Metal Text Tutorial

Step 1:

We're going to try to get a really metallic chrome effect on our text, using curves and other features in Photoshop. Start off with a large canvas, the larger the better - I'm using 800x800. Make some text and have it a light-medium grey, in the example I'll use #B3B3B3. Start off by using a nice big bevel and emboss with settings similar to those bellow. As usual, the size should be suitable for the size of the image; try to make it look like the example.

Step 2:

Now we need to rasterize our layer. Create a new layer by pressing ctrl/cmd + shift + N, then link the new layer with the text layer, and press ctrl/cmd + E to merge it. This will rasterize our text layer. Now we need to adjust the image using curves - press ctrl/cmd + M to open the curves menu, then enter a nice even zig zag, as shown bellow.

Step 3:

Go Image > Adjustments > Variations, set the slider at the top to one notch from the bottom, and then click once on the 'Current Pick' box, once on the 'More Blue' box, and then once on the 'More Green' box - now click OK. Press ctrl/cmd + M again to open up the curves menu, and enter a slightly different curve like bellow. Now add a drop shadow using the default settings by going Layer > Layer Style > Drop Shadow and clicking OK.

Step 4:

Now use the layer styles again (Layer > Layer Styles) to add an inner glow using the settings in the first image bellow. Go to layer styles again and this time add a second bevel and emboss, with the settings from the second image. For the next stage, we need to create a selection - hold ctrl/cmd and click on the main layer in the layers palette. This will select the letter/text - now go Select > Modify > Contract and enter a value of 3. Now go Select > Feather (ctrl/cmd + shift + D) and enter 3 again.

Step 5:

At the bottom of the layers palette, click the 'Create New Fill or Adjustment Layer' button - a circle half black and half white - and click 'Gradient Map'. Click the arrow at the side of the dialogue box that appears (see the image), and load the file 'Metals'. Apply the gradient in the bottom left (black > white > black - "Steel Bar"), then set this layer's blending mode as 'overlay'. This should give a similar effect to that seen opposite. If not, try the tutorial a few times - there are several variables such as the curves input that can make quite a difference, and it takes some practice!

Glowing Text Tutorial

A twist on the typical glowing text tutorial.

Step 1 - Create the Text

Start with a new image 1000x500 and fill the background with black.
Set your foreground color to #042040.
Create a new text layer and center it.
I used a font size of 220 pt.

Step 2 - Outside Glow

Create a new layer , then double click on that layer (in the layers palette), and name it outside glow, and then move it bellow the text layer.

Hold down the CTRL key and click on the the text layer in the layers palette to select it.

Change your foreground color to #16406F then fill the selection with it by pressing ALT + BACKSPACE.

Deselect CTRL+D, and then Gaussian blur the layer 20 pixels.

Filter » Blur » Gaussian Blur » [ Radius 20 Pixels ].

Step 3 - Small Lines
Create a new layer above the text layer, and name it sml lines.

Select the single row marquee tool by clicking and holding down the mouse on the Marquee Tool in the ToolBox, untill the other tools apear, then selecting it.
Hold down SHIFT and click several different times to create several differt line selections.

After you have several line selections, fill them with white.

Step 4 - Gaussian Blur

Gaussian Blur the layer by 1 pixel.
Filter » Blur » Gaussian Blur » [ Radius 1 Pixel ]

Duplicate the current layer. CTRL + J. Then merge the two layers down together CTRL + E.

Set the blending mode to Color Dodge, then open the blending options by right clicking on the sml lines layer and selecting blending options.

Set the fill on the layer to 80%.
Step 5 - Medium Lines
Create a new layer above the sml lines, layer and name it med lines.

Make a selection, using the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M or SHIFT + M) across the whole image, that is 5 pixels high.

Fill the selection with white CTRL + BACKSPACE

Deselect CTRL + D, then Gaussian blur by 3 pixels.

Filter » Blur » Gaussian Blur » [ Radius 3 Pixel ]

Set this layers blending mode to Color Dodge, and also in the blending options uncheck Transparency Shapes Layer.

Step 6 - Large Line

Create a new layer above the med lines layer and name it large line.

Make a selection, using the Rectangular Marquee Tool across the whole image, that is 15 pixels high.

Fill the selection with white CTRL + BACKSPACE

Deselect CTRL + D, then Gaussian blur by 5 pixels.

Filter » Blur » Gaussian Blur » [ Radius 5 Pixel ]

Set this layers blending mode to Color Dodge, and also in the blending options uncheck Transparency Shapes Layer.

Step 7 - Outline

Create a new layer bellow the text layer and name it Outline.

While holding down CTRL, click the text layer to select it.

