Complete photoshop amateur here: tell me how to improve this signature

I'd consider myself a complete newbie to photoshop (even though I've been using it for awhile) and this is the first signature I've made that I think is decent to look at: http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/e.../DefineRed.jpg

Even so, I know it's missing alot and I feel that maybe there isn't enough blending or that it is too bright or maybe that it's complete trash. Anyways, if anyone can post some suggestions to make this a better looking signature, I'll take those suggestions and repost the changes I made, respectively. Thanks in advance

The effects look good, and the text is alright, but it way too over contrasted
And the splatters seem too sharp, just lower the opac on the sharpen layer.

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Originally Posted by iNova

The effects look good, and the text is alright, but it way too over contrasted
And the splatters seem too sharp, just lower the opac on the sharpen layer.

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Thanks for the input. I lowered the opacity on the photofilter that made the splattered part seem so bright and also lowered the opacity on the sharpened layer and this is what I got:http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/e...asty0/red2.jpg

Do you think that the splatters are still too sharp?

It looks a better now, But the splatter to the left of the render is still too sharp, try using the blur tool.

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Originally Posted by iNova

It looks a better now, But the splatter to the left of the render is still too sharp, try using the blur tool.

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Thanks again, I see what you meant when you said my splatter was "sharp" and so I have blurred it slightly. Also, I've added a few more C4D's because I thought the area to the left was a bit too boring. I also sharpened the text. This is the newest result
http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/e...RedAltered.jpg

I don't really know a lot, but I like the text. Good choice and placement. I've said that like twice since I joined.

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Originally Posted by Dark Method

I don't really know a lot, but I like the text. Good choice and placement. I've said that like twice since I joined.

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Wow, that's a huge compliment. Thank you :)

absolute lack of depth. use blurs to create depth for beginning
sharpend some areasand blur some, that will make it look cool
its too monotonish imo
red it overlaping the tag.
and the text is too big there, minimize the size of the font

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Originally Posted by KidBuu

absolute lack of depth. use blurs to create depth for beginning
sharpend some areasand blur some, that will make it look cool
its too monotonish imo
red it overlaping the tag.
and the text is too big there, minimize the size of the font

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Well I followed your advice, mostly. I added in shades of yellow, orangeish, red, and light red/pink to slightly kill the monotone, minimalized the size of the text, and blurred/sharpened the picture to slightly add depth. I do feel like I overdid the blurring/sharpening but this the result. Thanks for your input, KidBuu.
http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/e...dAltered-1.jpg

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Originally Posted by Dark Method

I don't really know a lot, but I like the text. Good choice and placement. I've said that like twice since I joined.

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I'd have to disagree. That font "something cowboys?" is horrid and should never be used. The placement is ok but the font is too big also.

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Originally Posted by Define:

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/e...dAltered-1.jpg

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It feels sharp again. Mainly the focal.
The splatters are nice, but they are far too blurred and some are far too sharpened.
Sharpen the foreground and blur the background.
Don't be afraid to change the opacity on the eraser too.

I actually quite like the piece though.
The colours are varied enough to my liking and the splatter is very good.
Not a fan of the typo myself. Just feels a bit out of place, imo.
Altogether, it is a great piece considering it is your first signature. Keep it up!

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Originally Posted by Stig193

It feels sharp again. Mainly the focal.
The splatters are nice, but they are far too blurred and some are far too sharpened.
Sharpen the foreground and blur the background.
Don't be afraid to change the opacity on the eraser too.

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Originally Posted by ratchetnclank

I'd have to disagree. That font "something cowboys?" is horrid and should never be used. The placement is ok but the font is too big also.

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Thanks again for the input from both of you. Now I've lowered the opacity on the blur/sharpen layer which gives the effect of the sharpening the foreground and blurring the background like you suggested, Stig. Also, I changed the text on "Red" to a simpler carbon text and stroke outlined it because I can understand how specific "Bleeding Cowboys" is and I don't think this picture satisfies those specific qualities, ratchet.

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/e...extaltered.jpg

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Originally Posted by Stig193

I actually quite like the piece though.
The colours are varied enough to my liking and the splatter is very good.
Not a fan of the typo myself. Just feels a bit out of place, imo.
Altogether, it is a great piece considering it is your first signature. Keep it up

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Thanks but this isn't my first signature, not even close. Just the first one I've made that I haven't deleted instantly after looking at the often contorted final product. I'm looking forward to more CnC, regardless of how harsh it may be.

EDIT: More screwing around via adding more c4d's and splatters and clipping masks earned me this chaotic piece:

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/e...dnextlevel.jpg

I thought the outsides were too boringly white so I added some more color and gave the text a sort of place to reside so they don't seem so randomly placed (even if they were). I suspect a lot is still missing, however.