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2018-02-10T16:12:00.002+05:30

2014-04-19T15:55:00.000+05:30

Magic Glowing Text

2011-09-24T18:43:00.002+05:30

In this tutorial you learn how you can convert your normal text into magic glowing sparkles. Using stroke path and layer style it isn't so hard to get this texteffect

Get started, type the text and prepare it to release the sparkles.

Create a new document 400 x 300px and fill it will black.
Type the text in "Edwardian Script ITC", font-size 160 pt. Set the anti-aliasing method to Smooth, color doesn't matter as long as it is not the same as the background color.

Ctrl-click (mac: Cmd-click) in the layers palette on the layer miniature of the textlayer to make a selection of the text.
Go to the path palette and press the Make workpath from selection button.

Prepare the brush to make sparkles.

Now the text is a path it is posible to stroke it with the brush. But before that you need to change the brush options.
Activate the brush tool en press F5 to open the brushes palette.
Click on Brush tip size:

Shape Dynamics:

Scattering:

Now the brush is ready to stroke the text.
Go to the layer palette and delete de textlayer or make it invisable. Make a new layer.
Set white as the forground color.
Go to the path palette and rightclick om the Work Path and choose Stroke path.
In the window that now appears choose for Brush and make sure Simulate pressure is not checked.
The stroke is a litte to hard to make this better:
Change in the brushes palette the following options:
Brush Tip Size: Diameter to 4px and Spacing to 130%.
Scattering: Scatter 600%
Stroke the path again but this time with the option Simulate pressure checked.
Click in the palette path on an emty spot. That way the path becomes inactive.

Make the sparkles glow.

Go to the layer palette and dubbelckick on the layer miniature of the sparkles layer to open the layer style window.
Go to Drop Shadow and change the values as shown below:
(don't forget to change the Blend Mode to Lighter.)

Go to Outer Glow and change the values as shown below:
(don't forget to change the Blend Mode to Lighter.)

The background.

To work easier it is best to turn of the sparkles layer.
Activate the backgroundlayer.
Change the forground color to #d5b19b and the background color to #3b0f05.
Activate the gradient tool, go to the option (above in the photoshop window) and set it so the gradient goes from forground color to background color , type Reflected Gradient.
Draw the gradient as shown below.

Create a new layer, change the gradienttype to Radial Gradient and draw the gradient as shown below.

Change the blend mode of this layer to Overlay and make the sparkles layer visable again.

the finishing touch

Make sure the sparkles layer is active.
Create a new layer and fill it with black. Because the sparkles layer was active the new black layers stands above the sprankles.
Go to Filter > Render > Lens flare. Move the sun so it stands on the first letter and change Lenstype to 105mm.

Change the blend mode of this layer to Soft Light.

Duplicate the sparkles layers and place it above the sunlayer.

Light Effect On A Model

2011-09-06T13:49:00.001+05:30

Light is a cool subject to talk about। After reading some articles about light effect, I decided to write a tutorial showing how to create a very spectacular light effect around a model. Before that, I will show you a quick technique to retouch portrait and bring new look on it, step by step

Step 1: Open a new document, I used 800x600 pixels and look for a model photo on the internet, this is the one I used:

After downloading, place it on your document. Now we will start to retouch it!

Step 2: As you can see, it is a bit dark so we should make it brighter first. Duplicate your photo by pressing Ctrl-J and change its blending mode to Screen. Simple, right?

It is now better. Merge down this layer donw by pressing Ctrl-E. After that, duplicate it again and go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur and use a value of 4.5 pixels

Step 3: Change the blending mode to Overlay and merge it down. The model now looks wonderful!

Step 4: Next we will add some light on her. Use the Pen tool and make some point around the dark areas of the model, don't need to be so exact

Step 5: Convert this path into a selected area, you can save this area for later use by going to Select>Save Selection

Step 6: Create a new layer and go to Filter>Render>Clouds and Filter>Artistic>Plastic Wrap, just use the default values

Now change its blending mode to Color Dodge. Your photo may look a bit different:

Step 7: In the next steps, we will add light effect on the model. Use the Pen tool to draw some curves on her

Step 8: Reset your colors by pressing D and invert them by pressing X. Choose the Brush tool and go to Window>Brushes to open the Brushes panel. Pick a small brush (about 5 pixels) with 0% hardness and tick on Shape Dynamics. Create a new layer, choose the Pen tool again, right click and choose Stroke Path. Make sure you tick on the Simulate Pressure before pressing OK

A small curve, thinner at two ends appear like this:

Step 9: Repeat step 8 again but this time we also tick on the Scattering checkbox (make sure you make it on a new layer)

After choosing Stroke Path, we get

Now we can delete the path by pressing Enter. Double click on your two new created layers to open Layer Style dialog box. Use Outer Glow as following:

Use the Eraser tool to delete some light areas, the glowing light seems to surround her. After this step, we get:

Step 10: Make our light effect stronger by duplicate the "glowing dots" layer. Press Ctrl-I to invert its colors

Change the blending mode to Overlay. And this is the result:

This technique can be used in various ways but the principle is still the same. Hope you enjoy this tutorial.

Create A Glowing Extreme Wallpaper

2011-08-29T09:22:00.000+05:30

Step 1

Create a new Photoshop document RGB, 1400 x 900 px. Fill the background with black. Then create a new layer, name it “BG” or something like that and fill it with a Radial Gradient (#55015F – #000000). From the center to one of the sides, as it shows in the images below.

Step 2

Select “BG” layer, then go to Filter > Distort > Twirl and set the twirl value to 250º. Hit OK and see how it looks.

Step 3

Now paste the main image, you can use any picture. This time I’ll paste this image of a roller guy jumping. As I’m very creative the layer’s name will be “Roller guy”.

Step 4

Now extract the guy’s shape, go to Channels, hide everything except the Blue channel then using the magic wand select the white background. Click on RGB layer on the Channels palette, then go to the Layers view again. Feather (and expand) your selection a few pixels and delete it.

Step 5

Now rotate and move the guy just a little bit to the left. Then go to Images > Adjustments > Curves and set the values below to decrease the output levels. See the image below.

Step 6

Next, duplicate the “Roller guy” layer, place the copy above the original on the Layers palette. Apply to the copy a Color Overlay (#9D0DAD) and set the Blending Mode value to Hue.

Step 7

Merge the “Roller guy copy” layer with a new blank layer. Then go to Layer > Layer mask > Reveal all and using a soft black brush, paint on the layer mask to hide the face, hands and pants. You should have something that looks like the bottom of the image below.

Step 8

Merge the “Roller guy” and “Roller guy copy” layers and name it just “Guy” (I’m putting those layers in a folder, duplicate and merge the folder). Now Dodge and Burn some areas of the “Guy” layer.

Step 9

Duplicate the “Guy” layer, convert “Guy copy” into a Smart Object. Next select the Smart Object, go to Filter > Blur > Radial blur, set Zoom as blur method and Best Quality and apply the same filter three times (Hit Command – Control + F to re-apply the filter once again). Finally, change “Guy copy” Blending mode to Linear Dodge (Add).

Step 10

Duplicate the “Guy” layer one more time, convert the copy into a Smart Object and apply the Radial Blur filter, but this time, move the Blur center a little bit to the left. Re-apply the filter a few times, move the “Guy copy 2″ layer above everything else on layers palette, then change its blending mode to Linear Dodge (Add).

Step 11

Now download this brush set. And paint one single shape into a new layer called “Brush1″. Use this color (#E700FF).

Step 12

Add to the “Brush1″ layer a gradient overlay using the colors shown below. Then put the “Brush 1″ layer above the “BG” layer on layers palette. Finally add an Outer Glow filter.

Step 13

Now add a new light above the guy, use the brush shown below and use this color (#E700FF). Also add an Outer glow and change layer’s Blending Mode to Screen.

Step 14

Add two more lightening brushes with the same layer effect of previous step.

Step 15

Following select “Guy”, “Guy copy” and “Guy copy 2″ and put them into a folder named “Flying Guy”, merge the folder, duplicate the layer and put it behind the original. Select Flying Guy copy and go to Edit > Free Transform, then reduce and rotate the guy just a little bit. Repeat that step as many times as you want.

Step 16

Now hide for a while all the guys layers, show the smaller one and apply a Layer Mask and fill it with a Radial Gradient Black – White. Repeat this with every single copy of the flying guy.

Step 17

Now we’re going to add a complex diffuse glow to make our design brighter. Change the Blending Mode to Dissolve on each Flying guy’s copy. Then down the Opacity of the copies to 75%, 70%, 65%, 60% respectively. Finally merge all the copies into one layer named “Flying guy copy” and put it above the “Flying Guy” layer or folder.

Step 18

Next, apply to the “Flying Guy copy” layer a Layer mask > Reveal all, then using a soft black brush, paint on a layer mask to hide some areas of the diffused glow.

Step 19

Hide the Diffuse layer for the moment. Now as a quick fix, to improve the lighting sensation, adjust the Hue / Saturation of the background “Brush 1″ layer. Also add a white light behind the Flying guy using one of these brushes.

Step 20

To finish the diffuse glow effect, show the “Flying Guy copy” layer, add an Outer Glow (use the values shown below). Then goto Filter > Blur > Gausian Blur, set 7,2 as blur radius and hit OK.

Step 21

Now type some text somewhere on your design, I’m using Kozuka Gothic Pro typeface (#F3B1FB), then add an Outer Glow effect to the text layer.

Step 22

Finally use this brush set to add some white sparkles.

Final result

And that’s it! a simple and quick way to create a glowing conceptual wallpaper!.

Beautiful Rainbow Island Wallpaper

2011-08-29T09:16:00.000+05:30

STEP1:

Creat a new document (Ctrl+N)

Size at 800x600px or 1024x768px that suitable for your monitor.

