Dramatic Text on Fire Effect in Photoshop
Tutorial Details
- Program: Photoshop
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Completion Time: 1-2 hours
Download Source Files
Final Product What You'll Be Creating
Flames are particularly hard to render in Photoshop, but in this tutorial I’ll show you how to use a photograph of fire to set text to the match. We’ll render the look on a nice dark background with a gorgeous text effect to complete the image.
This is the second of our five-part series on Photoshop Typography. If you missed last week’s, go visit Create a Spectacular Grass Text Effect.
Part 1— The Background
So create a new document in Photoshop at 1920px wide x 1200px high, and with the Gradient Tool (G), draw in a radial gradient of browns (#5c3d09 to #1f1409) so you get something like what is shown below.
Notice that the gradient is not centered vertically but sits toward the top. In this image we want the top of the text to be on fire, so the top part of the image should be a bit more lit up.
Step 2
As in the grass text tutorial, once again we’re going to have a textured background. But rather than starting from scratch, I just copied the background from the previous tutorial, merged all the layers and desaturated to get what you see below.
If you need to make this from scratch, first visit Bittbox to get the original paper textures and then follow the previous tutorial’s steps.
Step 3
Now we set the layer to Overlay and to blend the texture into the background and voila!
Step 4
Just to add a bit more texture though, let’s run the Texturizer filter. To do this, create a new layer and fill it with a brown/beige color—#66500f. Then go to Filter > Texture > Texturizer and use the Canvas texture with 80% Scaling and Relief set to 4.
Step 5
Once you have your texturized layer, set that to Overlay. This adds some extra fine detail to our texture which is good because we’re working on such a big canvas.
Step 6
Next we’re going to apply a layer to slightly desaturate the bottom half of the image. This is so that the top looks like it has a warmer glow where the flames are, while the bottom looks a little colder.
So create a new layer and fill it with the color #4b4f3b. Then add a layer mask with a gradient to mask out the top and fade down (so you get the effect shown).
Now set the layer to Color and 45% Opacity.
Part 2—Text + Glow = Awesomeness
OK, we now have a nice background! So let’s add some text. I’ve used the font Trajan because it’s a really dramatic looking font. Here I’ve placed the text in the color #cb9328, then set it to Linear Dodge (Add) with an Opacity of 8%.
What we’re going to be doing with our text is making it look like the top half of the text is coming out of the background and is red hot with flames flickering off. This means we’re going to run a lot of effects and apply layer masks to them so that only the top half shows while the bottom half reverts to faded out text like we have currently.
Step 8
So first create a new layer group to put all the text layers in—because there will be a lot of them.
Then duplicate the text layer and set the color of the duplicate text to #5e3f1c.
Step 9
Now set the newest text layer to Overlay and 70% Opacity. It should look kind of reddish (as shown below).
Step 10
Now duplicate the text again and set the latest duplicate to a yellowish color—#cb9328. Then set this to Linear Dodge (Add) and Opacity 30%.
Next we add a layer mask and draw a gradient so the latest text layer fades out as shown below, and beneath you can see the reddish colored combination of the bottom two text layers.
Step 11
Next we duplicate the text layer yet again, but put this layer right on the bottom. Set the color to black—#000000. Then go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and it will ask you to rasterize the text, click yes to that, and then set the Radius to about 4px.
Then Ctrl-click any of the other text layers and go back to the black layer and hit delete so you are just left with a sort of shadow. Then duplicate this layer and merge it with the first so the effect is heavier. You should have something that looks like the screenshot below.
Step 12
Once again, add a layer mask so the shadow quickly fades out as shown. This makes it look like the text is coming out of the page.
Step 13
Now duplicate our black layer again and using the Smudge Tool (R) and a largish soft brush you want to just smudge the shadow around so it looks like burn marks.
Step 14
Here’s how our text is looking now. I actually created two sets of "burn" marks, and then four sets of the shadow layer each blurred a little more than the last and each faded back.
Step 15
Now it’s time to make the top part of our text glow. So first of all, duplicate the text layer again and place this layer at the very top and set it to a yellow color—#dc9a08.
Then run a Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur over it with Radius of 8px. Then grab a large soft eraser brush and just erase away parts at the bottom so it’s kind of uneven.
Step 16
Set our first glow layer to Soft Light. You might want to repeat the process, erasing even more so the top part is even glowier.
Step 17
Now duplicate the text layer yet again and place this at the very top. This one should be again the same yellow (#dc9a08).
