Quick Tip: Create Metallic Text on a Concrete Background
Tutorial Details
- Program: Adobe Photoshop CS3+
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Estimated Completion Time: 30 - 40 Minutes
Download Source Files
Final Product What You'll Be Creating
In today’s quick tip tutorial I will demonstrate how to create some cool metallic text on a slick concrete background. This can be done in just a few steps so let’s get started!
Step 1
Create new document, 1280 x 1024 and name the default layer "concrete."
Step 2
Go to Filter > Noise and apply the following settings.
Step 3
Go to Filter > Stylize > Emboss and apply the following settings.
Step 4
Add a Level Adjustment by clicking on the icon in the bottom of the layer palette.
Step 5
Apply the following settings.
Step 6
To make this more realistic press Cmd + Shift + E to merge all layers.
Step 7
Press "W" to select Magic Wand. Set Tolerance to 5. Click on second icon to activate "add in selection option"
Step 8
Now click anywhere on the document to get a random selection.
Step 9
Once you have your selection, pick the dodge tool "Range: Highlights" and "Exposure: 100%" and randomly paint inside selection. You should now have something like the image below.
Step 10
Repeat Step 9 a few more times with different selections and brighten up selected areas using the dodge tool.
Step 11
Now press "T" to select the type tool. Type out whatever text you like. I chose the Planet Kosmos font.
Step 12
Go to Layer > Layer Style > Gradient Overlay and apply the settings below.
Step 13
Add a Layer Style using the following settings.
Step 14
Download this metallic texture and paste into your document. Then, make a selection of your text.
Step 15
Press the layer mask icon to add a mask onto the metallic layer and set its mode to overlay and opacity to 70%. That’s it! You are finished!
Final Image
Take a look at the final image that we will be creating.
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woo, Looks perfect, easy to understand, easy to implement, Thanks zee7
The background too dark.
use a calibrated monitor!
I like the BG more than the text
Same. When I saw this tut, the very first tought in my head was to open PS and make that BG :D
Just a quickie: http://yfrog.com/bglavaroadj
the background is TO dark. ;)
and yeah,i agree, for concrete, it is to dark, but, then the lettering wouldn’t be dark enough, so, not bad. i still like the effect. simple and neat tutorial. thanks for your efforts.
The correct grammar in that context is “too,” not “to.” I don’t agree, though. And if you feel that way, just increase the value when you choose your own colors.
An alright tut, the background was the only part that I found remotely original, other than that there’s not really anything new or exciting here.
It’s a “Quick Tip”. What are people expecting here?
hello, it’s good to do the steps so easy but I think this does nothing like concrete…
Cheers!
As an advanced Photoshop user I agree that it’s a simple tutorial that isn’t really touching on anything new. However, as someone who taught himself Photoshop from online tutorials like this, I can say that this is the perfect tutorial for a beginner. Lately a lot of the tutorials posted here are for advanced users. While this isn’t a bad thing, it’s good to see the occasional noob tutorial on here.
Simple. Effective.
+1 for that. :-)
:) Thank you for posting this!
Can everyone else see the image for the Filter>Noise settings? It isn’t displaying for me, which seems odd.
I’m having a little trouble getting the right noise / emboss / magic wand sequence down. The Tolerance only seems effective in the 10 -25 range.
I still like the effect I got though and I will be trying a couple more riffs on this idea though.
Thanks again.
Cool. Thanks! I’ll have to try this.
really digging the background, and always appreciate someone who provides the time to write a tutorial. Thanks!
Great start, keep it up.
Great effect for the background! Thanks.
if you think that the concrete is too dark then just see it as one that was painted black and doesn’t get a lot of light and when you try it yourself just use a less dark color.
And please before complaining about how simpel or unoriginal it is read the damn heading and path first!
Now, nice tut. Easy and usefull for beginners.
If you think the background is too dark, then your monitor is not calibrated correctly. I can say this with confidence since I know that mine is ;)
Very good, quick tutorial. The metallic texture could’ve been created very easily instead of downloading it however.
1. Create a document with a white background.
2. Go to filter->pixelate-> mezzotint and select ‘Fine Dots’
3. Apply a motion blur (choose the size that covers the most canvas)
4. If it’s too light for you, play around with the curves to get better contrast.
Nice and easy :)
I’m 100% sure the metal textured he used was created in Photoshop, either by him or someone else.
Here’s another way to create the same texture, which I’m positively everyone is familiar with. Play with different settings until you’re satisfied.
1. Create a new document and fill it with white.
2. Go to Filter>Noise and check Monochromatic.
3. Go to Filter>Motion Blur.
Viola!
@Zee7: It could’ve been nicer with some tire marks.
I never implied it wasn’t made in PS. Just saying that people didn’t have to download it when it was only a 2min job to create it.
Awesom !, Thanx alot.
