Creating Signatures

@littlekiwi Jennifer, I would start with a font for your name.. choose a fun font or an alpha that you like... I tend to like this one I am using now but in the past i have used watercolor and other styles. Once you start with that, you can move on to the next thing.. it really is similar to making a page but in smaller format. I know some designers (see example below by SWL) have templates you can use for signatures, but for size purposes I save my signature as a psd file and then when I want to change my signature I already have the base set up.

For my signature here, I started with my name, made it sticker like by adding a white stroke around the edge and then a shadow and then add paint underneath and add little elements for the theme I want for the month or the quarter etc.

I hope that helps. I would suggest looking at others and get an idea of what you want to change yours too and what you like.

BTW Scrapping with Liz has a Siggy Template that will be great to help you

 

Jennifer, I don't do well clustering in my signature, either. (Let me say that I love your Kiwi, though! It's too perfect!) I don't mind on my pages, but for some reason my name gets lost in the clustering in my signature. To help myself make a signature, I work on a 300ppi canvas (not web size), which is easier for me to work on. (I know you know about resizing and stuff. I'm just explaining my process, if that makes sense lol.) Then I shrink stuff more than I would for a LO: I'm used to a 12x12 canvas, and of course the signature is smaller and I realized my issue with clustering on signatures was that stuff looked too big. Maybe really resizing stuff would help you? IDK, but that's what I've figured out for myself...not that I have a super clustered signature right now rofl! But I like my little flowers and sequins. I'm happy. Also, those signature templates look really helpful!

 

@littlekiwi clustering is not as hard as it seems and just like you would cluster on a 12x12 page, you also would do the same on a signature.. pick something like FDD designs template and pull out the section of the template that has clustering.. the J and R of your name are great anchors. Just cluster around them

 

YAY have fun Jennifer!

 

My siggy is old but I still like it, so I'll keep it for now. All great ideas here from Christa and Sara about the templates and shrinking the elements and such. What kit are you wanting to use for your siggy? You could look at example pages for that kit in the store or gallery and scraplift some of the clusters to recreate for your siggy. We are here to help. If you get stuck, post here and we'll help you. You can do it, we're rooting for you.

 

Even clean and simple you can cluster... I did this the other day for the speed scrap.. I have a very small cluster of a bow, a button and a cord.. or even that label with the little flowers on the ends of the label.. you can do it Jennifer

 

@littlekiwi That is a great alpha you want to use.
My suggestion is to in a sense do a scraplift of someone else's signature that you like the look of.

By the way... your current signature does flow nicely... the little bird foot prints along the bottom helps flow everything together.

 

I love to cluster on my layouts, but keep my siggie fairly plain. Something on the S, a bow on the T or F and a dot on the I. I love the siggie you have now, love the bold wooden alpha, the kiwi and the fern framing. Don't feel you have to cluster if that isn't what you love to do. Or use a template to help you along.

Or find a siggie you love and "scraplift" it?
I find that Christa's is usually very on trend and I may have borrowed her look a few times before now.
Good luck and have fun.

 

With this kit and alpha, I would start with a horizontal element like the banner, paints or pom pom ribbon to act as a shelf for my name. Then, I'd accent with a few of the elements that catch my eye. Like others have said you don't have to cluster a lot if that's not your style. I can't wait to see what you come up with.

 

Great thread. Didn't realize there are templates for sieges. That's helpful.

 

both look great Jennifer