Clipping Mask Tutorial

[Minus-Zero]

Clipping Mask Signature Creation

Pre-Requisites

• Splatter pack, I use Spazzsplatter
  
• Render, Needs to be performing an action. I will be using http://planetrenders.net/renders/display...=0&pos=125
  

Step 1

Create a new document, 420 x 170 is what I used.
Now place the render on there and duplicate the layer until you cover all of the white area.

Like so;

Spoiler (Click to View)

Step 2

Next take all of your duplicated layers and merge them down.
You do this by holding CTRL and left clicking each layer. Once selected right click the selected layers and click Merge Layers.

Step 3

Once those duplicated layers are merged then you want to apply filters to create your background. Select the layer you merged together and go to Filter > Filter Gallery.

Mess around with the filters and find out what you like best.
I use Sponge most of the time, I think it works the best. Mess around and find what you like.

If you use sponge sometimes you might want to take the Smudge tool and just smudge things until it looks better. That is what I did in this guide.

Spoiler (Click to View)

Step 4

Add your render again and scale it to fit. The scale option is located
Edit > Transform > Scale. When scaling hole Shift and drag to keep it proportional. When placing the render, place what you want the focus to be in the center.

Spoiler (Click to View)

Step 5

When creating a clipping mask you need to have 2 layers.

• Base Layer: Determines what part will be visible
  
• Mask Layer: Will be put on top of visible and base layer.
  

Create the mask layer, create a new layer. Then go to
Image > Apply Image. You can hide this layer for now.
You do that by clicking the eye by the image.

Create the base layer by creating a new layer and pressing B.
When you press B the brush tool will be selected. This is where you will use your splatter brushes.

Before you place your brushes I want you to reorder your layers.
I want you to place the base layer below the mask layer and then place both those layers below your render layer. if you didn't name your layers specifically then like this.

Spoiler (Click to View)

Now using your splatter brushes create something like this. Just throw the brushes on the canvas. Make sure you are doing this on the base layer!

Spoiler (Click to View)

Step 6

Now you need to create the clipping mask. To do this all you have to do is right click on the Mask Layer (Layer above base layer). Once you have right clicked it you will see the option Create Clipping Mask. Click on that option and then enable the masking layer into view. It should look like this.

Spoiler (Click to View)

Step 7

If you don't do this step nothing will happen! Select on the clipped layer and with the Scale tool stretch the layer to the left or right a little bit. Once done it will look something like this.

Spoiler (Click to View)

Step 8

We will do another masking clip the same way as before. Just go through that part of the tutorial again for another mask clipping.

After I did it again it came out like this.

Spoiler (Click to View)

Step 9

Create a border if you want. I will and to do this you take out the rectangular Marquee tool and select the part you want to border. Then fill it in with the border color you want, fill it in using a brush.

Spoiler (Click to View)

Part 2 Below! I had too many images.

---

Step 10

Adding a light source. I couldn't determine the best location for it so I through up a light source just completely on the left. Middle left is where I placed it. You can place yours where you seem fit!

I created the light source using a circular brush at around 400 px and 0% hardness.

Spoiler (Click to View)

Step 11

Adding a Black & White Layer. I did this because I prefer Black and White on most signatures. Although you should mess around with colors too. Add a gradient layer or something.

If you want to add the B & W layer or Gradient layer you go to
Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Black & White or Gradient Layer

Play around with what you like and see how it comes out!
I made it darker using a black and white gradient map.

Spoiler (Click to View)

Step 12

After you found what you want just do these last few steps.

Create a new layer and apply the image. New Layer then
Image > Apply Image. Mess around with the burn and dodge tool so that your eyes focus on the character and not the background.

Spoiler (Click to View)

You should sharpen the image, it makes the image look alot better most of the time. You can do it like this; Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen

Finally you may place your text where you want. I suggest if you want your name to be focused on place it close to the face.

Here is the final Image

Spoiler (Click to View)

Please say thanks, this took me forever to make!

[Fragma]

Very in-depth tutorial. Thanks a lot for putting your time into writing it.

[Eve]

So many good tips in this tutorial. Thank you for sharing this here. I rated it 5 stars.

[Amslappy]

Thanks man, awesome share!

[Plutonium]

Nice one, Good job! =)

[Minus-Zero]

Thank you all for the comments! I hope to see someone post their results.

[Plutonium]

Hey btw.. Can you check some of my tutorials to? =D

[-BoodyE-]

Thanks a lot for this TUT.

[XACTLYSIN]

very detailed tutorial! thanks alot!

[karueddie]

it was fair. for i as a beginner nyc work