We see lots of Street Signs; single signs, double signs, small ones, large ones, metal ones, wooden ones, plastic ones, even lighted ones. Some times, there is not even a street sign to be found. This gave me the idea for this tutorial. Hope you enjoy it.
Start with a new canvas 300X300. You can resize it later. Click on your Preset Shapes Tool and locate the Rectangle, use size 1, foreground color BLACK (#000000) and background color NULL. Remember to SAVE AS a .pspimage. You will be working with layers so SAVE OFTEN.
In your lower right bar, watch your numbers, starting at position 40X120, click and drag to the right until your numbers change to 245X165, then release your mouse (See image 1 below). I am using a white background so you can see the screen shots better.
Click on the DEFORM TOOL. Holding down the SHIFT key, click on the center right node (See image 2 above) and drag it down so that it will be at an angle. (See image below)
With the MAGIC WAND TOOL, click inside your rectangle and flood fill with a color of your choice. I am using a green, since there are a lot of green signs in my area. LEAVE it still selected with the Marching Ants. Selections/Float. Then go to Effects/3-D/Cutout and use these settings --- Vertical & Horizontal 2, Opacity 100, Blur 15, color Black. Repeat changing the Vertical & Horizontal to (minus) -2. Selections/Select None. Name this layer BOTTOM SIGN.
Making sure your Sign layer is highlighted, go to Layers/Duplicate. Name this layer TOP SIGN. Click on the DEFORM TOOL. Holding down the SHIFT key, click on the center right node and drag it UP so that it will be at an angle. (See image below).Selections/Select None.
Right click on the COPY layer and ARRANGE/Move Down so that it will be BEHIND the first sign. Or you can click on the layer and DRAG it below the first sign layer. Now, your DEFORM TOOL should still be activated. Click on the CENTER positioning node and move the top sign up slightly, as we will be adding a "spacer" since signs are not actually on top of each other.
With the BOTTOM SIGN layer highlighted (this will be your top layer in the layer palette) add a NEW Raster layer, naming it SPACER. Click on the Preset Shapes Tool and locate the ELIPSE shape; size 1, background color a grey (#a0a0a0) and foreground color black (#000000) make a small oval shape inbetween the signs.
Effects/3-D/INNER BEVEL and use these setting.
Do not worry at this time, as we will be making minor adjustments before we are done. Add a NEW Raster layer, naming it POLE. Click on the Preset Shapes Tool and locate the RECTANGLE shape; size 1, background color a grey (#a0a0a0) and foreground color black (#000000) make a small oblong rectangle near the middle of the bottom of the sign and drag it down the canvas. (you will correct this in a few minutes) Apply the same INNER BEVEL as above.
Add a NEW Raster layer, naming it TOP SPIRE (or use your own choice of wording). Click on the Preset Shapes Tool and locate a shape that you will like for the top of your pole. I choose ARROW 21. Using the same settings; size 1, background color a grey (#a0a0a0) and foreground color black (#000000) make a small oblong shape near the middle of the top of the sign and drag it down to shape it as you want. (you will correct this in a few minutes) Apply the same INNER BEVEL as above.
Now, click on the MOVER TOOL 
let's arrange the layers so that everything lines up and it starts to look more like a sign post. You can use your own judgement here. I did drag my POLE down off the canvas a bit to make it look better and then dragged the layer below the BOTTOM SIGN layer.
You can also use the DEFORM TOOL to adjust the signs to your liking. If you want to add text, be sure to add a NEW Raster layer on top of each SIGN layer. You can use the DEFORM TOOL to angle the text in place. Then Merge/Merge Down to put the text onto the sign layer.
You can now MERGE/MERGE VISIBLE and Export as a tube for later use, or make it into a tag with a house or street scene. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.
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