Create a Layered Glowing Text Effect
Tutorial Details
- Program: Photoshop
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Completion Time: 1 hour
Download Source Files
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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tnx a lot man… this really great^__^
HI, i would like this link in spanish, so i can do it… because so words are confuse for me…. thanks!
Hello, As I really like this link in Spanish.
Also I have problems in step 4 and 5 consists of numerous When I finish
Doing so, the color of my lyrics The white always
I think I did something wrong in step 4 or 5
Someone could help me:)
Mines Is Not Coming Out Like This : ( . . . When I Try To Do The Letters , It Won’t Go Like That . . . So Irritating
oh hi, im new at PS and i love all ur tuts, i was wondering if in the upcoming tuts, people could be more specific when it comes to the tools they are using, where are they coming from, where can i find them and one more thing, if u could add more pics of every step, it would be awesome.
I know some tuts are already made but in case u have the chance please do.
Thanks
hi can i know what is CMD ? thx.
It’s like Ctrl but only on mac computers
First of all.. I have to thank you for this tutorial. I tried this yesterday (needed fancy text for a design) and it came our perfect. But i had a merging problem. I wrote “air” and had only 4 layers for each letter. Then i had to merge them together for some reason and i couldnt. As always photoshop ruined the layer effects and the blending. Is there a way to merge 4 text layers without losing their features? =/ I tried adding a new layer and then merging down. I even tried flatten wisible option and these both didnt work..
Thank you for your time..
Read step 7 again, it explains the whole duplicate thing ur stuck with :)
Great tutorial. Thanks so much!
Problems will occur, if you chose the cmyk color profile, then your letters are all white with a glow. If you change the color profile to rgb you should be fine. Which makes me wonder, what do you do if you want this effect to be printed.
Otherwise great tutorial,
cheers!
When you finished with the design, flatten image, and change to CMYK again. You can print it now! =)
Excellent tutorial. I did have a few problems to begin with but was very successful in the end.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing this with us
Really helpful :))
uhh i got stuck. i dont know how to feather the image. im a begginner so i am not sure how to do tht step.
you can just go to the search box and type feather and it will show you
Perfect, greeting from Germany ;-)
im havin a prolem with step 2, it doesnt have that dark rainbow effect, it either just has the grey and black gradient or the rainbow gradient, can anyone help?
RE: http://psd.tutsplus.com/tutorials/text-effects-tutorials/create-a-layered-glowing-text-effect/
Every time I try to download the files the Glowing text effect, I am told I am not a subscrber yet I am and I can download files to other tutorials with no problem.
Please advise.
WHAT FONT IT THIS? T_________T
Will this work on a transparent backround?
looks really cool. but i cant do it.. im on PS7 im doing everything thing it says but im not coming out with the same outcome. no where close. help?
Thanks a lot – its great!
Really awesome tutorial. Thanks as it helped me in my project.
This is a very very Nice & very Supported for my works
thanks a lot! very useful tutorial! i’ve never imagined that such a great text effect would be so easy to do <3
Hey sorry if this is a stupid question/comment, but on step 8, when I enter quick mask mode, everything under the Filter menu is light grey and I can’t click anything. So I can’t do the motion blur. Any one know what I’ve done wrong?
Hi there, I was wondering if there is this design as a font format as I need such a font much similar to this for school work and creating each word every time is time consuming and time is one thing I don’t have at the moment.
Thank you!
It’s a GREAT tutorial! The base glow part didn’t work for me. Not sure why. I’ll keep trying to figure it out. Maybe I missed a step??
i cant get through STEP 8 . :’(
i couldnt do it to just draw white line in the background layer with small capticity and then just do motion bur not the same but similar
i like this .
I AM VERY PLEASANT TO SEE YOUR TUTORIAL…….. BUT I FACED SOME TROUBLE IN YOUR TUTORIAL……
Great Tutorial, but you made way more work for yourself than you had to. Instead of hiding each layer of text for each letter and typing in a new letter (which takes a LONG time), just click on the “T” in the layers window and type in the new letter. This will let you type in longer words, etc… with this effect WAY faster :-)
i cant figure out step 8 for the life of me. Im using cs5 on windows xp. and my curves menu thing looks different and what layer do you use the elliptical marquee and the quick mask on?
Ok, i’m tryied to do this for something like 4 hours, nothing.. i’m having problems with step 8, don’t know what to do..
STEP 8! got the source, but still could not figure it out!
I succed to do the tutorial. He confused the instructions.
After you are doing the ellipse click on she and make her select to Select Inverse, then do the feather and after it before the mask (or the motion blur- only if I am mistaking) get it back to the first ellipse select.
Hope I helped you.
For websites and designs send me email.
BR,
Nir Bin-Nun
BNSVP Designs
(my site doesn’t work right now..)
My source – http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/52/bnsvpglowingtext.png/
Until step 8
It just great ,very nice ！
Super tutorial !
Nice………………… Thank U very Much………………… Come On…………………………
it’s really amazing & easy to create
Cosa significa ” Poi la Piuma di selezione di 20px ” O.O
Hi, great tut but im really stuck on Step 8, which layer am i meant to do that on.. and when i mask it is the opposite of your printscreen.
Please reply asap!
Thanks for your time :)
STEP 8
I guess it doesn’t work with older versions that way.
what I did was add a ned layer between the letters and the gradients which is transparent. on it I selected the ellipse and painted it white. then I added some effects to the layer and it looks – well, similar.
Got stuck at the feather step coz I didn’t know which layer you meant but finished mine now for my website header… check it out http://www.parasuniversal.com/wp-content/gallery/web-banners/paras-universal12.jpg
PLEASE REPLY!
I cant get step 8 to work at all.. i cant make the blur work. The curves layer between the gradients and letters says that the layer i make is blank.. obvioustly as it is.. can someone clear step 8 up for me?
Much appreciated!
Wheres my manners. Sorry got too excited. I meant to add THANK YOU VERY MUCH. It was a great tut.
Great tutorial indeed.
Few comments:
1. The order of gradients seem to affect only underlying layers while text is completely visible.
2. 3rd B/W radial gradient looks better using Multiply mode with opacity at around 60.
3. Outline settings produce a little too strong outline clearly visible in each text layer creating a little of a mess. I would recommend setting with to 1 which produces a little more subtle effect
4. Step 8 implies a new layer or selecting an underlying gradient? I’m afraid I am one of those having issues with this step.
you are GeNiUs Dude….
thanks ………………..its a lot off knowledge of psd………
who are the one unable to do the effect on step 4 & 5 is because u guys are using CMYK mode,try to change it to RGB.
THANK YOU!
the glow below the text doesnt work… SMH
the tutorial pictures wont show up 10/24/2011 please fix
Thanks for the great tutorial! Though I still can’t figure out how step 8 works, im stuck with the curves. Finished everything except that, just thinking that it might give my creation a prettier look. Hope someone can help me wit’ step 8, pretty please. :>