Pick Gradient Tool

Choose this gradient from the Gradient Editor

If you can't see this gradient, please go to "Load..." ~> Point to gradient preset folder inside Photoshop folder ~> Load "Special effect"

Hold your left mouse and drag from A to B :

And you'll have this result :

STEP 2:

Download and load this brush into your photoshop : Land_brush

Choose any "island" inside this brush set that you like :

I choose this one :

Creat a new layer on the top, brush in the middle :

Creat a new layer and put it under "island layer"

Pick Eliptical Marquee Tool

Make an eliptical selection :

Fill this selection with color #12a80d

Continue making creat new layer and fill selection like this :

Result :

STEP 3:

Download and load this brush into your Photoshop : Tree_brush

Pick any brush inside this brush set that you like, creat new layer on the top and start brushing....

Download and load this brush into your Photoshop : AK_VectorPeople

Pick any people you like and put them on the grass :

Download and load this brush into your Photoshop : Cloud Brush

Creat a new layer under "island layer" and brush a little...

You've already finished this tut with sample details.

This is my final result with some other details :
(click on the picture below to see full size)

You've already finished this tutorial. Good luck!

Water drops on a spider web

2011-08-29T09:11:00.001+05:30

Start with new document, fill background layer with solid color of your liking.

With very large soft brush (B), put some colored dots here and there.

Repeat until you are satisfied with the background. Apply some Gaussian Blur (in Filter menu - Blur) and add a little noise (Filter menu - Noise - Add noise).

... Or, you can use blue-to-black radial gradient to fill the background!

Set foreground color to white, set small (2px) hard brush, and draw the web. This is how it looks at 100% zoom...

... and this is zoomed out view.

Set web layer blend mode = Overlay, add some Noise to this layer, then go to Layer menu - layer style - blending options, and add some shadow (size = 1px, mode = overlay, opacity = 40-50%)

Now it is time to create water drops. Drawing drops one by one is not very efficient. Instead, we will use the power of Photoshop brush settings! Create new layer, then open Brushes palette window (from Window menu). Click brush tip shape. set Diameter to 13px (or adjust it accroding to your image size). Set spacing to about 200%.

Then click Shape Dynamics = make sure the checkbox is checked. Set Size Jitter to about 75%, and minimum diameter to about 50%.

Now make a single brush stroke, and you should get many nice "water drops" in a single stroke!

Do not stop until entire web is filled with water drops.

is zoomed out view)

Our drops are now just white dots. To turn them into water, use the power of Layer Style! Open Layer Style, set layer blend mode to Multiply (dots are white, this will make them invisible) and add the following: - Drop shadow (multiply, 50%, 1-2px) - Inner shadow (angle = -90!, white color, Overlay, 2px) - Inner Glow (Overlay, 1px, 50%) - Bevel and Emboss (highlight mode = screen 40%, shadow mode = white, overlay, 50%, size=3px, soften=6px) - Satin (color = black, Overlay, opacity = 20%, distance = 8px, size = 2px). Much better!

Now, the lines of spiderweb are visible through water drops. This is not very beautiful. Right-click on "thumbnail" icon representing drops layer in Layers palette, context menu will open, click "Select Pixels".

Select layer with spider web, and delete selection.

I want to add small white highlight (as if reflecting light from above) to each waterdrop, but it cannot be done with layer effects. I also do not want to use brush to put every dot manually. Instead, Select Pixels of water drops layer again. Then go to Select menu - Modify - Contract (2px).

Create new layer, fill selection with white color.

Go to Select menu - Modify - Expand (2px). Then move selection 4 px down.

Delete selection. Then move selection 2px left, delete again, then move to the right, delete again.

Final Wallpaper:

Turning a Picture Vintage

2011-08-29T08:52:00.001+05:30

1. Create a new document 1200 px by 800px.

2. Download and Paste this image 1 and this image 2. Make sure Image 1 is below image 2.

3. Desaturate image 2 and set Blending Option to overlay.

3. Create a new layer on top of the two image layer. Press "D" to set the default Foreground/Background color. Go to Filter> Render > Clouds. Go to Filter > Render > Difference Cloud. Go to Filter > Distort > Ocean Ripple. Set Blending option to screen.

4. Group these layer together as "Background".

Create Lens

1. Download and Paste this image. Move this image to the top most layer. Name the layer "Lens".

2. Create new layer.Use Ellipse tool to draw a circle around the glass inside the lens. Fill it up with white.Hide it.

3. Create a new layer on top of this image. Name it "spray". Use this brush to brush on "Spray". Ctrl-Click on the "Lens" layer and with the "Spray" layer selected, go to Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All. Set to "Soft Light".

4. Create new layer on top. Name it "Flash". Press "D" to set the default Foreground/Background color. Go to Filter> Render > Clouds. Go to Filter > Render > Difference Cloud. Go to Image > Adjustment > Invert.

5. Go to Image > Adjustment > Color Balance.

6. Ctrl - Click on white circle layer and with the "Flash" layer selected, Go to Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All.

7. Change Blending Option to Vivid Light.

8. Create a new layer. Name it Reflection. Ctrl-Click on the white circle. Fill this layer with "white" too. Using a ellipse marquee tool, cut off part of the new white circle. Set to Soft Light and Opacity to 52%.

9. Group these layers together and name it "Lens"

Create a Camera part

1. Download and paste this image. Name this layer "Camera".( i dun know what part of this camera is called :P ). Move the layer on top of the "Lens" Group. Add "Drop Shadow" to this layer.

Create Lens Brush

1. Download this brush. Create a new layer and brush it with a few colors with different brushes. Name this layer "brushColor".

2. Right Click on the "Lens" group and click "convert to smart object".

3. Double click on the smart object and it would bring up a new window.

4. Go to Edit > Define Brush Preset and save the brush.

5. Close the window and go back to the original document.

6. With brush tool selected, go to "Brush Palette" which is normally near the top right of the window.

7. Create a new layer above the "Background" Group. Name it "Spiral".

8. Brush in a spiral manner.

9. Ctrl-Click on the "Spiral" layer and with the "brushColor" layer selected, go to Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All.

10. Change the blending option of "Spiral" to "Overlay".

Create a stream of lens

1. Duplicate the "Lens" Group. Right Click on the group and click "Merge Group".

2. Continue to duplicate and transform the "Lens" to form a stream towards the Camera.

3. Group all the duplicated "Lens" layer and name them "Stream".
4. Duplicate "Stream" and merge group. Shift this copy layer behind the "Stream" layer.
5. Ctrl-Click on the "Stream Copy" layer and with this layer selected, fill it up with black color. Press Ctrl+ D to deselect.

6. Go to Filter> Blur > Gaussian Blur. Set to 9px.

7. Go to Blending Option.

Decorate the Camera Region

1. Create a new layer behind the "Camera" layer. Use this picture below and paste it in the layer.

2. Change the Blending Option to "Multiplicity". You can transform and move it to your liking.

3. Use the same technique that i used for apply grunge effect to the lens for the camera.

Create the butterfly

1. Download this brush. Create a new layer on the top most and name it "butterfly". Select a butterfly brush and brush it. Give the "butterfly" layer default drop shadow.

2. Create a new layer on top and name it "color". Set the blending option to "color". Choose a few color of your choice and start coloring the butterfly.

Create a nature inspired, out of bound photo effect in Photoshop

2011-08-28T23:25:00.000+05:30

Final Result Preview:

Step 1:

Open two desert stocks. Cut a part from desert 1 (I resize it to 900x675 px) and move into desert 2 (resized to 900x804 px). You can use any your favorite tool (I used Polygonal Lasso Tool) to do it:

To edit the new part moved, create a new layer with Clipping Mask option:

Use soft brush with color #292a27 to paint over its top, then set this layer to Multipy 20%:

Create a new Curves Layer with Clipping Mask option:

After this step we see a part on desert with color that is not fit background. So we will fix it by adding a new layer above background layer:

Use soft brush with color #797c98 to paint on this part then set this layer to Color 100%:

Step 2:

Now we will change color and light to create dry and burning effect for desert.

Create 3 new adjustment layers:

Gradient Map:

Set this Gradient Map layer to Soft Light 100%.

Selective color:

Yellows: 41, 11, -27, 30

Blacks: -6, 0, 5, 0

Levels:

Then use soft black brush on layer mask of Level layer with Opacity 50% to reduce light on clouds as shown below:

Stamp all visible layers.

Step 3:

Create a new document (950x850 px) and fill it with white. Move desert (the result from two steps above) into it, reposition to make the stroke of desert picture:

Stamp all visible layers.

Step 4:

Open waterfall stock. I resize it to 600x900 px. Create a new layer with 642x939 px. Move waterfall picture into middle of the pic. Then stamp all visible layers.

Step 5:

Create a new document (1200x1000 px) and fill it with white. Create a new layer and fill it with Gradient.:

Drag a line from top to bottom:

Step 6:

Open hand stock. Cut it out and place it as shown below:

Create a new layer above hand layer with Clipping Mask option. Choose Spot Healing brush to remove blemishes hand. Make sure that Sample All Layers is checked on property bar. Then lower Opacity to 60%:

Step 7:

Create a new layer above hand layer with Clipping Mask option. Use soft brush, color #9f8079, Opacity 20%, flow 40% to paint over the hand. This step is to soften the skin appearance:

Step 8:

Create a new Curves layer with Clipping Mask option to increase the light and change color of the hand:

Step 9:

Now we will make hand shadow. Right click hand layer, choose Blending option:

Step 10:

Move desert picture into main document and use Distort Tool (Cmd/Ctrl+T) to stretch it:

Apply Drop Shadow with settings below for desert picture:

Photoshop Tutorial: Create a Chaotic Disintegration Effect on a Face

2011-08-28T23:19:00.000+05:30

Let's just get started!

End result:

Step 1

First of all, go to file and then hit new to create a new canvas (Ctrl+N) . This new canvas will be the background layer in the layers palette

Step 2

Now duplicate the background layer (Ctrl+J). With the duplication layer (background copy) selected, go to Filter > Render > Lightning effect. See the picture for the details of lightning effect setting.

Step 3

Next , set the blending of the background copy layer to normal at 58% opacity after that duplicate it (Ctrl+J). Now we have background copy 2 layer. Set the blending of the background copy 2 layer to color dodge at 100% opacity.

