Stocks Make Pretty cool effects

[L]

I'm not sure if any of you have given it any real thought, but it's a little something I've always used.

A few examples of my signatures that are largely based on this particular approach as are follows;

this particular image revolved around a lot of image application and filters, but on the side there is a tattoo worn by Frank Carter (Gallows, go check them out dammit). the hole in the wing is his nipple

For this one, I took that really popular BBS scan and manipulated it a lot and set a blend on top that made the metal on the masked boy's helmet stand out.

Because I've been out of it for so long, I've been relying on what I know what to work with best. This particular signature had very little use of actual tools and just blending layers and erasing.

since i suck at text i nabbededed a magazine cover with that shit on it

I don't know how many of you actually use this approach to making signatures, but I didn't think it'd hurt to share or make some people aware.

 

[Bambi]

In the brief 5 minutes I got into making sigs, I came to the conclusion I was better with stocks than renders They just felt easier to work with

Just a shame I lacked the imagination to keep it up so i could make myself Matts all day long

 

[Bei Bei]

Most of my sigs actually contain both the stock and the render. For me one way to make sure that the colors flow together, I just take the original stock and blur/erase/blend/distort. Unfortunately when I do it that way I have to make my own render out of the stock, but after that it really makes it flow nicely

 

[Six]

I do this often, and probably more than I should. I would take the stock I'd be working with, duplicate, Gaussian blur, Motion Blur, Distort, Ripple, and try different gradient maps. Kinda like Bei Bei said. I do it a lot.

When I'm almost done with a signature, I remove the text for a moment, select the signature, copy merged, and paste, then blur and change the layer to Overlay or Soft Light, or anything like that to make it pop, then put the text back. Works for me. =)

 

[Warbsywoo]

I've never actually done this too often myself. I should try as it seems like it makes backgrounds more intriguing than actually just slapping some faded colors on there.

The only times I ever use this is when I'm doing my sports signatures.

 

[Exoskeleton]

I don't use stocks much but I've often desired the amazing effects they can make. I'm not that good at ideas when it comes to them but I try using them when I can . I have to practice the technique though. I'll use this thanks!

 

[Ohri-Jin]

So a stock is a picture? A layer from another pic?
You see my sig is brush only
I have no idea what this term STOCK really is... cuz when I blend even then I dont get satisfied all the time.... also GIMP...