Quick Tip: How to Create an Abstract Wireframe Text Effect
Tutorial Details
- Program: Adobe Photoshop CS2+
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Estimated Completion Time: 20 Minutes
Final Product What You'll Be Creating
In this text effect tutorial we will demonstrate how to create an abstract wireframe text effect. Let’s get started!
Step 1
Let’s start by creating a new document which is 900 px wide and and 600 px high at a resolution of 300 pixels/inch. Make sure the Color Mode is set to RGB.
Step 2
Fill the “Background” layer with Black. Get the Type Tool and type your text. I wrote “ABSENT”. I used Futura Md BT font, set Font Style to Medium and Font Size to 220 px. I also set the Tracking to 20 to increase the space between letters. Make sure the Text Color is set to White.
Step 3
While the text layer is selected on the Layers Palette, hit Command/Ctrl + E to merge the text and the "Background" layers.
Step 4
Now go to Filter > Distort > Wave and use these settings: Type: Square, Number of Generators: 1, Max Wavelength: 635, Min. Wavelength: 257, Max. Amplitude: 141, Min. Amplitude: 62, Horiz. Scale: 24% and Vert. Scale: 22%. Now you’ll have a pretty distorted text. Please keep in mind that the result depends on these parameters as well as the size, tracking and position of the text.
Step 5
We’ll add another displacement effect to our text and we’re going to use Fragment filter for that. Go to Filter > Pixelate > Fragment.
Step 6
Now go to Filter > Stylize > Glowing Edges, set Edge Width to 1, Edge Brightness to 6 and Smoothness to 1.
Step 7
We’re going to copy this image to a new alpha channel and make a selection out of it. First hit Command/Ctrl + A to select the whole layer, hit Command/Ctrl + C to copy. Then go to the Channels Panel create a new channel and hit Command/Ctrl + V to paste. Command/Ctrl-click on the Alpha 1 channel thumbnail to get the white pixels selected.
Step 8
Now go back to the Layers Panel. Create a new layer and name it "Text". Fill the selection with White, hit Command/Ctrl + D to deselect. Go to the "Background" layer and fill it with Black. Now we’ll apply a Layer Style to "Text" layer. Select the "Text" layer in the Layers Panel and apply a Gradient Overlay using these settings: Blend Mode set to Normal, Opacity set to 15%, Gradient set to Blue, Red, Yellow, Angle set to 140 and Scale at 150%. Select the “Background” layer in the Layers Panel and create a new layer. Select both “Layer 1″ and “Text” layers, hit Command/Ctrl + E to merge selected layers. Now the layer style we’ve just applied is merged with the layer.
Step 9
It is time to add some lighting effects now. Duplicate the “Text” layer by hitting Command/Ctrl + J. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and apply with a Radius of 4 pixels. Hit Command/Ctrl + J again to duplicate the “Text copy” layer. Set Blend Mode to Overlay and hit Command/Ctrl + J once again to duplicate the “Text copy 2″ layer.
Step 10
Select “Text copy” layer in the Layers Panel and duplicate it. Drag the “Text copy 4″ layer just above the “Background” layer. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and apply with a Radius of 6 pixels. Then go to Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation and use these settings: Colorize: Checked, Hue: 315, Saturation: 38 and Lightness: -30.
Step 11
Now we’ll create the background. Create a new layer above the “Background” layer and name it “Lights”. Get the Gradient Tool, pick Foreground to Transparent and set to Radial Graident. Zoom out and apply gradients starting from outside the canvas as shown in the below image. You can use the colors shown below as well as you can pick your own.
Step 12
Create a new layer above the “Lights” layer and name it "Circles". Get the Brush Tool, pick one of the standart round brushes and open the Brushes Panel and change the settings as shown below.
Step 13
Set Foreground Color to #3fc5c6 and Background Color to #ad4cb1. Paint the "Circles" layer with random brush moves.
Step 14
Now go to Filter > Blur > Surface Blur, set Radius to 25 pixels, set Threshold to 175 levels and apply. Then go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and apply with a Radius of 4 pixels.
Step 15
Set the Opacity of the “Circles” layer to 15 and this is what we have so far.
Step 16
Finally, we’ll add some text to our design. I placed a clear "ABSENT" text and a subhead text using the same font we’ve used before.
Final Image
Here is the final image. I hope you liked this tutorial and the techniques you learned will come in handy for your own designs.
Further Suggestions
You can try combining multiple text in one design, or experiment different fonts, dingbats and layer styles and get great results.
Enjoyed this Post?
Subscribe to our RSS Feed, Follow us on Twitter or simply recommend us to friends and colleagues!
By Eren Goksel
Join our newsletter!
Create a Tutorial, Get Paid!
