I know that many of you have seen tutorials all over the place that describe how to create metallic text with Photoshop. Well, I'm here to show you how to make Killer Metallic Text and I'm going to toss in a cool background and a reflection effect. So over this two part tutorial you actually get three tutorials for the price of one. How's that sound? Along with this tutorial I will make the final Photoshop (.psd) file available for download. I know that sometimes it is easier to figure out how something works by taking it apart first. Note: Throughout the tutorial I will give you keyboard shortcuts for picking tools or performing commands. They will be listed in parenthesis next to the task.
Let's get started!
I would start this off as step one, but you all know that we're going to need to open up Photoshop and create a new document. When you do create your new document set it up at about 800 x 800 pixels and make the background black. Place a guide at 400y and another at 400x to get the center of the canvas and reset your center point (very important). There we go… one step saved in the tutorial!
Creating the Background
Step 1 - Creating a gradient background
To start out create a new layer, flip your fill colors (x on the keyboard) and choose a decent shade of blue. For this tutorial I picked #2D4C91 and make sure your other color is black. Grab your gradient tool (g) and select the radial gradient. Make sure that the gradient is set to foreground to background color (blue to black in this case). Once you've got your gradient tool set, start at the center point and make your gradient (about halfway to the other side.
Step 2 - Transform the Gradient
This step is relatively straight forward. All you are going to do is squish the gradient vertically by using Free Transform (cmd-t, ctrl-t). What you're going to do is grab the center square. While holding down the alt key drag downwards to the 200 pixel mark. Once you've got it all set hit the confirm button and change the layer's opacity to 50%. You want the blue to be visible, but not nearly as bright as before. If you've got something similar to the image, let's move to step three.
Step 3 - Adding Some Graphic Elements
For step three we are going to dive into the Go Media Vector Arsenal. In particular we are going to check out the radial vectors that are in Vector Pack 6. For instructions on using the vector packs check out the FAQ Page at Go Media. Back to the tutorial, open the vector pack and select a radial pattern to your liking. Create a new layer above the last one. Copy and paste the graphic into the Photoshop document and resize it to what you find suitable (NOTE: Try to limit the resizing to one attempt, any more and it will distort your piece). After you have the radial pattern all set you'll want to adjust it as follows:
On the Layers Palette
- Change the Fill to 0%
- Choose Layer Effects (bottom of Layers Palette… looks like an fx)
- Color Overlay: #823A7F
- Blend Mode: Color Dodge
- Click OK
- Change Layer Opacity to 35%
Step 4 - Graphic Element Number Two
This step is almost identical to step number three with just a little tweak on the settings, a different vector graphic and another interesting effect to set it off from the previous layer. Create a new layer and paste your graphic into this new layer. After you have your graphic all set add the following settings to that layer:
- Change the Fill to 0%
- Choose Layer Effects (bottom of Layers Palette… looks like an fx)
- Color Overlay: #00AEEF
- Blend Mode: Color Dodge
- Click OK
- Change Layer Opacity to 25%
After you have the layer settings all done, click on the "Add Layer Mask" button on the layers palette (the Add Layer Mask is one to the right of Layer Effects. With the Layer Mask selected fill the entire thing with black (alt-delete), then change your fill color to white (x). Grab your gradient tool and select radial gradient with the color set to foreground to transparent. Now draw small radial gradients and they will begin to reveal the layer little by little. We don't want the entire radial pattern to show, just bits of it.
Step 5 - Now For The Crazy Stuff!
In this step we are going to use a little free spirit and create some bright blue gradient orbs. Change your foreground fill color to #823A7F and make sure the gradient tool is selected with foreground to transparent and radial selected. Create a new layer above the last layer from step four and start making some blue orbs of all sizes (small, medium and large). Once you have a few blue orbs (remember not too many) change the layer blend mode to Color Burn. Create a new layer above, reset your colors (d) and swap to white (x). Start making some white orbs now, and it's okay to overlap the blue ones, it will give more depth. After you have a few (10 or so) change the layer blend mode to Soft Light and the Opacity to 42%. You should now have something like the sample image.