Step 4

Continue to create a new layer (Shift+Ctrl+N) and name the new layer shape 1. Then, go to Brush tool (B) in tools palette. Choose shatter glass brush and paint a shape like mine. ( See the picture below ).

Step 5

Arrange the position of the shape 1 as shown in picture below:

Step 6

Next step is to duplicate the shape 1 layer three times and then place the three duplicated layers below it in the layers palette. Rearrange the position of each where needed. Set the shape1 copy layer to normal blending at 100% opacity, while the shape 1 copy 2 and the shape 1 copy 3 layer are set to multiply blending at 78% opacity. See the image below..

Step 7

Now open the face image. We will cut out the face. To achieve this, select Pen tool (P) in tool palette. Continue to trace the face by clicking new anchor points as you go, these show as small squares on your screen. Proceed with tracing the face and work your way to meet the first anchor and close the path. After that, right click on the closed path. When the pop up window for the path execution comes up, choose make selection. Finally inverse the selection (Shift+Ctrl+I) and hit Del to clear the background.

Step 8

Add the face to the canvas. It will be a new layer and name it Face in layers palette.

Step 9

Now it’s time to crate the disintegration effect to the face. We will use Clipping Mask to achieve this. To create a Clipping Mask, first make sure the shape 1 layer is directly under the face layer that we want to be clipped in the Layers palette . Hold down Alt and click the line between the two layers in the Layers palette. The cursor changes to a symbol. Click the mouse. You will see a small arrow pointing downward next to the face layer. This small arrow is the indication of a layer clipped mask.

Step 10

In this step we will add Gradient map. Go to Layer > new adjustment layer > gradient map.

Step 11

Now set the blending of the gradient map layer to overlay at 90 % opacity.

Step 12

I wanted to give some light to the eye of the face. To create the light, create a new layer (Shift+Ctrl+N) and name the new layer Light. Now select rectangular marquee tool to make a selection around the eye. Fill the selection (Shift+F5) with black color. Then, go to Filter > render > lens flare. Finally set the blending of the light layer to color dodge at 100% opacity. Remember to mask some area round the face to hide unnecessary light. Try to make the light just focus on the eye.

Step 13

To give more dramatic effect, I added the branch image. I duplicated it into some layers and arranged the duplicated layers in the positions where needed. Remember to re-size them and set the blending to multiply at around 50-100% opacity.

Step 14

In this last step, I added photo filter (Layer > new adjustment layer > Photo filter). Set the photo filter layer to normal at 30% opacity.

Step 15

here is the result. Thank you for visiting this tutorial. Happy photoshoping...

Create a Print Ready Invitation in Photoshop

2011-08-28T23:13:00.001+05:30

Final Result

1. Create a new document with the settings below. The resolution is set to 300 for high quality & CMYK is the Printing mode.

2. Press Ctrl+R to bring up the rulers around the canvas. Drag out 4 lines and place them on the edge of the canvas like below.

3. Next go to Image > Canvas Size and add on .125 to the measurements & press OK.

4. These will be for the 'Cutting Risk Area'. Make sure your invitation design doesn't go out of the lines.

5. For now let's set the Colour Mode to RGB by going to Image > Mode > RGB Color and don't Flatten the Image.

6. Go to the background layer, double click to unlock then again to go into Blending Options. Go into Gradient Overlay and put in a Linear Gradient with colours of your choice.

7. Next go into Custom Shape Tool and select the shape circled below. Hold down the shift key (to keep the shape perfect) and draw a large white shape for the background. Set the opacity to 6% for a light effect.

8. Using the font Border Line write out the words the headings on your invitation.

9. Next download and install these Spatter Brushes, create a new layer and put a small splat on a word for a grungy effect.

10. Next write out the date, I'm using the font Aovel Sans.

11. Next click on the brush tool, then go into Window > Brushes (F5) > Brush Tip Shape and put in the settings below. Create a new layer and draw a white line with the new brush while holding down the shift key.

12. Next write out AT (or what you want) in the font below. To rotate the font press ctrl+t on the text layer and rotate an edge.

13. Next write out some Venue & Time details using the font below.

14. Duplicate the dotted line layer by dragging it to the new layer icon and place on the bottom of the details.

15. Create a new layer, select another Splat brush and put a splat on another word using a colour of your choice.

16. Next write out the RSVP details.

17. Now save the document (if you haven't), then save again as another copy. Using the copy document, go to Image > Mode > CMYK to change it to a printing mode.

18. Click on the arrow (circled below) and click on Flatten Layer.

19. If you're ready to print go to File > Print. A box should appear, click on the top right menu and go into output. Select the printing marks you want to appear on the printed work. Unclick Show Bounding Box, then go into Bleed and create a 3mm bleed. Then click Print.

If you want to take it to the printers for Printing, Save it in PDF format.

Final Result

Fury effect in photoshop

2011-08-28T23:10:00.001+05:30

Now lets start this is my raw photo(My exgirlfriend) :

1-First duplicate the Background Layer (Ctrl+J) then inverse the colors by pressing (Ctrl+I)

2-Click on Ctrl+U or go to Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation then:

3-Now go to Image>Adjustments>Exposure then: (these settings are changeable depending on you raw image brightness and exposure you cane change them until you get the next result )

4-Now duplicate Layer 1 the change the setting of the new layer to Overlay :

5-Click on Ctrl+U or go to Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation then:

6- Now go to Image>Adjustments>Exposure then: (these settings are changeable depending on you raw image brightness and exposure you cane change them until you get the next result )

7-Now go to Filter>blur>Radial Blur then :

8-Now duplicate the background layer (Ctrl+J) then drag it up like this:

then change it blend mode to Hue and its Opacity to 50

And this is the final result:

Abstract Lines Background

2011-08-28T23:05:00.000+05:30

Step 1:

Let's start out by creating a new file. I used a 550x900 pixels canvas set at 72dpi, and I filled my background with a black color. [Edit:] Go to Filter > Render > Clouds. Select black (#000000) for the first swatch and a dark blue (#002266) for the second swatch. (thanks lucy and crusado!)

Step 2:

Create a new layer set and name it 'Abstract Lines'. Now select the brush tool and set the size to 45 px soft brush. In a new layer paint a medium sized line with # 006C6A color shade as shown below.

Step 3:

Go to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur, apply the settings below to the paint line layer. If your results are thin in color just duplicate the layer and merge them both.

Step 4:

Under Layer Style(Layer > Layer Style) add an Inner Shadow and Gradient Overlay blending options to your motioned paint layer.

Step 5:

Duplicate the motioned paint layer without any layer styles attached. Position it on the right side and set the layer's blending mode to Color Dodge. Duplicate this layer so the dodge effect is thicker on the design.

Step 6:

Once again duplicate the motioned paint layer without any layer styles. Position it as shown below, finish it off by duplicating the layer so its thicker on the design.

Step 7:

Duplicate the 'Abstract Line' layer set and merge it by going to Layer > Merge Layer Set. Make sure you have the layer set highlighted on the layers window or the merge option won't be active. position the layer design next to the original abstract line. Then set the layer's blending mode to Lighten at 46%opacity level.

Step 8:

Now duplicate the lightened layer from the last step by 3 to 4 times and position this designs all over the canvas. Make each copy unique with a different opacity levels.

Step 9:

Add a marquee selection around your canvas and go to Edit > Copy Merged. Then go back to Edit > Paste, this should add a new layer with a copy of your current design. Set the layer's blending mode to Hard Light at 49% opacity level.

Step 10:

Copy your current design as shown on step nine then use rotate option on Edit > Transform.

Results:

Create an Intensely Grungy Wallpaper

2011-08-28T23:04:00.000+05:30

Final Image

This is the final image that we’ll be creating:

Step 1

Open up a new document (1024X768px) and paste in a photo of a skateboarder.

You can find the original photo here: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/143913

Step 2

Now use your lasso tool to cut around the skateboarder, and then copy/paste him onto a new layer. Then do the same for his board, and copy/paste this onto a new layer also. Then merge the layer’s together. The image below shows the data on the merged layer, with the original photo hidden:

Step 3

Now return to your original photo layer, and apply a linear gradient overlay ranging from FDBE37 to D47300. Set the blend mode of the gradient to ‘hard light’, and the angle to 50 degrees. The image below shows the original photo layer, with the isolated skateboard layer hidden.

Step 4

Now find an old paper texture image. I used this one: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1088062. Apply the paper texture over your photo, and then change the texture layer’s blend mode to ‘overlay’ and it’s opacity to 70%.

Step 5

Now make your isolated skateboarder layer visible again and apply a gradient overlay (gradient ranging from: 012544 to 010D16). Make sure that your blend mode for the overlay is ‘multiply’.

Step 6

Now duplicate your skateboarder layer and change your gradient overlay to a black color overlay (settings shown below). Then erase away parts of this layer using a large, soft eraser brush. Don’t erase all of the black overlay layer, but just enough to allow some of the dark blue layer show through.

Step 7

Now paste in one of the images from our Free Sunburst Set. Make sure that you paste the image onto a new layer above your original photo layer, but below your old-paper texture layer as you want the texture to be applied to this shape. Once you’ve done this, apply a red color overlay, and reduce the layer’s opacity to 20%.

Step 8

If you noticed in the last step, the sunrays overlapped the building and edge of the skate ramp in our photo. I want to create the effect that these objects are in front of the sun rays. To do this I select my sunburst layer and go to layer>apply layer mask>reveal all. Then I select around my building/skate-ramp and fill my selection with black. This will mean that any data within these areas becomes hidden. You can see the result of this in the image below:

Step 9

Now create a new layer below your isolated skateboarder layers and above your texture/photo layers called ‘splatter’. Grab a free splatter brush. and set it’s color to black. Then apply it to the edge of your skateboarder. Keep applying different brushes, trying to achieve a melting kind of look.

