1

a. Start out with a file of these dimensions, make sure that the Background Contents are set to Transperant

 

Click to see fullsize image

b. Start by making some text in the middle of the page. Choose whatever font you want. I chose a fairly-rounded, italic font, but most fonts will work for this. The important thing is that you only do 2 or 3 letters.

c. After you have the text to proportions similar to in the example, hit Ctrl + A to select the canvas. Then select the Move Tool (V). On the top bar you should see this series of buttons. Hit the two buttons circled in red to align the text horizontally and vertically.

 

Click to see fullsize image

 

 

2

a. Go to Edit>Preferences>Grid, Guides and Slices...

and use these settings:

Gridline every: 1 inches

Subdivisions: 4

b. Hit Ctrl + ' to toggle the grid. This design is all about symmetry, the grid will help us maintain that.

c. Now select the Path Tool (P). First click where the little square is next to the one. Then click and hold where the 2 is. Making sure you are still holding the mouse drag the mouse down to the bottom of the canvas it should make a countour like in the example. Finally click on the right side of the image and youre done with the path.

 

 

 

3

a. Now make a new layer, then select the Brush Tool (B).

b. Select this brush, then change the Master Diameter to 50 px.

c. Now select the Path Selection Tool (A) and right click on the image. Select Stroke Path from the menu that comes up. Use these options:

4

a. Now hold Ctrl and click on the text layer to load its selection. Then go to Select>Modify>Expand...
Expand the selection 5 pixels.

b.Then hit backspace, if you haven't already cleared the path you my have to hit backspace a couple times before it clears the area around the text properly. It should look like this when you are done:

c. Now select the Polygonal Lasso Tool (L) and make a selection like this, then hit backspace to clear the rough edges in the middle.

d. After that hit Ctrl + E to merge the two layers together.

 

5

a. Now apply these layer style to the layer.

 

 

 

6

a. Now make a new layer then position it under your text layer in the layers pallete.

b. Then select the text layer and hit Ctrl + E to merge the layers together.

 

7

a. Go to Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation... or hit Ctrl + U

Check Colorize
Hue: 220
Saturation: 10
Lightness: 0

b. Then go to Image>Adjustments>Curves... or hit Ctrl + M

use these settings:

9

a. Now, if the forum you frequent is darker in color skip to step 10

b. If your forum is lighter hold ctrl and click on the shape layer to load it's selection.

c. Then go to Select>Modify>Expand...

expand by 1 pixel

d. Then make a new layer, and position it under you shape layer. Finally fill the shape layer with white. ( Hit D to reset your colors, then Alt + Backspace to fill with white.)