Step 6 - A Final Touch
This is the final step for the background and an important one. This step will give us a platform of sort to set our text on. Create a new layer above the last one and grab the rectangle marquee tool (m). Once you have the tool in hand draw out a selection about 500 pixels wide by 150 pixels high. Place the top of the selection below your horizontal guide and centered left to right. It's easiest to start on the left side at 250 pixels drag to the right side 250 pixels and down 150. If I just confused the crap out of you I apologize. Once you have your selection in place reset your colors (d) and switch to the gradient tool (g). Make sure you're set to foreground to transparent and linear gradient (not radial). Drag from the top of the selection down to the bottom. Once you have that change your layer opacity to 50% and you're done with part one of the tutorial.
Creating a Text
Step 1 - Let's Make Some Text
I'm sure all of you know how to do this, but just in case here it is. Grab the text tool (t) and type out your text. I chose a nice heavy italic font (Incised Italic Bold) for this tutorial, because anything metallic should look tough. Now this font I used wasn't quit slanted enough, so I gave it a little more of what it needed. Simply go under your menu to Edit > Transform > Skew (-10.6°). You can play with the settings as much as you like, but remember the golden rule "Less is More!". Once you have the text how you like change it to a light shade of gray (#C5C5C5). Then add some Layer Styles to the text with the following settings:
- Drop Shadow
- Multiply: Black
- Opacity: 12%
- Angle: 120°
- Distance: 5
- Spread & Size: 0
- Stroke: Change only the size to 1 pixel and the color to #666666
Step 2 - Add Some Detail
Create a new layer above the text layer you just made. Change your fill color to #A5A5A5 and make a selection of the text by cmd-clicking/ctrl-clicking the text layer on the layer palette. From here we will contract the selection by going to the menu: Select > Modify > Contract > 2 pixels. Once your selection is contract fill with foreground color (alt-backspace). Deselect (cmd-d, ctrl-d) and change to the oval marquee tool (m or shift-m to change between square and oval). Draw an oblong selection over the top half of the darker gray layer and then delete. You should now have something like in the sample image.
Step 3 - Add Some Texture
This step is a little more involved than previous steps, but should still be relatively easy to follow along with. First things first, create a new layer above the previous darker gray layer. Reset your colors to black and white (d) and grab the gradient tool; making sure that foreground to background is selected as well as linear gradient. Next draw out a gradient from the bottom left to top right corner. After that it's time for some filter action. Start out with making some clouds: Filter > Render > Clouds. You can do this step a few times to get the right spread by hitting cmd-f, ctrl-f if you like. After you have that it's time to make some noise! Sorry, I got a little carried away go back up to Filter > Noise > Add Noise and use these settings:
- Amount: 12.5%
- Uniform
- Mono
Then we'll add a little bit of motion blur to finish off the look and give us a cool brushed aluminum look. Back to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur with the following settings:
- Angle: 32°
- Distance: 40 pixels
Move the layer around over the top of the text to get the right balance of gray. You don't want too much white or black. Once you got it all set, make a text selection (like in step two) and create a layer mask (next to Layer Effects on the Layers Palette). Change your layer blend mode to Multiply and the Opacity to 68%… done, onto step four.
Step 4 - Adding Some Depth (Shadow Line)
We're going to start by creating a new layer (of course) on top of the previous layer. Make a selection of the text layer and change your fill color to #616161. From there make a stroke/outline of the selection: Edit > Stroke > 1px > Outside. Deselect (cmd-d, ctrl-d) and change to the move tool (v). Nudge your stroke layer up and left 1 time (arrow keys). Make another selection of the text layer and invert it (cmd-shift-i, ctrl-shift-i) and hit delete/backspace. Change your opacity to 75%.
Step 5 - Get Like Some Highlights Dude!
Start out with a new layer, reset your colors (d) and flip your fill color to white (x). Make a selection of the text layer and add a stroke (just like step four): Edit > Stroke > 1px > Outside. Deselect (cmd-d, ctrl-d) and change to the move tool (v). This time we're going to nudge down and to the right one time. Make another selection of the text layer and invert it (cmd-shift-i, ctrl-shift-i) and hit delete/backspace. Change your opacity to 85%.