Step 10

Now find a retro looking pattern online, I picked mine up from SquidFingers.com, a great resource for patterns and other freebies. Open the pattern image in a new Photoshop document and then go to edit>define pattern and choose a name for your pattern. Then return to your original document and duplicate your sunburst layer. Go to blending options for your duplicate and remove the red color overlay and apply a pattern overlay instead, using your newly created pattern. Be sure to make your pattern overlay’s blend mode ‘hard light’. Then reduce this duplicate layer’s opacity to 10%.

Step 11

Now find a photo of some clouds. I used this image: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1099805. Paste it over your image, making sure to place the clouds over your sunburst layers, but below your texture layer. Then change the layer’s blend mode to ‘linear burn’. Finally to fade the photo gradually into the main background, apply a layer mask (reveal all) and then drag a black (100% opacity) to white (0% opacity) linear gradient upwards to mask off the bottom of your cloud image.

Step 12

Now find an image of some smoke and paste it into your document. I used this image: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1073897. Rotate the image to fit over the chimneys on the roof of the house in your photo, (to rotate to go edit>transform>rotate and then manually rotate it). Then duplicate this smoke layer and fit the duplicate over the other chimney on your house.

Step 13

Now change both layer’s blend mode to ‘screen’ and you’re left with just some white smoke, minus the original black background. Then use a large, soft eraser brush at around 25% opacity to erase the parts of smoke that cover up the chimney tops, and also erase the edges of the smoke so that it appears more natural.

Step 14

Now paste in an image of some tape onto a new top layer (I got an image from the Grunge Essentials Freebie Pack right here at PSDFAN). Then to make it darker apply the hue/saturation/lightness settings shown below:

Step 15

Now type some text over the tape, and rotate it using edit>transform>rotate.

Step 16

Now select each of your letters using the magic wand tool. Then with your selection still in place delete your text layer. Select your tape layer, and then apply a layer mask (reveal all). Then fill your selection with black to hide the areas of tape that follow the shape of your text.

And We’re Done!

I hope that you enjoyed this tutorial, and would love to hear your thoughts on it. If you appreciated the techniques that I’d love a Digg or Stumble . Just click on the image below to view the full sized wallpaper.

Textured Text Effect In Photoshop

2011-08-28T16:05:00.000+05:30

The final textured text effect।

Let's get started!

Step 1: Create A New Document

The first thing we need is a new document to work in. Go up to the File menu at the top of the screen and choose New, or press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+N (Win) / Command+N (Mac). Either way brings up Photoshop's New Document dialog box. Choose the size you need for your document. For this tutorial, I'll create a document 800 pixels wide by 600 pixels high and since I'm not planning on printing this, I'll leave the resolution set to 72 pixels per inch. Click OK when you're done to exit out of the dialog box. The new document will appear on your screen:

The New Document dialog box in Photoshop.

Step 2: Fill The New Document With Black

I'm going to use black as the background for my text effect, which means I'll need to fill the document with black. To do that, go up to the Edit menu at the top of the screen and choose Fill. This brings up the Fill dialog box. Choose Black for the Contents option at the top of the dialog box. Also, make sure the Blending Mode is set to Normal and Opacity is set to 100% (these are the default settings so you probably won't need to change them):

Choose Black for the Contents option in the Fill dialog box.

Click OK to exit out of the Fill dialog box. Photoshop fills the new document with solid black:

The document is now filled with black.

Step 3: Add Your Text

Select the Type Tool from the Tools palette, or press the letter T on your keyboard to quickly select it with the shortcut:

Select the Type Tool.

Once you have the Type Tool selected, the Options Bar at the top of the screen will display options for working with type. Choose the font, font size and text color that you want to use, then click inside the document and add your text. If you want to get a little fancy with your text, you'll find additional options for formatting type, like leading, kerning, tracking, and baseline shift, in Photoshop's Character palette which you can quickly access by clicking on the Character and Paragraph palette toggle icon in the Options Bar:

Click the Character and Paragraph palette toggle icon for additional type formatting options.

I'm going to be using a photo of some water ripples for my texture, so I'll choose a blue color for my text and type "ripples in the water" into my document:

Click inside your document and add your text.

When you're done, click the checkmark in the Options Bar to accept the type and exit out of text editing mode:

Click on the checkmark in the Options Bar to commit the text.

All of your text should now be on one layer directly above the Background layer in the Layers palette:

All of your text should be on a single type layer.

Step 4: Open The Texture Photo

Open the photo you want to use as the texture in the effect. Here's the image I'll be using:

Open the photo you'll be using as the texture.

Step 5: Copy The Photo To The Clipboard

We need to copy the image temporarily on to Photoshop's clipboard, which simply means we're copying it to the computer's memory. Go up to the Select menu at the top of the screen and choose All, or press Ctrl+A (Win) / Command+A (Mac) for the faster keyboard shortcut. Either way selects the entire image, and you'll see a selection outline appear around the edges of the photo. Then go up to the Edit menu and choose Copy, or press Ctrl+C (Win) / Command+C (Mac), to copy the image to the clipboard.

Step 6: Add A Layer Mask To The Type Layer

With the texture photo now stored temporarily in memory, switch back over to your original document (the one containing the text). Make sure the type layer is highlighted in blue in the Layers palette, which means it's the layer currently selected. If it's not selected, click on it to select it. Then click on the Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers palette. It won't look like anything has happened in the document, but if you look at the type layer again, you'll see that a white layer mask thumbnail has now appeared:

Click on the Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers palette. A layer mask thumbnail will appear on the type layer.

Step 7: Paste The Photo Into The Layer Mask

We're going to paste our texture photo directly into the layer mask we just added. Normally, Photoshop doesn't allow us to paste an image into a layer mask, but here's the trick. Hold down your Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) key, then click on the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette:

Hold down Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) and click directly on the layer mask thumbnail.

You'll see your document window fill with solid white. What you're actually seeing is the layer mask itself, which is something we don't normally see when working in Photoshop. With the layer mask now visible inside the document window, go up to the Edit menu and choose Paste, or press Ctrl+V (Win) / Command+V (Mac) to paste the texture photo into the layer mask. To clear the selection outline from around the photo, go up to the Select menu and choose Deselect, or press Ctrl+D (Win) / Command+D (Mac). Since layer masks deal only with black, white and shades of gray, the texture photo will appear black and white inside the layer mask:

The texture photo appears in black and white inside the layer mask.

With the photo now pasted into the layer mask, once again hold down Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) and click on the layer mask thumbnail in the layer palette:

Hold down Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) and click once again on the layer mask thumbnail.

This exits us out of the layer mask and returns us to the normal document view mode. You'll see the texture photo now appearing inside the text:

The photo now appears inside the text।

Step 8: Apply The Threshold Adjustment To The Layer Mask

To make the image inside the text look less like a photo and more like an interesting texture, we'll use Photoshop's Threshold image adjustment. Photoshop allows us to apply some (but not all) of its image adjustments directly to layer masks, and the Threshold adjustment is one of the ones we can use. The Threshold adjustment takes all of the colors (or shades of a gray) in an image and converts them to either black or white, greatly reducing the amount of detail in the image.

You should be seeing a white highlight border appearing around the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette. This tells us that the layer mask is currently selected. If you don't see the highlight border around the thumbnail, click on it to select it. Then go up to the Image menu at the top of the screen, choose Adjustments, and then choose Threshold:

With the layer mask selected in the Layers palette, go to Image > Adjustments > Threshold.

This brings up the Threshold dialog box and right away, you'll see a change in the appearance of your text, with some areas of solid color remaining visible and other areas now hidden from view. The actual areas that are hidden will depend entirely on the photo you're using for your texture:

Areas of text disappear from view as soon as the Threshold adjustment is selected.

You can control how much of an impact the texture photo has on the text by dragging the small slider at the bottom of the Threshold dialog box left or right. Remember, the Threshold adjustment takes everything in the image and converts it to either solid black or solid white, and on a layer mask, which is where the texture photo is sitting, areas of white reveal those parts of the layer while areas of black hide those parts of the layer. As you drag the slider towards the left, more and more of the texture photo will be forced to white by the Threshold adjustment, which means that more and more of the text will become visible. Dragging the slider towards the right will force more of the texture photo to black, which means more of the text will be hidden. Exactly where you drag the slider to will depend entirely on the photo you're using for the texture and the effect you're going for, so you'll definitely want to keep an eye on your text as you drag the slider until you've achieved the result you want. Since my text is almost unreadable at the moment, I'm going to drag my slider quite a ways over to the left to reduce the impact of the texture:

Dragging the threshold slider left and right affects how much of the text is hidden from view.

With more of my texture photo being forced to white, more of the text is now visible in the document:

More of the text is now visible after adjusting the Threshold slider.

Step 9: Unlink The Layer Mask From The Text Layer

If you're happy with the results of the effect, you can stop here, but if you want to resize the photo or move it around inside the text, click on the small link icon between the type layer's thumbnail and the layer mask thumbnail. This will unlink the layer mask from the text, allowing us to move our texture photo around in the layer mask without moving the text itself:

Click on the link icon to unlink the text from the layer mask, allowing you to move one without moving the other.

Step 10: Resize And / Or Move The Texture Photo With Free Transform

With the texture photo on the layer mask and the text no longer bound together, press Ctrl+T (Win) / Command+T (Mac) to bring up Photoshop's Free Transform box and handles around the texture photo. Drag any of the corner handles to resize it. Hold down Shift as you drag the handles to constrain the proportions of the photo if you don't want to distort its shape. Add the Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) key while dragging a handle to resize the photo from its center rather than from the corner. To move the photo around inside the text, simply click anywhere inside the Free Transform box and drag the image with your mouse:

Use Free Transform to resize or move the texture photo inside the text as needed.

Press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) to exit out of the Free Transform command and you're done! Here is my final textured photo result:

The final textured text effect.

And there we have it!

Text Perspective Shadow Effect In Photoshop

2011-08-28T16:02:00.000+05:30

The final "perspective shadow" text effect।

Let's get started!

Step 1: Duplicate The Text Layer

To begin with, I've gone ahead and added some text in front of a background filled with a simple black-to-gray gradient. You can create this perspective shadow effect with any background colors or image you like:

Add your text to the document.