Shit happens… also on psdtuts :D
Good and brilliant………. I like this tuts.
I really like the background. I like the way to get the lighting effect to it. Thanks for the tutorial!
i like it
Loving the background on this, looks great.
Nice explanation, in particular i like the font used for this article.
Good tutorial, not a special effect but I learned some new techniques :D
btw: The time to make this is 10 minutes nog 30 :P
People moaning at this really shouldn’t. I’m sure there are those who will this useful. Good effort !
agreed! Stop the moaning folks!
The only thing missing is a light source, that would help the realism. :)
I dunno, I think I see one around the top left.
I like the Background effect, thanks for sharing
Simple and Effectiveness. The best. Thanks for sharing
The Magic Wand selection in Step 8 refuses to randomize. It selects the entire layer with a nasty seizure-inducing pattern. Crap tutorial.
:) crap!
solution :deselect your selection and set tolerance lower may be 2 or 3, and then start making selection using magic wand.
or
solution : deselect your selection and first make your background little brighter using dodge tool, paint randomly and make some areas more bright and then
set tolerance that fits and start making selection using magic wand.
I didn’t get the STEP 9
Can you tell me where the dodge tool is & can you explain it in brief like first 8 steps?
Actually the problem is that, After I start painting with Dodge Tool as you told in the STEP 9, my picture is not getting painted like the one in the screenshot of STEP 9.
Its only selected as white there [like STEP 8 screenshot]. Its not getting painted.
Please HELP!
have you made selection using magic wand?
after making random selection
press “o” to select dodge tool, find below settings for it.
Rang : Highlights
Exposure: 80%
and start painting inside it.
leme know, if you still have any problem.
Are you sure that after you merged the layer to the background layer, you’ve unlocked it?
Also, make sure that “protect tones” is unchecked in the dodge tool.
See if u are using the “dodge tool” with the color front “white”.
i have the same problem and i realised that if i change the front color to white i could see the effect.
Thanks Zulal Bhai 4 Share the nice tutorial :D
thanks ramzeez :)
I’m just started. It is great to know all of you sharing your experiences with each other! I hope I can learn important tips and tricks more! Thanks all! :)
Step 14 I can not do this. I am lost I have the image over the text and pretty sure I have it selected (text box is highlighted) but I do not know where layer mask icon is. Please help! PS CS5
When I select the text and then click the layer mask icon (I found it =] vector mask in cs5) the text is not selected like in your photo and when I click layer mask it does nothing… =/
I am still having the same problem! :(
PLEASE HELP!
add my msn/yahoo, i’ll guide you step by step there :)
You gotta get on yahoo in order to help me… xD ( no rush) =P
I figured it out. You have to press ctrl and then click the “T” text icon then it selects the text like in your picture. Then you click add layer mask. =]
Simple and effective – i like it. Thank you!
How do I make a selection of a text?
Thanks very much! First tutorial that i followed start to end! Very easy and understanable, though the magic wand and adding layer mask gave me a hard time! and I don’t have the font which is used here.
Zee7 I have added you in my yahoo messenger. Please help me out in there. Thank you. :)
How do I make a selection of a text?
i work with CS5.
I am new to PS, how do you make random selections with the magic wand. I am using the left click on the mouse but I get small blotches, what am I doing wrong? Also, the dodge tool is supposed to change the color? Lost….
first you don’t show how to do drop shadow (you don’t show attribs)
to other people who don’t know how to make a selection of a text
you need right click to text and select “load selection”
Nice tutorial keep it up.
you are the master
EXCELENT TUTORIAL, I CAN DO IT PERFECTLY, REALLY EASY AND NICE EFFECT.
ALSO I PUT THINGS TO COMPLETE THE BLANK (black) SPACES AND THE IMAGE IS REALLY COOL!
here is the work that i talked about
http://i47.tinypic.com/286r1nd.jpg
Is the work finished but i add a man, a guitar and a hand :D
nice man :)
this is good! much better if you show some picture where to go at specially for beginners lke me.
so nice………..like this
having a problem with the background color it not black seam more like Brown !!!
i’m learning photoshop technics.
i’ll try this tips using GIMP for next.
thanks for nice tips!!
Aaaargh!!!!!!!! When I use the dodge tool nothing happens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Answer pls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
make sure that you have selected texture layer. try dodge tool on any other image to see setting if these are okay.
when i click anywhere it selects everything…it doesn’t select random things like in step 8…any help
Ricky , you need to have ‘Contiguous ‘ activated .
I have the same problem as Pranav Mane ….After 10 min of selecting with the magic wand at 5 tolerance ( i can’t figure out the random thing ) the dodge tool doesn’t work …any idea please ?
how to select image neat and clean like photoshop cliiping..to path..with pen tool..!! is that possible..!! help..plz.!!