Then go to Layer > Rasterize > Type and turn the text into a flat graphic. Then Ctrl-click the layer and go to Select > Modify > Contract and use a value of 1px. Then press Delete to delete everything except that 1px outline.
Step 18
Now set the 1px layer to Overlay, and you should have something like the image below.
Step 19
Now to our 1px glow add a layer mask to fade it out down the bottom as we’ve been doing with the other layers.
Then duplicate the layer, and run a Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur set to 1px. Then duplicate this layer again and blur it by 2px. Then duplicate the layer again and blur it by 4px.
Then Ctrl-click any of the text layers, press Ctrl+Shift+I to inverse the selection and go through each of the glow layers and press Delete to remove any of the blur that has strayed out of the boundary of the text.
The idea is that we want the edges of the text to look red-hot with it fading in to an overall hot glow on the text.
Step 20
Next we duplicate all four of the glow layers and merge them together. This should result in a layer on top which is the original bright yellow.
Grab the Smudge Tool and run over the text, smudging it up to look like heat waves coming off the text, as shown.
Step 21
Now set this latest layer to Overlay and you should have something looking like this!
Step 22
Now we’ve pretty much finished our text. I went through and duplicated some of the glow layers to make it look even more fiery. Feel free to experiment with getting a real red-hot glow look by doing so.
Step 23
Next, in keeping with the last wallpaper, I’ve gone and added a quote underneath my main text. This provides a nice embellishment to the page. Try to use colors that fit in with the background and text layer so it doesn’t stand out too much, because we really want this to be a secondary element to the main text. I’ve used Swiss Light Condensed as my font and laid it out just like in the previous Grass Text tutorial.
Part 3—The Flames
Finally, with all our preparation done, it’s time to add the actual flames! For this, we need some images of fire set against a plain black background. A good photo is hard to find, and try as I did, I couldn’t find a really great free photo. So in the end I used this photo from Fotolia which you can purchase using the link below. There was also an OK photo from Flickr which I’ve also linked to and which I ended up using later for the "E". So you might want to grab that too.
AcheroN—Fotolia.com
Peasap—Flickr.com
Now the technique for copying the flames over is actually really simple. I actually only learned this technique recently when reading one of Nik Ainley‘s tutorials for DigitalArts magazine called Create Amazing Photomontages where he did it with water.
What you need to do is:
- Open up the flame image in Photoshop
- Go to the Channels tab and find the channel with the highest contrast, which for images of fire should be the Red Channel, and click on it
- This will make your image appear black and white, and because we’re on the highest contrast layer, it will seem really bright white. Now Ctrl-click this channel and it will select all the pixels in that channel.
- Click back to the RGB channel and copy the selected pixels
- You can now paste the flames into your main canvas!
This is actually a really, really useful technique for copying something translucent like fire off a flat background. And as you’ll see by visiting Nik’s tutorial, it’s also great for copying water!
Step 25
OK, so here we’ve pasted the flames on to our main canvas. (For clarity I’ve also temporarily switched off the text layers). As you can see, we’ve got the fire without the black background and it’s partially transparent, which means it’ll look super on top of our text.
Step 26
Now the next thing to do is to cut up our one bit of fire into a few pieces. Just duplicate the layer and switch off one as a backup first. Then using the Pen Tool, cut up the fire so you work with the contours of the flame so it looks natural. Here you can see I’ve produced four pieces of flame from the one image. You can also try flipping bits around to make them seem more random.
Set the layers to Screen mode so that any remaining black parts are totally gone, and it’s even more transparent.
Step 27
Now because my text is just four letters, I need four separate pieces of fire. For the fourth one (on top of the E) I actually grabbed that Flickr photo and repeated the same process as earlier to create another flame. Also the fire on the letter I has been squashed a little as well to make it look more random.
Step 28
Applying the fire is really as easy as moving the flames over the text. You want to try to match the flames to the shape of the letter so it looks like they are dancing off the letters.
Step 29
OK here I’ve placed all four bits of flame over the top. It’s not bad, but you can see that the I and the R have the same flame and also all the flames aren’t very tall.
Step 30
So here I’ve gone through each flame and using the Transform Tool stretched them vertically. Also I used a bit of judicious erasing to make the flame on the I look a little more unique.
Step 31
Now to make them look even more lit up, duplicate each flame layer, run a Filters > Blur > Gaussian Blur with a Radius of 3px and set the layer to 15% Opacity so it provides a bit of glow around the edges of the flames.