If we look in the Layers panel, we see that my text is sitting on its own text layer above the Background layer:

The text appears on its own layer above the background.

We need to make a copy of the text, so with the text layer selected in the Layers panel (selected layers are highlighted in blue), go up to the Layer menu in the Menu Bar at the top of the screen, choose New, and then choose Layer via Copy. Or, for a much faster way to choose the same command, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+J (Win) / Command+J (Mac):

Go to Layer > New > Layer via Copy.

Nothing happens in the document window, but a copy of the text layer appears above the original in the Layers panel:

A copy of the text layer appears above the original.

Step 2: Drag The Copy Below The Original

Click on the copy of the text layer in the Layers panel and drag it directly below the original text layer. When you see a highlight bar appear between the original text layer and the Background layer, release your mouse button to have Photoshop snap the layer into its new position:

Drag the copied text layer between the original and the Background layer.

Step 3: Rasterize The Text

In a moment, we're going to reshape the text so it looks more like a perspective shadow, but Photoshop won't let us do that while the text is still text. We need to first convert the text into pixels, which is known in Photoshop-speak as rasterizing it. To do that, go up to the Layer menu, choose Rasterize, and then choose Type:

Go to Layer > Rasterize > Type.

Step 4: Flip And Move The Text

With the copy of the original text now converted to pixels, go up to the Edit menu and choose Free Transform, or press Ctrl+T (Win) / Command+T (Mac) to access Free Transform with the keyboard shortcut:

Go to Edit > Free Transform.

This places the Free Transform box and handles (little squares) around the text in the document window. Right-click (Win) / Control-click (Mac) anywhere inside the document window and choose Flip Vertical from the contextual menu that appears:

Choose Flip Vertical from the menu.

This flips the text upside down in the document window:

The image after flipping the text vertically.

Next, click anywhere inside the Free Transform bounding box, hold down your Shift key, then drag the text down below the original text. Holding the Shift key as you drag limits the direction you can drag in, making it easier to drag straight down. I'm going to add some space between the original and flipped versions of the text so it will appear as if my original text is hovering in the air above the shadow:

Hold Shift and drag the flipped text below the original.

Step 5: Stretch And Reshape The Text

Click on the handle in the bottom center of the Free Transform box and drag it downward to stretch the text vertically:

Stretch the text by dragging the bottom center handle straight down.

Then, with Free Transform still active, once again right-click (Win) / Control-click (Mac) anywhere inside the document window and choose Perspective from the contextual menu:

Choose Perspective from the Transform options.

With Perspective selected, click on either the bottom left or bottom right handle and drag it outward horizontally. As you drag one of the handles, the other handle will extend out in the opposite direction, giving the text a 3D perspective. Press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) when you're done to complete the transformations:

As you drag one bottom corner handle outward, the other moves in the opposite direction.

Step 6: Fill The Text With Black

Press the letter D on your keyboard to quickly reset Photoshop's Foreground and Background colors if necessary, which will set your Foreground color to black. Then press Shift+Alt+Backspace (Win) / Shift+Option+Delete (Mac) to fill the flipped and reshaped text with the Foreground color (black):

Fill the transformed text with black।

Step 7: Apply The Gaussian Blur Filter

Go up to the Filter menu, choose Blur, then choose Gaussian Blur:

Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur.

When the Gaussian Blur dialog box appears, drag the Radius slider along the bottom towards the right to add just a slight amount of blur to the shadow. Keep an eye on the image in the document window as you drag the slider to judge the results, since the amount of blurring you add will depend on the size and resolution of your image, but all we're going for here is a subtle effect. I'm going to set my Radius value to 2 pixels:

Apply a small amount of blurring to the shadow.

Click OK when you're done to exit out of the dialog box. Your shadow text should now have a slight blur applied:

The image after applying the Gaussian Blur filter.

Step 8: Lower The Layer Opacity

Since most shadows don't appear as a solid color, lower the opacity of the layer to add a little transparency to the shadow. You'll find the Opacity option in the top right of the Layers panel. Lower it to around 80%:

The layer opacity option.

Step 9: Duplicate The Shadow Layer

Press Ctrl+J (Win) / Command+J (Mac) to quickly duplicate the blurred shadow layer. A copy of it will appear above the original in the Layers panel:

Make a copy of the shadow layer.

Step 10: Apply The Gaussian Blur Filter Again

Shadows tend to spread out and grow softer as they move further away from the source, so let's add even more blurring to our copy of the shadow. We'll then use a couple of layer masks to blend the two shadow layers together. First, hide the original shadow layer temporarily by clicking on its layer visibility icon (the eyeball) in the Layers panel. This will make it easier to see what we're doing:

The layer visibility icon temporarily turns layers on and off in the document.

Since the Gaussian Blur filter was the last filter we applied, we can access it again quickly by pressing Ctrl+Alt+F (Win) / Command+Option+F (Mac). This time, add even more blurring to the shadow by dragging the Radius slider further to the right. I'm going to set my Radius value this time to around 6 pixels. As before, the value you use may be different and will depend on your image, so judge the results in the document window as you drag the slider:

Use a larger Radius value this time to add stronger blurring.

Click OK when you're done to exit out of the dialog box. Your shadow should now look similar to this:

The image after adding more blurring to the second shadow layer.

Step 10: Add A Layer Mask

Click on the Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel to add a layer mask to the layer:

Click on the Layer Mask icon.

A layer mask thumbnail will appear beside the layer's main preview thumbnail:

The layer mask thumbnail.

Step 11: Drag Out A Black-To-White Gradient On The Layer Mask

Select Photoshop's Gradient Tool from the Tools panel:

Select the Gradient Tool.

With the Gradient Tool selected, right-click (Win) / Control-click (Mac) anywhere inside the document window and choose the black-to-white gradient by clicking on its thumbnail (third from the left, top row). Press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) when you're done to close out of the Gradient Picker:

Click on the thumbnail for the black-to-white gradient.

We want this extra blurry version of the shadow to gradually fade into view as it extends away from the text, so click with the Gradient Tool at the very top of the shadow to set the starting point for the gradient, then hold down your Shift key and drag straight down to the bottom of the shadow. Release your mouse button when you reach the bottom to set the end point for the gradient. Holding the Shift key as you drag once again limits the direction you can drag in, making it easier to drag straight down:

Click at the top of the shadow, hold Shift, drag down and release your mouse button at the bottom of the shadow.

Since we dragged out the gradient on the layer mask, not the layer itself, the gradient is controlling the visibility of the shadow, which now slowly fades into view as it moves further away from the text:

The gradient on the layer mask controls the transparency of the shadow.

Step 12: Copy The Layer Mask Onto The Original Shadow Layer

Click once again on the layer visibility icon for the original shadow layer so it's visible inside the document:

Turn the original shadow layer back on.

Click on the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers panel, hold down Alt (Win) / Option (Mac), then drag the mask down onto the original shadow's layer below it. When you see a highlight box appear around the original shadow's layer, release your mouse button to copy the mask onto the layer. You'll now see identical layer mask thumbnails on both shadow layers:

The Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) key tells Photoshop to make a copy of the mask as you drag it.

Step 13: Invert The Layer Mask

We need the original shadow to fade away as it moves further from the text, exactly the opposite of what it's doing right now, so click on the new layer mask thumbnail on the original shadow layer in the Layers panel to select it. Then press Ctrl+I (Win) / Command+I (Mac), which will invert the gradient on the layer mask, so black becomes white and white becomes black:

The layer mask thumbnail now shows a white-to-black gradient instead of black-to-white.

With both shadow layers now blended together, the shadow appears softer as it moves away from the text:

The image after inverting the layer mask.

Step 14: Lower The Opacity Of The Top Shadow Layer

Finally, click on the top shadow layer (the copy of the shadow) in the Layers panel to once again select it, then lower its opacity to around 60%:

Select the top shadow layer, then lower its opacity to 60%.

And with that, we're done! Here is our final "perspective shadow" text effect:

The final "perspective shadow" text effect.

And there we have it!

Metal Text Effect In Photoshop

2011-08-28T15:55:00.000+05:30

The final "metal text" effect।

Let's get started!

Step 1: Create A New Document

Create a new Photoshop document by going up to the File menu in the Menu Bar at the top of the screen and choosing New, or press Ctrl+N (Win) / Command+N (Mac) on your keyboard for a faster shortcut:

Go to File > New.

You'll want to create a document that's a little bigger than you need, for reasons we'll see in a moment. I'll make my document 1200 pixels wide by 600 pixels high, and I'll leave the resolution at its default 72 pixels/inch. You can use these same settings to follow along or enter your own values. Set the Background Contents option to White for now, even though we'll be changing it in the next step. Click OK when you're done. Your new document will appear on the screen:

The New Document dialog box.

Step 2: Fill The Background With Black

Press the letter D on your keyboard to quickly reset Photoshop's Foreground and Background colors to their defaults if needed, which will set your Foreground color to black. Then press Alt+Backspace (Win) / Option+Delete (Mac) to quickly fill the document with the current Foreground color (black):

The document is now filled with black.

Step 3: Add A New Blank Layer

Click on the New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel:

Click on the New Layer icon (second icon from the right).

Photoshop adds a new blank layer named "Layer 1" above the Background layer:

The new layer appears above the Background layer.

Step 4: Fill The New Layer With Light Gray

Go up to the Edit menu at the top of the screen and choose Fill:

Go to Edit > Fill.

When the Fill dialog box appears, click on the drop-down box to the right of the word Use and select Color from the list of options:

Choose Color for the Use option at the top of the Fill dialog box.

As soon as you select Color, Photoshop will pop open the Color Picker so you can choose the color you want to fill the layer with. Choose a light gray. If you want to use the exact shade of gray I'm using, enter 195 for the R, G and B options:

Choose a light gray from the Color Picker.

Click OK when you're done to exit out of the Color Picker, then click OK to exit out of the Fill dialog box. Photoshop fills the layer with gray, temporarily hiding the black-filled Background layer from view:

The document now appears filled with gray.

Step 5: Add Noise

Go up to the Filter menu at the top of the screen, choose Noise, and then choose Add Noise:

Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise.

