1. Scan signature and open in Photoshop
2. Edit signature to your satisfaction
3. Select/Color Range (from the Menu Bar)
4. Sample the white background and check invert.
5. CMD+J to create a new layer with the selection.
6. Delete the background layer.
7. Save as Tiff and check "Save Transparency" in the dialog box.
Yeah, I tried the select color range earlier. Not nearly as good, at least not for me.
Sorry, I thought you were looking for an easy method.
No problem at all Jerry. I tried earlier with the color range selection and--perhaps it was just me--didn't get a sharp selection. For my current purpose, I wanted a sharp, well defined image of my signature.
I think our steps are nearly the same, except you used color range selection and I used blending if sliders. Others can try both methods--each is quick--and decide which method they want to use. I gave explicit instructions throughout for those who might use a search engine and require a bit more hand holding.
To make it a cleaner selection as per Jerry's suggestion, after you select the signature, you need to right click the selection, expand it using 'grow' then smooth it with 'feather' - about 1 or 2 px (guess).
As far as the white or transparent background, it's pretty rare in my use to need anything other than white in a Word doc anyway, so it's not a huge deal. If it does happen, you can use the 'set transparent color' tool in Word to eliminate the background very fast.
If you are using Word for a lot of merge docs (as I do), you definitely do not want a large embedded tiff or the doc will become too large. I've learned to even keep the jpg as small as possible to speed up long merges.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
To make it a cleaner selection as per Jerry's suggestion, after you select the signature, you need to right click the selection, expand it using 'grow' then smooth it with 'feather' - about 1 or 2 px (guess).
Good to know.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DougAxford
As far as the white or transparent background, it's pretty rare in my use to need anything other than white in a Word doc anyway, so it's not a huge deal. If it does happen, you can use the 'set transparent color' tool in Word to eliminate the background very fast.
In my scan, the background was nearly white, but not pure white. I could use a variety of techniques to drive it to pure white--an easy one being curves. But you are correct Doug, most often MS Word doc does have a white background, and indeed, mine did.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DougAxford
If you are using Word for a lot of merge docs (as I do), you definitely do not want a large embedded tiff or the doc will become too large. I've learned to even keep the jpg as small as possible to speed up long merges.
My document was just a two pager. After its was PDFed, it was only 62 kb. My signature was the only graphic in the document.
Linear Mode