Step 6 - Time For Some Shading
Here is where we take this flat looking hunk of text into the next dimension. Once again, we'll make a new layer on top of the previous layer and make a selection of the text. Reset your colors (d) and change to the gradient tool: foreground to transparent, linear gradient. You're going to make two separate gradients one will start just above the top of the text and stop about the midpoint of the text. The second will start just below the text and end at the midpoint. This may take some time to get the look you want. We're going for a dark gray to transparent, not really black. It has to be smooth. Once you've got something you're comfortable with deselect (cmd-d, ctrl-d) and change the layer opacity to 80%.
Note: As we progress through the tutorial you may notice that the sample images are a bit fuzzy. I wanted to save load time and filesize, so the images are saved as JPEGs. Normally, I would use PNG but the filesize was almost triple of the JPEG at 60%.
Step 7 - Another Highlight
This step is purely optional, but I feel that it gives the text just a little something extra. To start out make a new layer above the previous and make a selection of the dark gray layer just above the text. Change your fill color to white (x) and make a stroke: Edit > Stroke> 1px > Outside; then deselect. Make a selection of the text layer and contract it: Select > Modify > Contract > 3 pixels. Invert the selection (cmd-shift-i, ctrl-shift-i) and delete. Change the blend mode to Soft Light and opacity to 50%.
Step 8 - Give It Some Shine
Make a new layer above the previous and if your fill color isn't white (it should be), reset the colors (d) and swap (x). Grab your gradient tool, switch to foreground to transparent and radial gradient. If you followed along with part one this will seem familiar. At the points of the letters draw small gradient orbs, they will look goofy for a bit, but you'll see. After you have the orbs created (remember not too many) change your layer mode to Soft Light and opacity to 80%. Make a selection of the text and create a layer mask.
Step 9 - Shadow Of The Text
This layer is going to set the text apart from the background and make it appear to be standing on a glossy surface. This is bonus number two of the tutorial; the first bonus was the background, so if you skipped part one, you better get back there and check it out. Just as before we're going to create a new layer but this time it will be below the text layer. The quick way to do this is (cmd-shift-click, ctrl-shift-click) the layer you want to be under. Once you're all set make a selection of the text layer and fill with black (reset colors if need be) and deselect. Nudge the layer down ten times or hold shift and hit the down arrow once. Now to add a little perspective: Edit > Transform > Perspective (change the H value in the options window to 45°). Then Free Transform (cmd-t, ctrl-t) and change width to 120% and height to 31%. Blur the layer to make it look like a true shadow: Filter > Gaussian Blur > 5px. After all of that is done change your blend mode to Multiply and opacity to 60%.
Step 10 - Time to Reflect
This part of the tutorial is fairly straight forward for those that are familiar with Photoshop, but for those who aren't you shouldn't have any issues. Start out by clicking your highest layer (should be the last highlight layer) and create a new group (folder icon on bottom of layer palette). Once you have that click the highlight layer again and while holding shift click the text layer. You should now have eight layers selected, drag them all up into the folder and click the arrow to close the folder.
Now that you have everything in a nice neat container we'll duplicate it: Layer > Duplicate Group. Drag that duplicate layer below the shadow layer we created in step nine. With the duplicated group still selected we'll flip it on it's head: Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical and drag it so the bottom of the text is almost touching the other text group bottom. Change your blend mode to Soft Light and opacity to 50%. Create a layer mask for the group and grab the gradient tool: set to foreground to transparent and linear gradient. Start at the middle of the text (bottom) and drag up to the middle of the top text. If you've gotten all of that, you're GOLDEN and should have an image similar to the one at the top of the tutorial. If you didn't make it and it's not looking similar, double-check that your layers are positioned correctly. You can download the Photoshop file with the final version of the tutorial here:
I hope that you enjoyed this tutorial; I know that I enjoyed writing it. Some critics might say that it's a bit long or there are too many steps for a tutorial. I believe that you can't have too much information when it comes to learning a program like Photoshop. I've spent the past thirteen years using Photoshop and I tell you, I learn something new daily. If you have any questions regarding this tutorial or would like to see me do something else let me know. I'm always up to new challenges!
This copyrighted tutorial was originally published at GrandmasterB.com on 06/06/2008