When the Add Noise dialog box appears, add lots of noise to the image by setting the Amount to around 150%. Make sure the Gaussian and Monochromatic options are selected at the bottom of the dialog box:

The Add Noise filter options.

Click OK when you're done to exit out of the dialog box. The document should now be filled with noise:

The document after applying the Add Noise filter।

Step 6: Apply The Motion Blur Filter

We're going to use all this noise to create the first part of our metal texture. Go back up to the Filter menu, choose Blur, and then choose Motion Blur:

Go to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur.

When the Motion Blur dialog box appears, set the Angle of the blur to around -10°, then increase the Distance to around 200 pixels:

Set the Angle to -10° and increase the Distance to around 200 pixels.

Click OK when you're done to close out of the dialog box. Blurring the noise has created a brushed metal effect:

The image after applying Motion Blur to the noise.

Step 7: Crop Away The Edges

Back in Step 1, I mentioned you should make your document a bit larger than you need. The reason is because the Motion Blur filter has trouble blurring pixels around the edges of a document, which we can see clearly now in our own document. Let's crop away those unwanted areas. Select Photoshop's Crop Tool from the Tools panel, or press the letter C to select it with the keyboard shortcut:

Select the Crop Tool.

With the Crop Tool selected, click in the top left corner of the good texture area, then keep your mouse button held down and drag to the bottom right corner of the good texture area. Release your mouse button to view a preview of the area you'll be keeping (the dark area around the edges will be cropped away):

Drag a crop selection around the area you want to keep.

Press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) to have Photoshop crop away the unwanted edges. Only the good texture now remains:

The image after cropping away the edges.

Step 8: Add Your Text

Select the Type Tool from the Tools panel, or press the letter T to select it with the keyboard shortcut:

Select the Type Tool.

With the Type Tool selected, choose your font from the Options Bar along the top of the screen. For best results with this effect, use a font with thick letters. I'm going to use Arial Black:

The font options in the Options Bar.

Once you've chosen a font, click inside the document and add your text. I'll type the word "METAL":

Add your text.

When you're done, click on the checkmark in the Options Bar to accept the text:

Click the checkmark to exit out of text editing mode.

Step 9: Resize The Text With Free Transform

Your text will most likely be too small at this point (as mine is), so go up to the Edit menu and choose Free Transform, or press Ctrl+T (Win) / Command+T (Mac) to select Free Transform with the keyboard shortcut:

Go to Edit > Free Transform.

This places the Free Transform box and handles around the text. To resize the text, hold down your Shift key and drag out any of the four corner handles (the little squares). Keeping the Shift key held down as you drag constrains the aspect ratio of the text so you don't distort the overall shape of it. To move the text, click anywhere inside the bounding box and simply drag it around with your mouse. When you're done, press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) to accept the changes and exit out of Free Transform:

Move and resize the text as needed.

Step 10: Move The Text Layer Below The Texture Layer

Click on the text layer in the Layers panel and with your mouse button still held down, drag the layer between the gray texture layer (Layer 1) and the Background layer. When you see a highlight bar appear between those two layers, release your mouse button and Photoshop will snap the text layer into place:

Drag the text layer between the Background layer and Layer 1।

Step 11: Create A Clipping Mask

Click on Layer 1 in the Layers panel to select it. Then go up to the Layer menu and choose Create Clipping Mask:

Go to Layer > Create Clipping Mask.

Layer 1 will become indented to the right in the Layers panel, indicating that it's now "clipped" to the text layer below it:

The Layers panel now shows Layer 1 clipped to the text layer.

If we look in the document window, we see that the gray texture now appears only inside the text:

The black from the Background layer is now visible around the text.

Step 12: Add A Bevel And Emboss Layer Style

Click on the text layer in the Layers panel to select it. Then click on the Layer Styles icon at the bottom of the Layers panel:

Click the Layer Styles icon.

Choose Bevel and Emboss from the list of layer styles that appears:

Choose Bevel and Emboss.

This opens Photoshop's Layer Style dialog box set to the Bevel and Emboss options in the middle column. First, change the Technique to Chisel Hard, then increase the Size to around 7 px. Drag the Depth slider towards the right to increase it to around 500%:

The Bevel and Emboss options.

In the Shading section of the options, click on the Gloss Contour thumbnail:

Click on the Gloss Contour thumbnail.

This opens the Contour Editor. Click on the Preset drop-down box at the top of the dialog box and choose Ring from the list:

Choose the Ring preset.

Click OK to exit out of the Contour Editor. Then, back in the main Layer Style dialog box, select the Anti-aliased option to the right of the Gloss Contour thumbnail:

Select the Anti-aliased option.

Don't close out of the Layer Style dialog box yet. We still have one more to add, but your text should now look similar to this:

The text after applying the Bevel and Emboss layer style.

Step 13: Add A Gradient Overlay Layer Style

Click directly on the words Gradient Overlay in the left column of the Layer Style dialog box. You need to click directly on the words themselves, not just in the checkbox, for the Gradient Overlay options to appear:

Click on the words Gradient Overlay.

The middle column of the Layer Style dialog box will change to show options for the Gradient Overlay. By default, Photoshop chooses a gradient based on the current Foreground and Background colors (black and white), but if some other gradient is selected, click on the gradient preview bar:

Click on the gradient preview bar only if something other than a black-to-white gradient is selected.

Then click on the Foreground-to-Background gradient's thumbnail (top left) in the Gradient Editor to select it:

Select the Foreground-to-Background gradient.

Click OK to close out of the Gradient Editor. Back in the main Layer Style dialog box, change the Blend Mode to Overlay, then lower the Opacity to around 70%. This will add an initial lighting effect to the metal:

The Gradient Overlay options.

Click OK to exit out of the Layer Style dialog box. Here's the effect with the layer styles added:

The effect after applying the layer styles.

Step 14: Add A New Layer Set To The Overlay Blend Mode

Click on Layer 1 in the Layers panel to select it. Hold down your Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) key and click on the New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel:

Hold down Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) and click the New Layer icon.

This tells Photoshop to pop open the New Layer dialog box where we can set some options before the new layer is added. Click inside the checkbox to the left of where it says Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask to select the option, then change the Mode (short for Blend Mode) to Overlay. Click OK when you're done to close out of the dialog box. A new blank layer named "Layer 2", set to the Overlay blend mode, will appear above Layer 1 in the Layers panel. Like Layer 1, it will be clipped to the text layer below it:

The New Layer dialog box।

Step 15: Apply The Clouds Filter

Let's add some random highlights and shadows to the metal effect. For that, we'll use Photoshop's Clouds filter, along with the Overlay blend mode we've already set the layer to. Go up to the Filter menu at the top of the screen, choose Render, and then choose Clouds:

Go to Filter > Render > Clouds.

The "clouds" create lots of light and dark areas:

The image after applying the Clouds filter.

Step 16: Apply The Gaussian Blur Filter

The clouds need to be smoothed out a little so they look more like highlights and shadows. We'll do that by blurring them. Go up to the Filter menu, choose Blur, and then choose Gaussian Blur:

Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur.

When the Gaussian Blur dialog box appears, drag the slider along the bottom towards the right to increase the Radius value to around 10 pixels:

Set the Radius to around 10 pixels.

Here's the image after blurring the clouds:

The clouds effect now looks more like a subtle lighting effect.

Step 17: Add A New Layer Set To The Multiply Blend Mode

Once again hold down Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) and click on the New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel to bring up the New Layer dialog box. Select the Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask option by clicking inside its checkbox, then change the Mode to Multiply. Finally, select the Fill with Multiply-neutral color (white) option at the bottom of the dialog box. Click OK when you're done to close out of it and add the new layer:

Add another new layer, this time set to Multiply.

Step 18: Add Noise

Let's grunge up our metal effect by adding some dirt and scratches to it. Go up to the Filter menu, choose Noise, then choose Add Noise. The Add Noise dialog box will appear with the same settings we used previously. No need to change them, so just click OK to exit out of the dialog box. The text is now filled with noise, and since the layer's blend mode is set to Multiply, only the dark specks of noise are visible:

The Multiply blend mode hides areas of white from view, so only the dark specks of noise are visible.

Step 19: Apply The Median Filter

To turn the noise into something that looks like dirt or scratches, go back up to the Filter menu, choose Noise once again, and then choose Median:

Go to Filter > Noise > Median.

The Median filter is designed to remove noise from an image. Click inside the Radius input box and use the Up arrow on your keyboard to slowly increase its value while keeping an eye on your image in the document window. As you increase the Radius value, the noise will begin to disappear, leaving "clumps" of it behind to create our dirt and scratches effect. A value of around 9 pixels should work. Click OK when you're done to exit out of the dialog box:

Increase the Radius value to decrease noise.

Step 20: Lower The Layer Opacity

If the dirt and scratches effect looks too dark, lower the opacity of the layer. You'll find the Opacity option in the top right corner of the Layers panel. I'm going to lower mine to around 70%:

The layer opacity option.

And with that, we're done! Here is the final "metal text" effect:

The final "metal text" result.

The Text Remains Editable

One of the nice things about creating this metal effect the way we have is that the text remains completely editable, and we can even change the font we're using if we don't like the one we started with! To change the font, simply select the Type Tool from the Tools panel, click on the text layer in the Layers panel to select it, then choose a different font from the Options Bar (you may need to resize the text again using Free Transform - see Step 9). For example, here I've done nothing more than change the font to Trajan Pro Bold:

Same effect, different font.

Here, I've edited the text, changing the word from "METAL" to "STEEL". If you save your document as a Photoshop .PSD file, you can open it again any time you want and edit your text without ever having to recreate the metal texture:

Same effect, different text.

And there we have it!

Ghostly Blur Text Effect In Photoshop

2011-08-28T15:44:00.000+05:30

The final result।

Let's get started!

Step 1: Rasterize The Type

Here's the document I'm starting with, which is just the word "BLUR" typed in white in front of a solid black background. I used Arial Bold for the font:

The original document.

