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Technique for adding a “Real” signature to prints in Adobe Lightroom


Want to add your real signature directly onto your images and not only along the outside edge ?

Yes, Adobe Lightroom Lightroomwill allow you to apply an Identity Plate of a typed text name and apply it directly onto an image, but it’s just not the same as a real handwritten signature.

Another option is to use Photoshop and apply a signature to the image via a layer and then re-import the image into Lightroom.

Here’s a way, I created, that can be applied when and as need. (click on images for a larger view)

  1. On a piece of white plain paper and using a black felt tip pen, write out desired signature

  2. Open Photoshop Adobe Photoshop

  3. Import the signature via the Import with scanner option under the file menuScan Signature

  4. OPTION: you may also use a mouse or Wacom Pen and write your signature directly within Photoshop

  5. Crop around signature as shown above

  6. Duplicate that layer

  7. Select the background layer and delete or erase the content so that you have a transparent background

  8. Deselect the background layer

  9. Select the layer with the signature

  10. From the menu – SELECT… COLOR RANGE ….Signature Selection

  11. Using the eyedropper tool click on the signature, making sure to avoid the edges

  12. Verify that the Invert box is not checked

  13. If desired and for clarity, set Action Preview to Quick Mask so as to see the selection better

  14. Adjust the fuzziness tool until only the signature is shown (depending on how clean the scan is, adjusting fuzzy slider will remove any extraneous specs that may have been scanned (this is one advantage to OPTION Step 4)… then Press OK

  15. Ctrl – J to create a new layer

  16. You may now choose to change the color by using the fill command or as I have done here, apply a Layer Style.Layer Styles Applied

  17. Turn off all layers except the top signature layer. This will leave you with the signature on a transparent backgroundTransparent Background

  18. Final step in Photoshop is to export via Save for web – From the file menu select Save for the Web and devices option

  19. Select PNG-24 and check the transparency boxSave for Web

  20. Save to a folder of your choice

  21. The final step in Photoshop is to decide if you want to save the PSD for later use ( ie; to change stlye or color)

  22. Open Lightroom… Print Module ….Select an image and the desired orientation

  23. Open the Identity Plate editor dialog and select use graphical identity plateIdentity Plate Edit

  24. Locate and select the signature PNG file created with Photoshop. Then save this new identity plate with a new name using the Save As option Apply ID

  25. The Signature ID plate can now be applied to the image. It maybe larger than desired. Use the scale option to adjust and then position on image as desired.Scale and Position Plate

That should be it, let me know how it works out.

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 31st, 2008, 11:12 am and is filed under Lightroom, Techniques, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  1. #1 by Don Dement - January 2nd, 2009 at 21:04

    Thanks for this pointer – I want to use it but have a problem.

    The last steps of positioning the signature aren’t available. I have a right panel in the Print module and Overlay that has no positioning function, just a scale slider that of course changes size of the signature. So my signature only appears across the center of the picture – which is not acceptable. How did you get yours to the bottom right?

    I would also like to orient it at any angle, and that’s not possible unless you start over and angle it in Photoshop.

    I’m using LR 2.2. Thanks for any help here.

    DKD

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  2. #2 by Peter - January 2nd, 2009 at 22:12

    Hi Don,

    I am using Lr 2.2 running under Windows Vista

    To reposition the signature, all you have to do is grab it with your mouse and position to location you desire.

    Then save as a new preset.

    As for the angle you are correct, you must determine the angle you want and apply in Photoshop.

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  3. #3 by Mark - January 16th, 2009 at 23:59

    Don, is there a way to add that sig to a file that is to be imported. I batch process a lot of photos and deliver them by disk to a client. I would like to know if there is a way in Lightroom to add that Identity Plate to all photos for export.

    Thanks

    Mark

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  4. #4 by Peter - January 17th, 2009 at 15:50

    Hi Mark,

    Thanks for visiting. With Lr 2.x , one way you might consider is to select your desired images and then in the print module apply the Identity Plate. Once you select your ID plate, Then check render on every image…. then for output – Print to: JPEG File

    If JPEG is acceptable to your client, then you should be all set. If not , re import folder into Lr and export this set of images in the format/Size you desire.

    Peter

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  5. #5 by James - May 29th, 2009 at 00:48

    That’s a really cool effect.
    How do you apply the signature to stay a certain size regardless of how large the client prints the photo. A signature with a certain size on a 8×10 would show up bigger on an 11×14 print. How do you apply a signature yet despite the size of the print, the signature remains the same size as if you had done it yourself after the photo is printed?
    Thank you

    James

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  6. #6 by Peter - May 29th, 2009 at 14:49

    James,

    Thanks for taking the time to visit and to leave a comment.
    One you apply the signature via Identity plate you can adjust the scale to vary the size.
    To set the signature size to a particuliar paper output, I would create a Print template preset.

    For example say you want a 8×10 output with signature and also a 13×19 with the same size signature. I would create two templates.

    1) 8×10 format -> apply identity plate signature -> scale to desired size -> save as a user template
    2) 13×19 format ->apply identity plate signature -> scale to desired size -> save as a user template

    repeat for all output sizes.

    Now when you want a print with a fixed signature size, select the tempate and you should be all set.

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  7. #7 by Darren - July 20th, 2009 at 06:46

    Peter,

    Thanks for the tutorial, I’ve been trying to figure out a faster way to apply a signature to my pictures for a while now (currently doing it to each image in CS3).

    With regards to this “Once you select your ID plate, Then check render on every image…. then for output – Print to: JPEG File”.

    That all works fine, however, when I click ‘Render on every Image’ the signature moves to the centre of the image and I can’t move it or resize it, how can I get around this?

    Kind Regards

    Darren

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  8. #8 by Peter - July 29th, 2009 at 19:27

    Hi Darren,
    Thanks for the comment.

    You appear to be correct.

    What I discovered was that you do not need to check render on each image.

    Only issue however is that each image must be same output size.

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