Create a Layered Glowing Text Effect
Tutorial Details
- Program: Photoshop
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Completion Time: 1 hour
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Final Product What You'll Be Creating
In this tutorial, we will create this effect using very basic Photoshop tools and layering effects. This tutorial is simple enough for a beginner to understand, but I should warn you that in this tutorial there ends up being over 60 active text layers, which will require a heavy use of your computer’s memory. Let’s jump into this tutorial and layer some glowing text.
As always, the layered Photoshop file is available via our Psdtuts+ Plus membership.
Step 1
Make a new document that is 2000px by 1200px. Then make a new Gradient Adjustment Layer with a linear gradient that goes from a dark gray (#464646) at the bottom to black (#000000) at the top. This will be our background base.
Step 2
Make another linear Gradient Adjustment Layer above the previous one, and make it a rainbow of colors of your choice. There are some colorful presets that you can choose from in the gradient palette, or create your own. Set the layer’s Fill down to 25%. Then set the layer’s blending mode to Color.
Tip: When you set the blending mode to color it makes it so the layer only affects the color of everything below it, while leaving the lightness/darkness alone.
Step 3
Finally make another Gradient Adjustment Layer above the previous two. This one will be a radial gradient. Set this one up so that the only 2 colors in the gradient are black and then make the transparency go from 100% at one end and 0% at the other end.
If you see that black is covering the center of the image, check the Reverse box. Then make it so the black goes around the edges of the canvas. Set the layer opacity to 65%. I moved the transparency handles around a little to get the exact effect that I wanted.
Step 4
Now lets begin with the text treatment. Hit (T) for the type tool, and make a (single click) on the canvas. Then type your letter, in my case a P. Then grab the Move tool and (Hit CMD+T) and transform the letter, adjust it until it’s the size that you want it. Hit (T) again for the type tool, and if it’s not already, make the letter black by clicking the text color box in the property bar. Set the letter layer’s blending mode to Screen. The letter will disappear.
Step 5
(Double click) to the right of the letter layer’s name in the layer palette to bring up the layer styles palette. Put an Outer Glow and a Stroke on the layer with the exact settings that you see below. You will see a very faint image of the letter now.
Let’s use this first letter as a starting point for all the text in the image. Once we layer several different letters on top of each other, our effect will come to life.
Step 6
Duplicate the letter layer by dragging it down to the New Layer button at the bottom of the layer palette. Select the type tool (T) and then change the font on the new layer. If the new font doesn’t line up how you want to hit (CMD+T) to free transform the new letter. Make sure that you always line up the baseline of the letters. You can move the anchor point to the base line when you are transforming to keep it lined up correctly.
Now do this step 20 times, each time using a different font. I chose to use all different fonts that have serifs. You can use all fonts that are sans-serif if you like, but I wouldn’t mix the two.
Step 7
Select all the text layers that you have. Then hit (CMD+G) to group them. With the group selected in the layer palette, hit (V) for the move tool. Then (while holding ALT), click and drag on the letters on the canvas to duplicate them. Drag them to the right where you want the next letter to be. Now there should be 2 groups of text in the layer palette. Turn off all the letter layers in the new group (except the bottom one) by clicking in the little ‘eye’ icon next to each one.
Now select the text tool (T), and highlight the single letter. Then change it to the next letter that you want, in my case an S. Finally, turn the S layer off. Then turn on the next one and do the same. Repeat this until all the letters in your new group are changed. Turn all the layers back on.
Repeat this step for each new letter you need.
Step 8
Select the elliptical marquee tool and make a very thin ellipse at the base of your letters. Then Feather the selection about 20px. Enter quickmask mode (Q). Then go to Filter>Blur>Motion Blur. Make the angle 0 and the length 700px and hit OK. This gives us a nice fade out to the left and right sides. Then exit quickmask mode (Q).
Now make a curves adjustment layer above the gradients, but below the letter groups. Then apply a curve that looks like the one below. This just gives our letters something to sit on.
Step 9
Make a new document that is 300px by 300px. Double click on the background layer to make it an active layer. (Double click) to the right of the layer name to open the layer styles palette. Apply a color overlay to make the layer black. Then add an inner stroke that is white to make a border. You can see my settings below.
Go to Layer>Flatten Image to flatten the image. Hit CMD+A to select all and then go Edit>Define Pattern.
Step 10
Go back to your other document. Make a new blank layer just above your curves layer by hitting the New Layer button at the bottom of the layer palette. Not go to Edit>Fill and select Pattern for the Contents. Then select your black box that should be at the end of the list, and hit OK.