If we look in the Layers panel, we see the Type layer sitting above the black Background layer:

The Layers panel showing the two layers currently in the document.

Make sure the Type layer is selected in the Layers panel (selected layers are highlighted in blue), then go up to the Layer menu in the Menu Bar along the top of the screen, choose Rasterize, then choose Type:

Go to Layer > Rasterize > Type.

"Rasterizing" type just means we're converting it from editable text into pixels, which we need to do before Photoshop will let us apply any filters to it. Nothing will appear to have changed in the document window, but we can see in the Layers panel that the Type layer has become a normal pixel-based layer:

Once text has been rasterized (converted to pixels), it's no longer editable.

Step 2: Make Three Copies Of The Layer

We need to make three copies of our rasterized text, so go up to the Layer menu, choose New, then choose Layer via Copy, or press Ctrl+J (Win) / Command+J (Mac) to access the same command with the faster keyboard shortcut:

Go to Layer > New > Layer via Copy, or press Ctrl+J (Win) / Command+J (Mac).

Either way tells Photoshop to make a copy of the layer and place it above the original:

The new layer appears above the original in the Layers panel.

Do the same thing two more times, either by choosing Layer > New > Layer via Copy twice or by pressing Ctrl+J (Win) / Command+J (Mac) twice, although the keyboard shortcut is much faster. When you're done, you should have 4 text layers, plus the Background layer on the bottom:

You should now have 5 layers in total.

Step 3: Select The Original Text Layer

Click on the original text layer in the Layers panel (the one directly above the Background layer) to select it:

Select the original text layer.

Step 4: Apply The Motion Blur Filter

Go up to the Filter menu at the top of the screen, choose Blur, then choose Motion Blur:

Go to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur.

This opens Photoshop's Motion Blur dialog box. Let's start by adding a vertical motion blur to the text. Change the Angle of the blur to 90°, then begin dragging the Distance slider at the bottom of the dialog box towards the right to increase the amount of blurring. Keep an eye on the document window as you drag the slider to judge the results. I'm going to set my Distance value to around 150 pixels which I think looks good with my image, but the value you use may be different depending on the size and resolution of your document:

Set the Angle to 90°, then drag the Distance slider to apply blurring.

When you're done, click OK to close out of the dialog box. Your vertical motion blur effect should look similar to this:

The effect after adding a vertical motion blur.

Step 5: Select The Layer Above It

Click on the layer above the original text layer in the Layers panel (the layer that says "copy" after its name) to select it:

Select the first "copy" layer.

Step 6: Apply The Motion Blur Filter Again

Press Ctrl+Alt+F (Win) / Command+Option+F (Mac) on your keyboard. This is a quick way to access the last filter we used, which in our case was the Motion Blur filter. Photoshop will re-open the filter's dialog box for us so we can make any changes we need before the filter is applied. This time, we'll add a horizontal motion blur, so change the Angle to 0°. You can leave the Distance option set to the same value you used last time:

Change the Angle to 0°.

Click OK to close out of the dialog box. Photoshop applies a horizontal motion blur to the layer:

Vertical and horizontal motion blur has been added to the text।

Step 7: Merge The Two Layers Together

Go up to the Layer menu and choose Merge Down, or press Ctrl+E (Win) / Command+E (Mac) on your keyboard:

Go to Layer > Merge Down, or press Ctrl+E (Win) / Command+E (Mac).

Photoshop will merge the two motion blur layers together in the Layers panel, leaving us with three text layers:

The horizontal and vertical motion blur effects are now on the same layer.

Step 8: Apply The Gaussian Blur Filter

The edges of the motion blur effect look too sharp, so let's apply a different type of blurring to soften them. Go up to the Filter menu once again, choose Blur, then choose Gaussian Blur:

Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur.

This opens the Gaussian Blur dialog box. Drag the Radius slider at the bottom a little towards the right to add a small amount of blurring, just enough to soften the edges of the motion blur effect. A Radius value of around 2 pixels should be enough, although you may need to use a higher value for a larger document. As always, keep an eye on the document window as you drag the slider to judge the results:

Increase the Radius value to around 2 pixels.

Click OK to close out of the dialog box. The edges of the motion blur now appear softer:

The image after applying the Gaussian Blur filter.

Step 9: Select The Layer Above It

Click on the layer directly above the merged layer (the one with "copy 2" in the name) to select it:

Select the "copy 2" text layer above the merged layer.

Step 10: Apply The Gaussian Blur Filter

Press Ctrl+Alt+F (Win) / Command+Option+F (Mac) on your keyboard. This again re-opens the dialog box for last filter we used, which this time was the Gaussian Blur filter. We'll use the Gaussian Blur filter here to add a glow effect around the letters in the text. Drag the Radius slider towards the right and as you drag, you'll see a glow begin to appear around the text. I'm going to increase my Radius value to 8 pixels, which gives my letters a subtle, soft glow:

Increasing the Radius value to 8 pixels.

Click OK to once again close out of the dialog box. We can now see the soft glow around the text:

The image after applying the Gaussian Blur filter to the text.

Step 11: Select The Top Layer

Select the top layer in the Layers panel, which is the only text layer we haven't applied any filters to:

Click on the top layer to select it.

Step 12: Merge The Layer With The Layer Below It

Just as we did in Step 7, go up to the Layer menu and choose Merge Down, or press Ctrl+E (Win) / Command+E (Mac) for the keyboard shortcut. This will merge the top layer with the blurred "glow" layer below it, leaving us with just two text layers:

Go to Layer > Merge Down, or press Ctrl+E (Win) / Command+E (Mac) to merge the top two layers together.

Step 13: Add A Layer Mask

Click on the Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel:

Click on the Layer Mask icon.

A layer mask thumbnail appears on the top layer, letting us know that a mask has been added:

A white-filled layer mask thumbnail appears।

Step 14: Select The Gradient Tool

Select Photoshop's Gradient Tool from the Tools panel:

Selecting the Gradient Tool.

Step 15: Choose A White To Black Gradient

With the layer mask selected (the mask thumbnail in the Layers panel will have a white highlight border around it letting you know it's selected), press the letter D on your keyboard to quickly reset Photoshop's Foreground and Background colors if needed, which sets the Foreground color to white and the Background color to black. Then right-click (Win) / Control-click (Mac) anywhere inside the document window to quickly open the Gradient Picker and choose the white to black gradient (top left corner - it's actually the Foreground to Background gradient) by clicking on its thumbnail. Press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) when you're done to close out of the Gradient Picker:

Choose the Foreground to Background (white to black) gradient in the top left corner.

Step 16: Select The "Reflected Gradient" Option

In the Options Bar along the top of the screen, click on the Reflected Gradient icon to change the style of gradient we're about to draw:

Click on the Reflected Gradient icon in the Options Bar.

Step 17: Draw A Gradient On The Layer Mask

With the Reflected Gradient option selected, click anywhere along the horizontal center of the text to set the starting point for the gradient. Then hold down your Shift key and, with your mouse button still held down, drag straight up to the top of the text. Holding the Shift key as you drag makes it easier to drag straight upward:

Click in the center of the text, then hold Shift and drag to the top of the text.

Release your mouse button at the top of the text, at which point Photoshop draws the reflected gradient on the layer mask, leaving only the middle of the text completely visible, then gradually fading away towards the top and bottom of the letters, allowing the motion blur effect behind them to show through:

The main text now fades away towards the top and bottom of the letters. Only the middle of the word remains 100% visible.

Step 18: Duplicate The Layer

Press Ctrl+J (Win) / Command+J (Mac) on your keyboard to quickly duplicate the layer:

A copy of the top layer appears above the original.

This makes the glow effect more intense, giving the text more of a "ghostly" appearance:

The glow around the text is now more intense.

You can increase the glow even more simply by duplicating the layer again. I'll press Ctrl+J (Win) / Command+J (Mac) to make another copy of the layer:

Press Ctrl+J (Win) / Command+J (Mac) again if needed to make another copy of the blurred text layer.

Things are definitely starting to look spooky at this point:

The text after bumping the glow effect up even further.

Step 19: Add A Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer

As a final step, let's colorize the effect. Click on the New Adjustment Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel:

Click on the New Adjustment Layer icon.

Choose Hue/Saturation from the list of adjustment layers that appears:

Choose Hue/Saturation from the list.

If you're using Photoshop CS4 or CS5, the controls and options for the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer will appear in the Adjustments Panel. For CS3 and earlier, a separate dialog box will open. First, select the Colorize option by clicking inside its checkbox. Then drag the Hue slider to select a color to use, and drag the Saturation slider to adjust the intensity of the color. I'm going to choose a ghostly green by setting my Hue value to 123, then I'll increase the Saturation value to 40:

Select Colorize, then set Hue to 123 and Saturation to 40.

For Photoshop CS3 and earlier users, click OK to close out of the dialog box when you're done. CS4 and CS5 users can leave the Adjustments Panel open. And with that, we're done! Here, after colorizing the text, is my final "ghostly blur" effect:

The final text effect.

And there we have it!

Rotate, Flip & Scale Individual Letters In Text With Photoshop

2011-08-28T15:32:00.000+05:30

The original document.

If we look at my Layers panel, we see that the document is made up of two layers - a normal Type layer on top containing the word "letters" (with a drop shadow layer style applied to add some interest) and the gradient on the Background layer below it:

The Layers panel showing the Type layer above the Background layer.

Usually, to flip, rotate or scale the text, we would use Photoshop's Free Transform command. I'll select it by going up to the Edit menu in the Menu Bar along the top of the screen and choosing Free Transform:

Choosing the Free Transform command from the Edit menu.

This places the Free Transform bounding box and handles around the word, and herein lies our problem. I want to transform individual letters in the word, but Free Transform selects the entire word as a whole, placing the bounding box and handles around it. If I move my mouse cursor outside the bounding box, then click and drag with my mouse to rotate it, the entire word rotates, not just an individual letter:

Free Transform rotates the entire word because it selected the entire contents of the text layer.