Have something to teach the world? Want to earn money doing it? Tutorials, screencasts, and articles published here on Psdtuts+ are largely contributed by readers just like you! We'll pay you great money for good content. Find Out More
Perfect tutorial. Very desirable effect. Every single detail explained succinctly and clearly. Thanks.
Thank you for this amazing tutorial. After the way you “play” with Photoshop, you really prove that you are a master :D
Amazing tip…at first i thought it would be hard.But it was easy. I tried it out…[http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/299216_229307377125802_220561098000430_650116_1764799669_n.jpg]
Playing with the worked out well.(Never knew this can be done using WRAP filter) Thanks
This tutorial is awesome, I am not very good at creativity, but this makes every thing so easy and result is just awesome. Keep posting such things.
I need help with step 8, I can not do it !!!…..
I can’t do step 8 !! I don’t get it!….
I need help with step 7…
Hey,
at step 7, you should have only one layer in the Layers Panel. elect it all with Command+A,
hit Command+C to copy,
go to Channels Panel, create a new channel and hit Command+V to paste.
— we’re doing to get the white pixels selected, and the next step explains how to do it —
at step 8 Command+click the alpha 1 channel THUMBNAIL, that will make a selection out of the white pixels.
hope this hepls.
Great tutorial! Thanks!
thank you very much for this helpfull tutorial i really appreciate.
Gurur duydum eren teşekkürler.
Hey i am trying this bt step 8 is not working how can gradient overlay showing on empty player
i have select new layer name is text than i apply gradient overlay effect than over is not showing after this why we merge the empty layer with text layer is confuse me???
Please reply me
Hey Mohammed,
actually the layer shouldn’t be empty. if so, you should try step 7 again;
at step 7, you should have only one layer in the Layers Panel. select it all with Command+A,
hit Command+C to copy,
go to Channels Panel, create a new channel and hit Command+V to paste.
— we’re doing this to get the white pixels selected, and the next step explains how to do it —
at step 8 Command+click the alpha 1 channel THUMBNAIL, that will make a selection out of the white pixels.
hope this hepls.
This is what goes behind the scene to make a text effect that you wow! It’s really amazing that with consecutive filters, we can get to this result.
Thanks guys.
Thanks for all comments.
Great tut – i love the wireframe effect!
Great tut! I made an autograph to my DJ friend, he loved it!
I learned a lot, this exactly my style!
Keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Jonathan
Thanks for this easy tut ;)
Enjoyed. Cheers.
Great tutorial! Always love the lighting effects. Cheers!
Hi! Nice stuff!
I’m a begginner but it’s not the first time I scroll around Photoshop.
Anyway, I’m having some troubles with the gradients. Something that I might be doing wrong.
Cheers!
Hi.. When I get to step 5.. I cannot select the Glowing edges filter.. Using Photoshop CS5
I love this text effect. it’s very desirable effect. thanks :)
IN STEP 2 I CANT FIND THAT FONT
I’m stuck with step 11..
I work with a CS5 and I can’t find how I should change the colour of the gradients..
can someone help me?
Thanks
and it a great tut btw ;D
i have cs5 and i try to find that font but its not there, how do i get that font????
I tried the step 8 and i don’t find the way to do it , can you help me , please?
Great tutorial!
I love the square-wave effect
http://ziscko.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/tq.jpg
Love this tutorial and the effect is amazing!
I’ve a probelm at step 4:
i not able to set the options because they are not visible. There are just 2 options to set
This was an amazing tutorial! I loved it and everything was clearly stated. thank you for teaching me a simple way to make an amazing poster.
Im wondering how can i make a pattern for my website background with this tutorial.
how to make it fill it with black?? step 8
loving this tutorial. great result
I love it, thank you so much. You are so talented
Amazing tutorial ! :)
Tried to do :D http://kiskja2004.deviantart.com/#/d4npgqv amazing tutorial love it ;)
Learnt something new…thanx.
Awesome Tutorial with Desired Results. Thanks :-)
What gradient color scheme was used on the word “REAL” at the end of the tutorial.
HELP PLEASE. I’m stuck at step 9. Whenever I click the Gaussian Blur, I will encounter this >> “Could not complete Gaussian Blur command because the selected area is empty.”
HELP PLEASE.
Very good steps i like these steps so much thank you………….i worked and i got a good texts every step is working fine ………………but those who know photoshop basics only they can work with this ……………..this is true …………..those who dont no photoshop pls dont try these steps it ill be too hard for you to accept this tutorial……………thank you so much
Thanks a lot for the tutorials, I’ve learned more from this. Thank you..
Hellos for Step 7 and 8 , ” fill the selection with white ” means click the Text using the foreground tool [White] then followed by Ctrl D . After that , Click back background , and use the foreground tool [Black] by clicking the background . And move on ! from there , your text layer will be filled with colours ! :D
like this