Now Hit (CMD+T) to transform the layer so that it fits in the foreground space. Then (right/control+click) anywhere in the transform box and select perspective. Drag the bottom right handle way out so you get a nice perspective on the pattern layer. Set the layer’s blending mode to screen and the opacity to 15%.
Step 11
There is one last step to add a finishing touch. Select the type layers and duplicate them by dragging them down to the New Layer button. With the new groups selected hit (CMD+T) then (right/control+click) in the transform box and select Flip Vertical. Move them down so they look like a reflection.
With all the reflection groups selected hit (CMD+G) to put them into another group. Set that group’s opacity to 25%. Add a mask to the group by clicking on the Add Layer Mask button at the bottom of the layer palette. With the mask selected hit (G) for the gradient tool and apply a linear gradient from black to white, so the reflection fades out as it goes down to the edge of the image.
Conclusion
This tutorial covered some simple steps and effects to achieve stylish results. The final image is below. If there are any questions, put them in the comments section. I will answer them as soon as I can. I hope you enjoy this tut!
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By Kyle Pero
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Hi!
I’m stuck on STEP 1 lol! When I create the Gradient Map Adjustment Layer it either doesn’t show at all or it just turns 100% black, depending on the properties of my starting background layer(tried transparent and white).
So, I wonder, what settings should I use for my very first layer(before I create the Gradient Map Adjustment Layer)? Are there any other settings you are using that I’m not aware of?
Pls help. Cheers!
You shouldn’t make a gradient map adjustment… I know your problem, been there too.
The problem is Adobe’s different way of user interface. You can’t create a gradient adjustment layer through the layer popdown menu. You gotta press the little contrast icon in the bottom of your layer board.
You should then get a popout menu, where the option “Gradient…” should be.
Hope it works
I really couldn’t resist laughing when I read the first part of your comment “I’m stuck on STEP 1 lol!” LMAO!!
you just made my day
)
I love this tut
This is absolutely amazing, like all of your tutorials I’ve tried so far! I can think of a lot of ways this can be used and can’t wait to try it out.
Thank you so much.
Amazing! Thanks for such a Good thing. Keep up Good work.
Can i use CS3 in this tut?
simply outstanding thankx so much
WOooooooooooW!!!!
AWESOMEEEE!!!!!! I TIRED AND GOT FANTASTIC RESULT!
THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH FOR SHARING!!!!!
Thanx a lot for this tut, here is my outcome:
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh119/faithnomoread/NPG_light_wall.png
i loved this.
it was very fun.
and i am a sophmore in class.
we did this as a project and i enjoyed it.
When I try to flip the letters for the shadow, I get the message “Program error, cannot transform” I’m using cs2 and xp. Is it not power full enough to support 100+ layer (5 letters). Even I flip them 1 at a time, its still freezes. How do I solve this. Otherwise it turned out great!!
I think you have problem with your graphic card or If you use cracked photoshop, you may face this kind of problem.
How do I convert psd to html?
I liked your work.
This is a very neat technique, but I seem to be having issues once I get to the elliptical marquee step. I select the tool and make the narrow ellipse, but after I make the feather to 20 px, I ALWAYS get an error message that says:
Warning: No pixels are more than 50% selected. The selection edges will not be visible.
To try and bypass this, I made a larger circle and managed to get switch to quick mask mode, but my outcome looks nothing like the example. I never produced a red line under my letters as you have shown. I don’t understand what I am doing wrong!
There is not need to get the red area under the text. If you want to you can do by going to Image>Adjustments>Invert.
Great tutorial! I followed it and got near perfect results!
The only problem, a small problem, is that the original font wasn’t named. For some, it may seem like a frivolous detail, but for me, I’d like to do it just like the tutorial did. So with the help of Identifont, I was able to conclude that the font being used is “ITC American Typewriter Medium”, which can be purchased at a variety of online sites:
http://new.myfonts.com/fonts/adobe/itc-american-typewriter/medium/
Great job making this tutorial! I’m glad that every detail was explained this time around. Great great job.
A little bit of trivia: the ITC American Typewriter Medium font is the same font being used on the popular “I <3 New York" graphics. =]
Great tutorial, makes for a lot of layers when you use 7 letters, glad I have 12 gigs of ram.
Here is my result http://www.pbase.com/scotty51/image/123281580
Can someone help me with “STEP 8″ I cant get that blur on the bottom of my text, can someone like add me on msn or sum and help me do it ? Please and thank youu
im stuck on the second gradient step do i put it over top on the same layer? do i make a new layer? what do i do?
Nice one dude really enjoyed making this, the tutorial was very good some wording errors and sight confusion at some stages, but over all very very good. (:
nice effects thanks
cant do the eliptical marquee step,….when i try to do it, it doesnt get filled in
I can’t do it either.