Step 32
So we’re pretty much there! This is how the composition looks.
Step 33
Finally we’ll add a last highlight. So create a new layer above all the others and draw in a white to black radial gradient as shown. Set this layer to Overlay and 40% Opacity.
Finished!
And there we have it, a text on fire effect! In the next tutorial in the series, we’ll be producing the Air image, however it’ll be in two weeks, not one—as I’m taking a few days off work!
If you’re interested in creating flames from scratch in Photoshop, you might also like to check out this classic tutorial that coincidentally uses the exact same typeface! It’s a Photoshop 6 tutorial, and I can still remember reading it like a half decade ago, but it’s still very relevant, even if the screenshots feature a super retro Mac interface.
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Great one, thanks for sharing this!
You’re an effing lifesaver!
Great thanks….
Awesome effect! Me love it!
thx for this tutorial. it was realy helpfull. <3 <3 <3
greatings from germany, claudia
really gr8 effect…thnx
Stuck at Step 6: “Then add a layer mask with a gradient to mask out the top and fade down (so you get the effect shown).”. Someone help a newbie!!!!!
Stuck at 11- when you say “copy that layer again and place at bottom” Bottom of what? lol the rest of the text layers or all the way at the bottom?
sorry newbie here guess i shoulda started something easier, but i made it thi far dont wanna stop now!
thanks
im stuck there too! i have NO idea what “at the bottom” means. If youve figured it out, can you PLEASE let me kno? lol THANKS!
Yeah, stepp 11 makes no sense. please be more clear, nobody knows what you mean.
could somebody explain step6 & hope steps would be more elaborate in future because we stuck. This is very annoying.
that is what I call PROFESSION work!!…..attention to details is fantastic……
(that’s whats makes the difference and it shows on the end result too!)
Thanx for sharing ur craft.
best regards
VERY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD
Fantastic! This is really nice. :)
Excellent Tutorial And thank you very much for providing it for us.
I will remark however That serveral steps could have been Explained just a bit more thoroughly For e.g
* Direction of gradient (on canvas, not just in the tool itself)
* When moving layers to top or bottom, clarify to which position in relation to groups etc (or take screen shot)
* When you have stated that you have decided to make layers differently (to your liking) a explanation is not required but perhaps a screen shot.
People may agree/disagree to what i have said but the aim of a tutorial is to explain what needs to be done so the Student does not get to a situation where they end up remarking “What the….”
Again, Many thanks for this Tut… I’m off to the grass one now!
nice tut but im stuck in the step 17…
please help me.
It was a great pleasure to work upon your steps.
It’s awesome.
Keep it on the good work!!!
thanx…..
Damn good. Looks like you’ve created a wonderful wallpaper !!
Step 11: “Then Ctrl-click any of the other text layers and go back to the black layer and hit delete so you are just left with a sort of shadow. Then duplicate this layer and merge it with the first so the effect is heavier.”
….WTF does that mean, rephrase this step please because i have no idea why you would delete any layers.
He means to Ctrl-click the little icon/picture for the layer to make a selection of that layer. Not to actually select 2 layers. Hope that helps.
you’re a savior !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Could you please explain. What do you mean the little icon picture for the layer??/
Wow!!! nice tutorial. Thank you.
he (im assuming i dont know though) means the bottom of the layers, in the layer menu where you can drag and drop layers to look like they’re under something, as you can see in the picture he added, the vblack layer you just created looks like its under all of the text layers.
i have used this tutorial so many time in my work i lost count, this is really wondrful!!!
good tutorial.. but totally disappointed on Part 3 having to know that the flames are for sale.. i’m stuck, and i’m not really in favor of pictures being sold
You are outstanding, I’m really impressed, you got me realized that i still have a long way to go. Congratulations
For the step 11 issue.. Im guessing since you make a new layer, you would put it at the bottom of the layers palette?
this tut’s end result is awesome, if just me and a few others here could get there. none of my layers look like this guys… in step 11 where do you place the layer on the bottom of the text layers or the bottom of all the layers, except layer o or 1 of course.
do you color the layer black or the text… done both with bunk results… like i said tut end product is great, but you have to explain more and better, us newbies need a little more attention than what your offering. ive done other tuts on here that have lent me great results, but this effect one which happens to be one of the best ones i cant achieve without further guidance….
nice effect though…
-john
Muito muito bom !!!!
