A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about a new way to add your signature to your photography. Here’s a link if you want to check it out. I was really surprised about two things though: 1) How many people liked the logo that I had and said they went out and got their own. 2) How many people asked for a video on how to add that signature (or any other one) to their photos. So I created a quick video on how to add a signature using Photoshop. Update: Due to popular demand I also created a video on how to add a signature using Lightroom 🙂
Adding the Signature in Photoshop
Not much I can do about the first one other than wishing I was getting a cut of the profits from the Photologo website 😉 But for the second comment, I can help out. Below you’ll find a video I did on doing just that. First, it goes over how to create a signature in Photoshop. One of the things you’ll find help out if you’re really in to working with a lot of control in Photoshop and Lightroom is a Wacom Pen/Tablet. I’ve used the tablets for years and I don’t go anywhere without it. In fact, so much so that I had to do this video without the Pen/Tablet because I went to teach at Creative Live last week in San Francisco and I left mine in their studio (ugh!).
Using Transparency in Photoshop
Anyway, after I show you how to create the signature, you’ll see that it’s pretty easy to move in to your photo. Especially if you use Layers in Photoshop and work on a new layer for the signature. That way the transparency follows right along and you don’t have any backgrounds to deal with.
I’ve even got some great tips for you if the signature needs to change colors or you do have a black/white background and you want to hide it really fast.
Finally, I finish up by showing you how to add the Photologo.co signature that I got to a photo. It doesn’t really change, and it’s super simple to open it up in Photoshop and add it in.
Enjoy the video and let me know if you have any questions. Have a good one!
Thank you for this video! I am having an issue with my photo logo as it does not open in Photoshop. I use Bridge to access it (the png file) and it just keeps opening in Preview. What might I be doing wrong?
Thanks again.
Maybe go to Photoshop and try File > Open and do it directly. If that doesn’t work, perhaps contact the photo logo company who made it for you and see if they have any thoughts. Thanks!
Ok. Thank you! I love my logo and I would never have bought it had it not been for your post.
That worked! I went ahead and saved it as a .tiff so that it will open through bridge. Thanks so much!
My source file want download and I have added all these apps the iZip and still nothing.
Can this be done with photo elements?
Hi Don, it should work in a similar way.
Thanks! Matt. Nicely done and informative. I was looking at PhotoLogo as I, too, have had a hard time developing a signature logo. Will see what they can do with my signature.
On several occasions I have placed a digital signature on a photograph and then printed it on canvas or paper. (I prefer the look of a digital signature, than a handwritten sig on a print)
The problem I have is figuring out how large to make the digital signature on my computer screen … so it will work when the art is printed. I typically print 16×20 up to 24×36 or larger. Occasionally, the signature has been too large and distracts from the print.
Have you figured out a technique on how to scale your digital signature to fit on a print that may vary in size … 8×10 to a large print?
I am working with Adobe photoshop elements 15
Photologo
When i open my photologo which is high resolution in photoshop then crop it and then try to define brush it wont work….define brush is gray…. NOW if i do the exact sqme thing with the low resolution photologo define brush works fine and i am able to save it….. cant you please help me. I use brushes alot for my photos and for my other business and i really need this to work for me. Thank you so much in advance
Hi Kym – I’m not sure about that one. I know Photologo has changed significantly sync I got mine so I don’t know how to answer. You’d have to contact them. Thanks!
Matt,
Don’t you think it is easier to turn the signature into a brush in Photoshop than adding a layer each time?
I suppose. I’m not one for custom brushes. So usually by the time I find my custom brush, I could just as easily have opened the logo. I don’t do it a lot either, so maybe if it were a daily process for me it could save a few seconds.
Matt:
Put signature from photo logo in Lightroom as you instructed & appears in Identity plate as you show on video. When I go to print signature turns vertical on picture. I can move it as you show but can’t turn it horizontal. Works fine when print vertical picture & use rotate but not horizontal. In that I do most landscape photograph this is a major problem. How do I get it to turn?
Hi Susan – there’s a little “Angle” setting in the top right near the words “Identity Plate”. You’d have to change that to rotate the right way. Thx.
Thanks Matt, worked exactly the same in Photoshop Elements 🙂
Thanks Matt.
Matt, is the process the same when using PS Elements.as opposed to the full blown PS?
I’m not sure as I don’t have Elements installed to check, but it should be very close.
Matt, you just explained this so simply and I appreciate it. I am just now starting to build my Pixpa website and working with putting the Photologo signatures on them. I look forward to seeing more of your videos and blog.
Thanks so much for the video; the link was actually sent to me by the Photo Logo folks, which means I now know about YOU! :-))
Thanks Matt, I gonna try this!
Carina
Thanks Matt for the info.
Lisa
Hi Matt,
I currently use Adobe Photoshop Elements 15 and I have the photo logo as my signature. I am kinda lost on where in Elements 15 to use the instructions that you had in Photoshop CC. Hope you can help me out.
Hi Lisa – I’m sorry but I don’t have PSE 15 to even try this out. But it should work in a similar way. Layers, brushes and blend modes all work the same in Elements.
Also, quick side note… some one mentioned to me that PhotoLogo is sending people to my videos for their customer training. These videos were never meant to do that. I’m not affiliated in any way with them, and don’t support their product. I did buy a logo and used it as an example in one of my videos, but that’s about it. So if you’re having trouble with it, you’d have to contact them directly. Thanks.
