How to create a Digital Signature on your survey (or other documents)

Today I tried to create a signature on a pdf file of survey. Before I done it the old fashion way: signed and sealed on paper and scan it in. One thing annoy me is that the scan pdf don't give the best print, whether it is just the metes & bounds document or a big survey. Especially with full size surveys, it is a drag to scan them, and have you ever plotted a full size pdf scan of a survey? It came out just awful!!!

I personally think just scanning the document take an hour (or seem so) out of my life, not counting those time the plotter breaks down. Therefore, since I have a new smart phone, I try to get into the 21st century and do it the "smart" way too.

At first, I tried DocuSign, which you can use your finger or a stylus to sign on your screen. You just import the pdf document using email or dropbox. After signing, DocuSign also create a Digital Signature for the pdf, and certify that this document is coming out of your computer, if it has been tempered with since you signed, blah blah, which I like. What I don't like is the thickness of the signature, it comes out rather thin on the Letter size paper, and cannot be adjusted either. On the print out, for the keen eyes, you can see the jagged edge of the pixelate signature. When I tried to use this on a full size survey (the pdf was plotted using AutoCAD "DWG to PDF"), DocuSign cannot load that PDF properly (it comes out grey like a picture scan), which looks suspicious so I didn't want put my signature on there.

Finally, for the full size survey PDF document, I just scan my real signature and make it a picture, then import it into the document as a digital signature. Here is the video showing you how to do it in Adobe Reader.

There is also another way I just discover, which use Adobe Reader app. It opens the PDF (created by AutoCAD) pretty well, then tap and sign your name on the screen. The signature can be adjusted for thickness, opacity, scaled, color..., which is perfect. However, it just added the image of your signature and won't create a Digital Signature. I haven't plot this document out yet, but on the screen, the drawing and the signature looks pretty good. Even if Adobe Reader app doesn't create Digital Signature, I think it is still very good to sign your survey electronically. If you really need Digital Signature, it won't be hard to download the signed survey back to your PC and use Adobe Acrobat or Reader again to certify it.

Another way to create a signature image is to download a paint app, then sign and save it as an image. I recommend Markers for android, it is very simple to use, I love it takes into account how your pen stroke strong or light. Then Share (save) it to your email, then download them to PC. The PNG file already transparent, you can use any software to crop the image. If not, use Pixlr.com Editor to crop. Then create Digital Signature in Adobe. Create about 20 or so of signatures, and rotating using them on your survey.