Very good!
You’re a saviour indeed!
excelent tutorial. Thanks for sharing :)
Hello dear expert,
I appreciate so much for your great tech, but I have a big problem on step 11. in fact, this step is so confusing from the first to finish and does not make sense. what do you mean “put this layer right on the bottom”? bottom of rest of the text layers or the bottom of the same original layer?? After this you said “set the color to black” which color?? On second paragraph, you said “Ctrl+Click any of the other text layer” this sentence is confusing too. When I followed your steps 11, no change created on my text. Please, explain this step from the first to finish so clear and and with the images of the layer tab so that it can be easy and understandable. Please reply my email ASAP. Thank you for your favor!
Stuck at step 17 I was able to rasterize the layer but when I ctrl-click the layer, then picked select, modify is grayed out. Please help!
STEP 11 EASY TRUE SOLUTION!!!!
1. Simply (Ctrl + click the–BLACK LAYER— icon) its the same icon as the “white box and T” in the other layers…..it should now have a slection around the text
2. Now simply go to EDIT at the top of your screen and hit CUT!
3 That should do it…now just simply duplicate that layer and merge
Thank u! nice effect, great tutorial!
I had great fun although I didn’t follow the instructions to the letter (no pun intended!) I am using CS3 and there are different command problems. But I’m happy with my finished result.
I have incorporated the flame effect into my new business card.
Your technique for copying channel selections across is so useful.
Many thanks
I have figured it out, no need for response. I had to do it a little different way, since I have Cs3.
It is wonderful!!
It served as a reference.!
Can someone help me with step 10? How do you add a layer mask and draw a gradient? I tried looking it up online several times, but none of the tutorials that I looked up said anything useful!
This tutorial is fantastic, thanks for sharing and thank god we got Internet!
twitter.com/frenchheraldry follow me I mostly twitt about social media, technology and design.
It won’t allow me to draw the gradient on part 10. I’ve been trying for a week, and it still won’t work!!!!
try breading step 10 again carefully there are great clues
Very Nice tutz…..
Thx.
No wait now….. Step 11… I get confused as a lot of people… but since i’m NOT doing this with a TEXT layer,, doing it with a logo of mine…. question is… my first layer (of the logo) is edited… my question basicly is… for that layer that we are making black, should the it be “normal” and opicity 100% ? i dont get it :/
Any help here would be great! many thanks
Thanks very much, took me a bit longer than 2 hours but learned a lot on the way!
Great this one, this tutorial learned me how to give and make fire effects, very thanx.
Umm.. Can anyone help on step 6
I do wish when people do tutorials that they would make each step clear and concise instead of being marginally vague or vague outright. This tutorial was good, but it wasn’t clear in many places.
So step 11 took me quite a while to understand, so since I just worked it out I thought I’d explain it, in case anyone’s still stuck.
So first you create a new text layer, and make it black.
Make sure you set it to Normal, and 100% opacity.
Now, you have a layer folder. Put the black layer at the TOP of this for the time being (makes everything easier to understand).
Go Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur, and set the radius to 4%
Ok, now on your layer window, you’ll see that each layer has a little preview image, like a thumbnail, on the left. All the text layers have a ‘T’. Right-click on one of the Ts, and choose select pixels. (Or ctrl-click, with mac.) This will make a selection of the word FIRE. (By selection, I mean an outline of the word FIRE, made up of a dashed line that moves)
Now select the black layer again. The selection of the text should still be active.
Hit the delete key on your keyboard. This deletes the majority of your black blurred text, and just leaves the blur around the edge. Now you can put it at the bottom of the layer folder.
Hope that makes sense.
Thank you so much!!! This was PERFECT!
Thank You!
I tried and that’s the result :)
http://sabayat.deviantart.com/art/Love-is-fire-211378659?q=gallery%3Asabayat&qo=1
Is it possible to take that image of the word FIRE with real flames burning on it and turn it into a realistic looking animation? In other words could that image be compiled with more copies that have the flames moved slightly into an animated .gif like banner so that it would appear as though the text was actually burning as you are looking at it? And if so could it be made in such a way as to have the background image transparent so that the animated gif could be placed on multiple web pages of different colors? And finaly are there any of you graphic artists that would be willing to create such an image?
Thanks for this very useful presentation. You’re an artist, indeed!
awesome… just loved it…
Didnt make it . After 11 step all the description is too short to understand what to do. :(