I cannot do it either….
Me neither, everything was ok apart from this, any answers?
Very nice tutorial! but please HELP!!!
However I couldn’t complete it. I’m stuck pretty much at the very beginning. I followed your instructions but my letters don’t seem to disappear? or been able to see the rainbow gradient as in yours. My letters look kind of greyish with a gradient, similar to the background layer.
Not sure what’s wrong any ideas? Thanks for putting the tutorial together, it seems others have been able to complete it.
I’ve got the same problem :/
You can custom make your own gradients. Make sure you click the “screen” option on the layers section. This will be right to the left of ‘opacity’.
Thank you so much for this tutorial!
I learnt so many relevant skills from you!
Awesomeness!! Gorgeous outcome, learnt a lot.
Did it a few times….
Nice tutorial ! Thanks for sharing !
Hey! :] Awesome tutorial. I seem to be stuck on Step 8 though. I honestly just can’t do that step and I’m not really sure why. Its just not working. I have Photoshop CS5 if that helps.
Can somebody explain me, how to make step 8?
Hi! very nice & great tutorials. Thanks
Help me!! Im Stuck at Step 8!!
PLEASE HELP
I’m stuck at step#8. In which layer shall i use elliptical marquee tool…………I have tied it many a times but don”t know where the fault lies………..
please help & thanx 4 d tutorial ..
how can i do the curves
plzzzzzzzzzzzz help
how can select all the text layers
you can select the text layers by clicking on one and then going to Select>Similar Layers.
When I read the first comment, I spoke to myself, “I am not the only one!”. Lmao
Nice photoshop effect tips. I will try this technique to create a design for magazine. Thanks for sharing.
Hi!
First of all I would like to thank you for this post. But I’m actually stuck on step 2. (I’m using cs3)
Here’s my problem: My gradient only shows up when I already have a black background on the same layer. And also, the radial gradient has a white inside although I have set the opacity to 0%. Please help me out! I would really like to master this technique!
Thanks for your help!
I’m looking forward to your reply.
Bye
Hey there! that’s a great tutorial indeed but I seem to have stuck on step 2! when I create the gradient adjustment layer for the rainbow colours, I don’t get the same result as in the preview..I also chose the dark spectrum template as in the example, but it gets purple on the bottom, dark blue in the middle and light blue on the top rather than turning the lovely two colours in the preview..please help!
love this tutorials…….
ITS Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Eye catching. Thanx for sharing
Hi kyle pelo, just got your tuts, the part that i`m confused is from 8-10 page,just got lost coz i`m a beginner but i have tried my lever best to did it,hope to get me the feed back on how i can keep on familiarize my self.cool, im erickson from Tanzania.,
stuck on step 8!!! I do everything it says, but when i do the quick mask instead of it doing the selected area red, it turns the outer area red. what am i doing wrong? plz help asap.
I have a question at step 8, what layer are you in when you create the ellipse? I’m not sure how to use a layer mask either. any help would be appreciated, thank you! not sure if anyone will respond because this is an old thread, but please do if you see this!
Check my last comment.
Hope it helps you.
your tut is very nice ! i have made my own letters and it done very nice.thanks and continue to post more tuts.god bless !
Guys i am stuck on step 8
I am using CS4
I am stuck on step 8.
I did everything it said. When I complete the quick mask step and in the end remove the quick mask nothing happens. After that i tried applying a curve adjustment layer just below the text groups and above the gradient layer group and it makes the whole thing light up.
Not getting the results as shown.
Plss help!!!
Ok guys. Here’s help on Step 8. I got the step 8 and this is how it worked for me.
1.) Create a new layer atop all other layer groups and layers.
2.) Select the elliptical marquee tool and make a very thin ellipse at the base of your letters. Then Feather the selection about 20px.
3.) Enter quickmask mode (Q) or you can do this by clicking the last option in your tools window ( looks something like this [ O ] ). Don’t be depressed if the whole screen goes red instead of the selected portion. If you want the selected portion to go red go to “Image>Adjustments>Invert”. THOUGH, THIS IS NOT REQUIRED FOR STEP 8.
4.) Then go to Filter>Blur>Motion Blur. Make the angle 0 and the length 700px and hit OK. Then exit quickmask mode (Q).
5.) Now just above the gradient layer group or all the gradient layers and below the text layers/layer groups add a curve adjustment layer with the settings as shown in step 8. If your whole screen brightens up and the selected portion remains a little dark, don’t worry just go to Image>Adjustments>Invert and you will get the desired result.
Hope it helped.
Any question about Step 8 can be addressed to 1chandailrc1@gmail.com.
Coollllllllllllllllll
its a real great tutorial Dude.. thanks …!!!