I'll translate the two next parts as soon as possible...  

I know two    that are going to be really happy about that, CrystalMSN and Aid  

And a big thanks to vaksa who did the screenshot (english version)

Ok let's start  

Before starting anything, your base

This forum has rules
So please use signatures that are no bigger than 250*50 pixels maximum
At the time I did this tuto those rules wheren't there yet

So here are few 250*50 pixels backgrounds:

right click save as (png)

1/ How to resize an image, and keeping it ratio

insert the wanted image in the signature to resize it  
click on the rectangular marquee tool (keyboard shortcut : M)

Select the layers you are going to resize, then right click on it and select manual transform

click and drag an angle to resize it as wanted, at the same time click on shift, this will  keep the ratio .

Then, when done, click on the rectangle selection tool
Select Apply, if you want to do some more change select Cancel, or Don't Apply to cancel everything,

This work with anything, tux, icons, any objects ...

You agree, nothing hard until now  

2/ the text

Before you do anything download the Denmark font Here

to install it move it to the fonts folder
C:\Windows\Fonts\  (also accessible through the Control Panel)

So, select the horizontal type tool (keyboard shortcut : T)

click on the image where you want to write (precision isn't needed yet) (a new text layer is created)

Select the font : Denmark
The color of the text is not important at all

And the text size is up to you
about 55pt for the pseudo alone
otherwise 36-40pt for the pseudo if you want to add one or two lignes of text below, and about 16pt for those small lignes

Select Crisp for the smoothing
and center the text

all those options are in the menu bar

Type your text  

double click like on the following screenshot, and not on the text

You should have somthing like that

Go on Drop Shadow (click on the word)

Still as on the screenshot
Shadow color:
R:140 G:140 B:168
#8C8CA8

Then like on the screenshot, still don't know the name in the english version

Do like on the screenshot

the color isn't important, because the value is 0%

Then like on the screenshot

And like on the screenshot

Click on the color setting, the colored bar..

click on the effect blue red yellow

double click on the small square (0%)
to set the color

change the color as:
R:218 G:217 B:234
#DAD9EA

same thing for the 2nd small square (placed at 50%)
R:192 G:192 B:219
#C0C0DB

and the third one (100%)
R:233 G:233 B:245
#E9E9F5

click once one the 2nd square (at 50%)

notice the small rhombus on each side

click once on the first one   the mouse should be a hand, not a arrow
be aware that the undo command works here, ctrl+Z

type 80 as on the screenshot

same thing for the 2nd on e but type 40 instead

close that window, by selecting the OK button

Finally like on the screenshot

the color is
R:100 G:91 B:182
#645BB6

close that window, by selecting the OK button

to center the text on the signature (if you want it to be centered)

Put it in the wanted height

select the signature backgroud layer

then in the menu bar

Layer Menu / align the locked layer / horizontal center

You're Done !

You should have something like this (Hopefully )

If you have any questions feel free to ask

PS: Sorry but I have a French version of Photoshop, so I do not know the english version option names  

One way to create reflections under an object

This is an example of a image were we want to add one kind of reflection
You'll need to have at least a layer for the tux, for this tutorial we'll call it TUX:

Duplicate the TUX layer, by doing a right click on the layer

This layer should be called TUX copy

Go in the menu Edit / Transformation / vertical Symmetry
(could someone give me the exact english version text)

Move the TUX copy layer under the TUX layer with a click and drag (out of the text)

Before / AFTER

click on the Move tool (keyboard: V)

clic on the feather reflection (It should be hidden by the tux) and move it ( while pressing SHIFT in order to have a rectangle move ) move it down until the bottom of each feet touch the other feet (you could make the image bigger for more precision)

Select the magic wand tool (keyboard: W)
then as the screenshot

then click on the shadow
you should have something like this

Delete button to delete the reflection shadow (We'll leave the tux shadow but you could also delete if you'd prefere, I'm leaving it)

click on the rectangular marquee tool

and click anywhere to unselect (and out of the actual selection)

with this tool still in use
do a selection pretty much like on the screenshot

right click in the selection, and feather

the selection will change his shape
this is an exemple

feather radius 10

Finally, press the delete button as much as wanted to get the final result

then click out of the selection to unselect

do a selection to delete the extra reflection that goes above the edges, even if not much visible

and press delete

and this is what you should get:

You can of course apply this to any object

How to create the signature background

This tutorial will be shorter you'll have to use the psd (photoshop extention) and those explanation to understand

so here is the background (click on the image to download the .psd):

and the avatar

To make it I have used:

the rounded rectangle tool

I used it twice for the 2 rectangle (see psd)

every thing else is in the layer style
double click on the layer (not on the text)

the third layer, is the same color as the the forum backgroud
so you won't have horrible white angles
If you want to use a signature to another forum
this is for JPG kind of signature

If you want to save it in PNG
you can simply delete this layer

About the stroke
In my case, the stroke color is the same as the darker color of the border

To show you on this screenshot, the red color will become the dark blue above it

You can change the color in the layer style and click on Stroke

Voila, I hope this will be enough for this part

if you need more detail on one point just ask for it ....  

Wow  Thanks ELIADEN  

Yay, I read you fab tuto and made my 1st sig.  

It's abit plain but oh well.  

Thanks Eliaden and good work Aid.  

Very nice one

but you should save them in jpg or png (if it's still under 30Ko)
So you'll have a nice shadow

Lol, yes I realised that.  
And thanks crystalmsn.  

Wow, excellent tutorial!  Thank you ELIADEN  Aid, nicely done!  Maybe this tutorial can even help me

Thanks Skunkie  

If you want I can send you screenshots from english Photoshop CS

I want to.                  

If you could do the same screenshot, that could be just great, for everyone
If you do so send those to me by PM
 and I'll edit the tuto with your screenshot

Done. Check your PM inbox

Now the screenshot are from an english version of photoshop
at least for the first part

BIG thanks to vaska who did those

You are welcome
   

to be continued...

THANKSSSSSS MUCH ELIADEN and VASKA !
You have done a great job !

I'm happy you like it  

Yay, I made my 2nd Sig, I think it's ok for my 2nd time making one.  

geat job!

Thank you.   Making Avatar now.  

Can anyone tell me why it wont let me have this is an Avatar?

Ah never mind, it's done now.  

Aid  
Now it's getting a lot more better about the shadow
good job for your signature and avatar