Thank you so much Matt. I was at a total loss. Loved my logo, but it was huge. You saved me a lot of time with your instructions! I wrote photologo for advice and they gave me you. Thank goodness.!!!
Hi Matt! I really enjoy your videos as a subscriber. When resizing a signature png file on your photo, what causes the borders of the logo to appear as a moving line? Kind of a lasso look. If I do nothing, the signature has broken lines and light in appearance . I appreciate any help you can give me.
I use Photoshop Elements 12 and the Brush screen doesn’t look anything like the video … and the layers indicator on the right side of the screen also doesn’t look the same. The file I was able to save is humongeous, as in the space to identify the brush as “3 to 5 pixels” for me gives both a height and width field to specify the size and I have no idea what to enter. Might you have any idea how I can add this using Photoshop Elements?
Hi Al. That’s a tough one. You’re using a version that’s 3 years old and isn’t supported anymore even by Adobe. So it’s tough for me (or anyone for that matter) to do tutorials on it.
Thank you Matt,
That was very helpful but I am having a problem getting “actions” in PS to record and run properly for batch processing. It works fine when I use the type tool and hand enter my copyright which I save that action and it will run correctly in both portrait & landscape images. I cannot get the photo-logo signature to do this for some reason. If you have a video for batch processing from Adobe Bridge using PS actions, let me know 🙂 Thank you, Carlton
Hey Matt,
Love your logo! I just got one from PhotoLogo and love it too! I can download it onto my PC but Cant on my iphone6splus. Any suggestions? I have the mobile apps LR/PS and would like to attach my logo to my mobile pics. Thanks!
Hi Barbara – you’d have to ask them for sure but I don’t believe it’s meant to be downloaded to a phone. It’s most likely a zip file.
Thanks! Very helpful.
Hi, I think I really like my new Photologo, but I’m struggling how to use it. I went to your instructional video about how to add the logo to the images. I select all, but when he says to copy it, it won’t let me. It says cannot complete the copy command because no pixels are selected. I even tried to make the image smaller to define a brush, but with the white logo, it says “could not complete the define brush from selection command because no pixels are selected”.
Why not just make a brush so it can easily be resized and colored based on the image its on. I assume its as easy as defining a brush from the file. No?
Darcy, It’s in the ‘EXPORT’ dialogue box. Scroll to the bottom.
Can you change the color of the signature to gold? or any other color. I have aphotologo
Great
Hi this is the first time I’ve seen this and looking forward to learning much more as I’m so uncertain of photoshop so fingers crossed really good well happy
Does it Works in Elements?
Yep.
Awesome stuff, Matt. Thanks so much.
Awesome! I just got my logo, and I love it. It’s pretty cool!
I have had a wacom tablet for years and never got comfortable with it. I pulled it out to follow this , but was never able to make a mark.
@my age you forget a few things.
I did come up with a cool logo though and used it to follow you.
As always it worked great.
Thanks
Hi, Matt,
Here’s the obscure question of the day. I just ordered a Photologo and am anxious to see how it looks. Thanks for doing the video on how to add it to a photo. Since I presume most photographers will be using this quite often, where do you suggest keeping those files (the ones they send you) so they’re easy to grab when you need one? I had previously created a brush of my (lousy) signature several years ago, but this will look so much better.
Hi Steve – I have a “logos and signatures” folder on my computer which is where I keep this stuff. I usually add it to the Lightroom catalog and keep it as a collection so it’s easy to get to.
Hello, I had a signature made by Photologo and I am not using either LR or Photoshop, and I cannot do nothing with the signature because the signature is to big (to much pixels) when I tried to resize the format, I does not work the signature become invisible. Can you help?
Hi. What program will you be using to apply the signature to the photo?
If you don’t have Photoshop or Lightroom try Photoscape its free software and your logo will work whilst using this software.
Matt,
Thanks for the great video. I also ordered a signature from Photologo and I’m happy with it.
Matt,
I also have gotten the same signature from Photologo because of your post. Thank you. Is there any way for me to load the signature in my brushes in Photoshop so it is right there all the time????
thanks again
Judy
Judy if you bring the logo up on your PS screen and then go into EDIT and then Define Brush Preset it makes it into a brush that you can use anytime and even change the colour if you want
Just tried this but the define brush preset does not highlight. I am using PSCS6
I am having the same problem. And if this can not be fixed. I see no point in having this photologo. I need it to be easily accessible and defined to a brush like I have it when I make my own. How do we fix this ?
Hi Sarah. Perhaps contact Photo Logo to see if they can help. Leaving a comment here will not help you as I’m pretty sure their customer support team doesn’t look at this website.
Matt,
I also have gotten the same signature from Photologo because of your post. Thank you. Is there any way for me to load the signature in my brushes on Photoshop so it is right there all the time????
thanks again
Judy
Hey Matt!
I ordered and received my logo, and it looks great! Thanks for making the video to demonstrate how add the logo to an image.
Is there a way in Lightroom to add this signature logo?
Yep. I did a separate video on it. It should be up today.
Thanks Matt this is very helpful. What is the process for Lightroom?
This video helps a lot. I bought the signature. I would like to use signature in my Lightroom Identity plate. How can I do that?
You can probably watch the LR video that talks about this…..
Awesome!
Now can I add this to my photos in LR?
Thank you!
Thank you for a very enlightening video. I did not understand (I am new at Photoshop) how do you transfer the logo into Photoshop. I copy the logo but then how do I incorporate it into photoshop. I tried copy and paste but it doesn’t work.
Thanks
Robert