Isolating an autograph from a card

[badwax]

I need the SCF's Photoshop / GIMP gurus help trying to figure out how to isolate signatures from a picture.

See hockey examples here

They have some great hockey one's, I would like some football and baseball ones, especially since I have started to create customs with reprints. The only way I can see to do it would be to use the wrangle tool to cut out the signature then color with black. I'm thinking though that there has to be an easier way. Please help.

Thanks,
Mike

[badwax]

Here is how I do it:

1. find autograph


2. isolate autograph using wrangle tool.


3. Finally, make autograph all black by using the paint tool (after adding alpha to selection).
]

This took about 40 minutes, is there a faster way?

[Indian71]

try this website
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=668791