Full Mech Signature

[h1]Full Mech Signature[/h1]Since I’m way too lazy to explain every single blending option I’ve included a style pack including everything you need for this tutorial.
Full Mech Signature Styles
Before we start, here's a short tutorial on how to install and use styles:

Installation:
Put the .asl file in your adobe/photoshop/presets/styles folder
Use:
1) Open the Layer Styles dialog box (most easily done by double clicking on the layer you want to apply a style to)
2) On the left, at the top, choose "Styles". Some styles will load in the window. But to choose the styles you just installed, click on the arrow to the right of where it reads "Styles" above the styles. Choose the style set you want from the bottom of the menu.
To use the style you need just click on it!

Ok on with the REAL tutorial.

Step 1:
Open Photoshop...duh

Step 2:
Create a new document (500x150, 72 dpi, transparent) If you get stuck here, stop reading and see a doctor.

Step 3:
Name layer 1 BG and fill it with pure white

Now the fun starts!

Step 4:
Search the internet for a cool pattern, this is what I’m going to use:

http://gallery.hd.org/_exhibits/natural-science/_more2003/_more05/aluminium-metal-foil-scrunched-two-colour-lighting-1-AHD.jpg

Now paste this pattern onto the bg layer and scale it (ctrl+t, hold shift to crop proportionally) till you think it looks nice.
Ok since this pattern isn’t cool enough we’re going to adjust it a little bit.
Let’s adjust the levels a bit. Press ctrl+l to bring up the levels screen and use these settings:

Doesn’t that look better already? Let’s make it even better. Open the blending options (double click the bg layer), go to gradient overlay and use these settings:

Step 5:
Time to move on. Create a new layer and name it plates 1.
Create a triangle in the top right corner and fill it with #b1b1b1.
Now open the blending options and apply the “grunge plate” style. Looks nice but the edges could use some work. So press ctrl+t, hold shift and use the top right block to scale the triangle in such a manner that the right and top edges disappear out of the canvas.
This is what you should have:

Now duplicate the triangle plate (ctrl+j). Now flip this layer horizontally (edit => transform =>flip horizontal) and place it in the top left corner.
Select the 2 plate layers and merge them (ctrl+e). Copy this layer and flip it vertically, place this layer on the bottom, merge all the plate layers and we’re done. Just make sure you keep this layer on top.

Step 6:
The orb! O yes the orb!
Sorry got a little carried away…
Ok create a new layer and name it orb (hell yes orb!). Now make a circle in the middle of the sig or where ever you want, (use elliptical marquee tool, remember to hold shift to make a perfect circle) and fill it with #b1b1b1 just don’t make the orb itself to big you’ll find out later why, AND DO NOT DESELECT!!!. Now apply the “orb 1” style.

Ok make a new layer and name it orb 2 and fill the selection again with #b1b1b1.
Apply the “orb 2” style, create a new layer and merge it with the orb 2 layer. Now set the orb 2 layer to linear dodge. STIL DO NOT DESELECT!

Create another layer and name it gloss. Now press d to make black and white your back and foreground colors and use the gradient tool (with option foreground to transparent) to make the bottom of the orb a bit darker by starting at the bottom of the orb and (while holding shift and MB1) and releasing MB1 when you reach halfway the orb. Now do the same with white as your foreground color, but this time from the top down. STIL DO NOT DESELECT!
This is what you should have now:

And finally the finishing touch!
Create another layer and fill the selection with whatever you want, name it textures and apply the “orb texture” style. Now isn’t that one kickass orb!

Step 7:
Let’s make a holder for the orb!
With the selection still active go to: select => modify => expand, and expand by 7 pixels now fill the selection with whatever color and deselect (at last!).
Now click on one if the orb layers while holding ctrl to select the part covering the orb. Delete the selection. Now apply the “orb holder 1” style to the layer.

Duplicate this layer and scale it down a bit, just a little bit (ctrl+t, hold alt+shift and use one of the top corner point to shrink it). Apply the “orb holder 2” style.
This is the progress so far:

Step 8:
Next up: a frame. Create a new layer, name it beam. Make a small box all along the sig on the top side, fill it with white and apply the “beam” style. Duplicate the layer and put it on the bottom of the sig. move these 2 layers under the plate layer

Step 9:
This is going to be a tricky step. Create a new layer, name it curve plate and position it just under the plate layer. Now press ctrl+’ to show the grid, and turn “snap” on (view = >snap). Select the pen tool, place the first point on top of the sig, the second on the bottom and close the path outside of the sig, now bend the line connecting point 1 and 2 like this (I’ve unchecked the bg for a better view):

Fill the path with #b1b1b1 and apply the “plate 2” style.
Duplicate the layer, flip it horizontally and move it to the right.

Step 10:
I’m getting the feeling the bg isn’t good enough, so make a new layer on top of it, fill it with white and apply the “bg” style.

Step 11:
Back to the sig. Let’s make some cables to finish the job.
Create a new layer underneath the beams and name it cable. Set your brush to this one (but with a 19px diameter):

(It can be found with the assorted brushes.)
Now use the pen tool to create a curved line to the left of the orb, stroke path using the brush (again do not deselect the path!) Apply these blending options:
inner shadow: opacity 100%
global light : 90,
distance: 10
choke : 0
size: 8
Color overlay: color=yellow, set to overlay
Now create a new layer, name it cable 2, stroke path using a normal 19px hard brush, and apply the “cable” style.

Duplicate these 2 layers, flip them horizontally and move them to the right.

And we’re done!
There’s a lot of room for further improvement, but this should be a good start!

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Click the link below to download the Photoshop file for this tutorial.
Full Mech Signature PSD

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