent backgroound, i.e. letters and nothing else?

[SuzieQQQ]

Hi Hatstead - I am on PSE right now.  I have the photo of my signature opened.  No transparent background yet.  Are there instructions somewhere I can just follow?  How do we proceed?

[hatstead · Accepted solution]

1. Your digitized artwork is probably in JPEG format

2. JPEG does not support transparency.We shall "extract" your signature from the background and save it in PNG file format.

3. Be sure to have the layers palette open

4. Open the photofile with your signature. This will come in as the Background layer. The background layer is locked. Therefore, duplicate the Background layer. Now you have Background copy layer. Delete the Background layer. We shall work on the unlocked Background copy layer.

5. Activate the Magic Wand tool. On the tool's option bar uncheck "contiguous" & set the tolerance to 32 (default). Left click on the white background and hit delete on the keyboard. You should be left with the signature only. If the magic wand did not fetch everything, click on any remaining white areas and delete. It is critical to remove the entire white background, esp. between letters and within the script. At this stage you should see your signature surrounded by the checkerboard pattern which denotes transparency.

6. Go to File  menu>Save for Web. This opens a dialog which has several components. If the preset window chops off some of the signature, go to "new size" in the dialog and try 60% or so. At the top in the dialog change the file format from GIF to PNG24. Check the box "constrain proportions", and check the box "Transparency." Finally ok it. Save this file where you can access it subsequently. Be sure to name it.

7. Open one of your artwork files. 

8. Go to File>Place and point to the file produced in steps #5-6. You can drag it into position and adjust the size with the corner handles.

8. Finally save the picture with the signature. For web work JPEG (compression) format is probably best for this purpose.

[Randy35484592gx2e]

There is no magic wand tool in PSE

[hatstead · Accepted solution]

Yes, there is!

In PSE 2024, have a look at the toolbox. At the top under "Select", next to the Magnetic lasso tool, there is an icon. Click on this, and at the bottom above the Photo bin you will find the option bar. Nested in a cluster are Magic Wand, , Selection Brush, and others.

[SuzieQQQ]

Thank you!

[Randy35484592gx2e]

I have the app on my iPhone, it's not there.