Expand that selection by 3 pixels.

Select » Modify » Expand [ Expand by 3 Pixels ]

Then fill the selection with a light gray. (#B5BBC2) Press ALT + BACKSPACE to fill, then press CTRL + D to deselect.

Step 8 - Gaussian Blur

Gaussian Blur Outline by 2 pixels.

Filter » Blur » Gaussian Blur » [ Radius 5 Pixel ]

Set the blending mode on the layer to Color Dodge, and also in the blending options uncheck Transparency Shapes Layer.

Step 9 - The Darkness Inside

Create a new layer above the the text layer and name it DarknessInside.

While holding down CTRL, click the text layer to select it.

Contract that selection by 5 pixels.

Select » Modify » Contract [ Expand by 3 Pixels ]

Next, fill that selection with black, by pressing D to reset the colors, then ALT + BACKSPACE to fill with the foreground color.

CTRL + D to deselect, then Gaussian blur the layer 4 pixels.

Filter » Blur » Gaussian Blur » [ Radius 4 Pixel ]

Step 10 - Motion Blur

Ok now the fun part. Select the outside glow layer, and then motion blur it as much as you want. On mine i used 200.

Filter » Blur » Motion Blur [ Distance 200 Pixels Angle 0° ]

Shocking Text Tutorial

In this tutorial you will learn how to plug your text into a light socket!

Step 1: - Preparing the Text

Create a new image 400x400px with a “transparent” background. Rename the only existing layer “back”.

Fill ( Edit > Fill ) layer "back" with black ( Hext #000000 ).

Using the Horizontal Type Tool, write some large text in white ( Hex #FFFFFF ). For this tutorial, I wrote “N-sane” in 80 pt with the font Impact.

Rasterize the text ( Layer > Rasterize > Text ). Rename the layer that has the now rasterized text “Text”.

Step 2: - Vertical Wind

Duplicate layer “Text” and rename the new layer “Text 2”. Hide layer “Text 2” by clicking on the eye to the left of it on the Layer Palette.

Activate layer “Text” on the Layer Palette and merge all visible layers ( Layer > Merge Visible ).

Transform the image 90 degrees clockwise ( Edit > Transform > 90 degrees CW ).

Apply the Wind filter ( Filter > Stylize > Wind ) with the method “Wind” and the Direction “From the Right”. Repeat ( Ctrl-f ) this filter.

Now, apply the Wind filter ( Filter > Stylize > Wind ) again except this time, use the Direction “From the Left”. Repeat ( Ctrl-f ) this filter.

Step 3: - Horizontal Wind

Transform the image 90 degrees counter-clockwise ( Edit > Transform > 90 degrees CCW ). We are now going to apply the Wind filter again except this time, only once in each direction.

Apply the Wind filter ( Filter > Stylize > Wind ) with the method “Wind” and the Direction “From the Right”.

Now, apply the Wind filter ( Filter > Stylize > Wind ) again except this time, use the Direction “From the Left”.

Apply the Ripple Filter ( Filter > Distort > Ripple ) to make the light wavy.
Open the Hue/Saturation window ( Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation ) and press Ok with the default values.
Step 4: - Final Touches

Unhide layer “Text 2” and activate it on the Layer Palette.

Select the text on the layer by pressing Ctrl then clicking on the thumbnail of the layer on the Layer Palette.
Contract ( Select > Contract ) the selection by 2 pixels. Now Fill ( Edit > Fill ) in the selection with black ( Hex #000000 ).

Sleek Text Shine Tutorial

Step 1:

Open a new document, no matter what size with any background color (depending on your conditions).



Step 2:
Type your text, with a nice and professional font (I personally recommend the Trebuchet MS font), you may select any color.


Step 3:
Press 'D' and then 'X' to reset your foreground and background colors to default.


Step 4:
Create a new layer on the top of the text layer. Now press and hold 'CTRL" (Control button) and then click on the text layer from the layers pallete.


Step 5:
Take the Gradient tool, press and hold the 'Shift' button and then apply a medium gradient effect from the top to the bottom of the text but before doing this make sure that you select the 'Foreground to transparent' gradient and a white gradient should be formed.


Step 6:
Now select the effect layer from the layers pallete, take the Rectangular marquee tool and make a selection from the bottom of the text till about the center then Cut the selection that you've made:

Step 7:

You're almost done. Now press and hold 'CTRL" (Control button) and then click on the text layer from the layers pallete then create a new layer above the text and effect layers; Take the Gradient tool, press and hold the 'Shift' button and then apply a medium gradient effect from the top to the bottom of the text. Now, set the blending mode for both the effect layers to 'Overlay':