Hi, this is an odd request for a photography forum, but my question is, Is there an easy way to separate just the signature from a scanned image?
I have scanned my signature to include on a document. I brought the scanned image into PS. I'd like to delete the white background and just have my "ink signature" portion remaining, where I can include it on the MS Word document.
Intuitively, this would seem easy. But for whatever reason, it isn't clicking for me.
What I have done instead is add another layer via "Selective Color." Then use "Whites" with Black at minus 100 percent. That seems to leave my signature alone while making the background 255,255,255. I can then paste that into my MS Word document.
I am curious, however, if there is a better way of cleanly separating the scanned signature from the nearly white background? (The magic wand selection trick does a pretty good job too.)
You can make it a brush fairly easily, then paste the brush onto anything - like a clear BG, make it a GIF and you've got something that might work for what you want. I know you can do clear bg gifs on websites and word can do HTML...
If the BG is pure white (255 x 3) then it should just print the black foreground in word, right?
Things can be done with 'stroke' also - I found somebody to do that to my penguin logo in PS - I have no clue how he did it, but it made the edges sharp and defined, straight, etc. Consumer type photo forums are good for somethings
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Hi Chris, actually my question is a bit different. I didn't phrase it well. I want to take a scanned jpg image of my signature on a white (nearly white) paper and then transfer my signature to another MS Word document. In Photoshop, I'd like to separate my signature (blue ink) from the white paper background so that when I paste my signature into the new document, only my signature is transferred, not the white background and signature. Any ideas?
Okay, so here's the steps to creating your own signature file in Photoshop:
Scan your signature on a white piece of paper.
Fire up Photoshop
Import your signature
Crop if necessary to isolate your signature
Unlock the layer (layer 0)
Add a new transparent layer (layer 1)
Rearrange layers such that layer 0 is on top of layer 1
On Layer 0 go, --> Layer | Layer Styles | Blending Options (or just double click on layer 0). Blend If Gray and move the right triangle slightly to the left, say 245 or so.
Optional Step: You might wish to add a curve to darken your signature.
So these steps allow you to use Photoshop to capture just your signature without a background. Then you can save your Photoshop signature and apply it to whatever documents you want and save them as PDFs or whatever.
Keywords: Photoshop, Signature, Background, White, Remove, Transparent, Clean, Blue Ink
The key words are so that I can find this darn thing again after I forget the process.
Hi Chris, actually my question is a bit different. I didn't phrase it well. I want to take a scanned jpg image of my signature on a white (nearly white) paper and then transfer my signature to another MS Word document. In Photoshop, I'd like to separate my signature (blue ink) from the white paper background so that when I paste my signature into the new document, only my signature is transferred, not the white background and signature. Any ideas?
JPEG doesn't support transparency, so this is impossible using JPEG as file type. You need to use TIFF or PSD if Word supports that.
JPEG doesn't support transparency, so this is impossible using JPEG as file type. You need to use TIFF or PSD if Word supports that.
Johan, you're correct. Thank you. I just completed the whole shebang. So let's revise.
Scan your signature on a white piece of paper.
Fire up Photoshop
Import your signature
Crop if necessary to isolate your signature
Optional Step: You might wish to add a curve to darken your signature. Once darkened, Merge Visible (control/command shift E).
Unlock the background layer; now becomes (layer 0)
Add a new transparent layer (layer 1)
Rearrange layers such that layer 0 is on top of layer 1. Just drag layer 0 up or layer 1 down.
On Layer 0 go, --> Layer | Layer Styles | Blending Options (or just double click on layer 0). Blend If Gray and move the right triangle slightly to the left, say 230-245 or so. (You could even split the slider to gain finer control. I didn't bother and don't believe it's warranted.)
Merge Visible (control/command shift E)
Save as a TIFF.
Copy and paste into your MS Word document or wherever you want to use your new signature.
I should add that when pasting your signature into MS Word, it is likely too large. Simply hold down the shift key and then grab a corner handle to resize. Holding down the shift key locks the aspect ratio.
This method results in an extremely clean and tidy signature file. In my view, it is much better than other methods that try to use the magic wand to clean the file.
Keywords: Photoshop, Signature, Background, White, Remove, Transparent, Clean, Blue Ink, MS Word, Word
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.
Linear Mode