I'll press the Esc key on my keyboard to cancel the rotation. Let's try flipping a letter upside down. With Free Transform still active, I'll right-click (Win) / Control-click (Mac) anywhere inside the document and I'll choose Flip Vertical from the menu that appears:

Choosing Flip Vertical from the contextual menu.

Again, we run into the same problem. Free Transform is affecting the entire word, so the entire word gets flipped upside down:

Free Transform once again affects the entire word.

I'll press Esc on my keyboard to cancel the Flip Vertical command. Let's try scaling a letter. I'll hold down Shift+Alt (Win) / Shift+Option (Mac) as I click on one of Free Transform's corner handles and I'll drag inward towards the center of the bounding box. Holding the Shift key down as I drag will keep the original proportions of the text intact as I resize it, while the Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) key tells Photoshop to scale the text from its center. And no surprise, we run into the same problem as before. The entire word is being scaled down as a whole:

Without a way to select a specific letter, the entire word is made smaller.

It may seem like Free Transform is the problem here since it doesn't give us any way of selecting individual letters in the word, but the real problem is actually the text itself. Or, more specifically, the problem is that the word is text. That may sound strange. I mean, of course it's text, right? Yet it's a problem because Photoshop doesn't allow us to select individual letters in a line of text. At least, not while the text is still text, which brings us to the solution. All we need to do to be able to work with individual letters is convert the text into something else!

So what can we convert it into and still have it look like text? Well, we could convert it into pixels by rasterizing it, but that's not the best solution because we'll loose the sharp, crisp edges of the letters, especially once we start rotating and scaling them. A much better solution is to convert the text into a shape. As a shape, it will still look like text, and it will keep its sharp edges no matter what we do to it. The only minor downside is that once we've converted the text into a shape, it will no longer be editable, so just make sure you have everything spelled correctly first.

To convert text into a shape, make sure the Type layer is selected in the Layers panel, then go up to the Layer menu at the top of the screen, choose Type, then choose Convert to Shape:

Go to Layer > Type > Convert to Shape.

Nothing much will seem to have happened in the document window, but if we look in the Layers panel, we see that the Type layer has been converted into a Shape layer, which means our text has successfully been converted into a shape:

The Type layer is now a Shape layer.

With the text now a shape, we can easily select any of the individual letters. To select a letter, we need the Path Selection Tool (the black arrow) which you can grab from the Tools panel:

Select the Path Selection Tool.

Then, with the Path Selection Tool in hand, simply click on the letter you want. I'll click on the first letter "e" in the word to select it. Anchor points (little squares) will appear around the letter to show that it's now selected:

Click with the Path Selection Tool on the letter you want to select.

With the letter selected, I can now transform it any way I want using Free Transform. I'll press Ctrl+T (Win) / Command+T (Mac) on my keyboard to quickly bring up the Free Transform bounding box and handles (it's faster than choosing Free Transform from the Edit menu), and this time, rather than appearing around the entire word, they appear around the letter I selected:

Free Transform can now work with individual letters.

I'll rotate the letter the same way I rotated the entire word earlier, by clicking anywhere outside the Free Transform bounding box and dragging with my mouse. I'll rotate it counterclockwise. When you're done transforming a letter, press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) to accept the change and exit out of Free Transform:

Rotating the letter counterclockwise.

I'll do the same thing with the second letter "e" in the word. First, I'll select it by clicking on it with the Path Selection Tool, then I'll press Ctrl+T (Win) / Command+T (Mac) to bring up the Free Transform box and handles around it. To rotate it, I'll click outside the bounding box and drag with my mouse. This time, I'll rotate the letter clockwise. When I'm done, I'll press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) on my keyboard to accept the change and exit out of Free Transform:

Rotating the second letter "e", this time in a clockwise direction.

What if I want to flip a letter, either horizontally or vertically? With the text now a shape, it's easy! Again, I just need to click on the letter with the Path Selection Tool to select it. I'll select the second letter "t" in the word. Then I'll press Ctrl+T (Win) / Command+T (Mac) to place the Free Transform box and handles around it. To flip the letter, I'll right-click (Win) / Control-click (Mac) anywhere inside the document and I'll select one of the two options (Flip Horizontal or Flip Vertical) from the bottom of the menu that appears. I'll choose Flip Horizontal:

Selecting Flip Horizontal from the contextual menu.

I'll press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) to accept the change, and just like that, the letter is flipped:

The second letter "t" is now a mirror reflection of the letter in front of it.

To scale (resize) a letter, again simply click on it with the Path Selection Tool, then press Ctrl+T (Win) / Command+T (Mac) to bring up Free Transform. Click on any of the four corner handles, hold down your Shift key to keep the original shape of the letter intact as you resize it, then drag the handle to make the letter larger or smaller. Hold down Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) as well while you're dragging the handle to resize the letter from its center. Here, I'm scaling the letter "r" and making it larger. Press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) when you're done to accept the change:

Dragging a corner handle outward to increase the size of the letter.

Since the letters are shapes, not pixels, you can continue rotating, flipping and scaling them as much as you want without any loss of image quality, so feel free to keep selecting letters and playing around with Free Transform until you're happy with the results. You can also move the letters around inside the document if you need to simply by selecting them with the Path Selection Tool and dragging them around with your mouse. Free Transform isn't needed if all you're doing is moving a letter.

When you're done transforming and moving the letters around, click on any other layer in the Layers panel to deselect the shape. This will remove any visible outlines or anchor points from the letters. Since I only have two layers in my document, I'll click on the Background layer to select it:

Click on a different layer to hide any outlines or anchor points around the letters when you're done.

Here's what my word now looks like after scrambling up the letters a bit more with Free Transform:

The final result.

And there we have it!

Photo To Colored Dot Pattern In Photoshop

2011-08-28T15:13:00.000+05:30

The original photo.

And here's what it will look like when we're done:

The final result।

Let's get started!

Step 1: Duplicate The Background Layer

With the photo newly opened in Photoshop, if we look in the Layers panel, we see that we currently have one layer - the Background layer - which is the layer our image is sitting on:

The original image sits on the Background layer in the Layers panel.

Click on the Background layer and, with your mouse button held down, drag the layer down onto the New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel (it's the icon directly to the left of the Trash Bin):

Click and drag the Background layer down onto the New Layer icon.

Release your mouse button when the hand cursor is over the New Layer icon. This makes a copy of the Background layer which Photoshop places above the original:

A copy of the Background layer appears above the original.

Step 2: Add A New Blank Layer Between The Two Existing Layers

Hold down your Ctrl (Win) / Command (Mac) key and click on the New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel (the same icon we used in the previous step):

Hold down Ctrl (Win) / Command (Mac) and click on the New Layer icon.

This adds a new blank layer to the document. Normally, Photoshop places new layers above the layer that's currently selected (which in our case was the Background copy layer), but by holding down the Ctrl (Win) / Command (Mac) key while clicking the New Layer icon, we told Photoshop to place the new layer below it instead. We can see in the Layers panel that we now have a new blank layer named Layer 1 sitting between the Background and Background copy layers:

The new layer appears between the two previous layers.

Step 3: Fill The New Layer With Black

Let's fill the new layer with black which will become the background color for the effect. Go up to the Edit menu in the Menu Bar along the top of the screen and choose Fill:

Go to Edit > Fill.

This opens Photoshop's Fill dialog box. Change the Use option at the top of the dialog box to Black:

Change the Use option to Black.

Click OK when you're done to close out of the dialog box. Nothing will seem to have happened in the document window because the image on the Background copy layer is currently blocking Layer 1 from view, but we can see in Layer 1's preview thumbnail in the Layers panel that we've filled the layer with solid black:

Layer 1's preview thumbnail shows that the layer is now filled with black.

Step 4: Select The Background Copy Layer

Click on the Background copy layer in the Layers panel to select it and make it the active layer:

Select the Background copy layer.

Step 5: Apply The Mosaic Filter

Go up to the Filter menu at the top of the screen, choose Pixelate, then choose Mosaic:

Go to Filter > Pixelate > Mosaic.

The Mosaic filter pixelates an image by turning it into a series of solid-colored squares. We can set the size of the squares using the Cell Size option at the bottom of the filter's dialog box. Larger values will create larger squares. Smaller values, smaller squares. These squares will eventually become our colored dots, so you'll want to set your Cell Size value based on the number and size of the colored dots you want in your final effect. This may take a bit of trial and error to get things right. I'm going to set my Cell Size value to 20. Make sure you remember the exact value you used because we'll need it again in a moment:

Remember the value you entered for the Cell Size option.

Click OK to close out of the dialog box. Your image should now look pixelated:

The image after applying the Mosaic filter।

Step 6: Create A New Document

Let's set our image aside for a moment and create our repeating dot pattern. For that, we'll need a new Photoshop document, so go up to the File menu at the top of the screen and choose New:

Go to File > New.

This opens the New Document dialog box. Set both the Width and Height of the document to the same value you entered for the Cell Size option in the Mosaic filter's dialog box. In my case, I set my Cell Size to 20 so I'll set my Width and Height options to 20 pixels each. This will create a new document that's exactly the same size as the squares in our image. Don't worry about the Resolution value but make sure Background Contents is set to White:

Set your Width and Height to the same value you entered for the Cell Size. Make sure the measurement type is set to pixels.

Click OK when you're done to close out of the dialog box. Your new document will appear on your screen. Since your document is most likely very small, hold down Ctrl+spacebar (Win) / Command+spacebar (Mac) on your keyboard to temporary switch to Photoshop's Zoom Tool (your mouse cursor will change into a magnifying glass with a plus sign in the middle), then click a few times inside the document to zoom in on it. Here, I've zoomed in to 1600%:

Zoom in on your new document to make the next steps easier.

Step 7: Select The Elliptical Marquee Tool

Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool from the Tools panel. By default, it's hiding behind the Rectangular Marquee Tool, so click on the Rectangular Marquee Tool and hold your mouse button down for a second or two until a fly-out menu appears, then choose the Elliptical Marquee Tool from the list:

Click and hold on the Rectangular Marquee Tool, then select the Elliptical Marquee Tool from the fly-out menu.

Step 8: Draw A Circular Selection

With the Elliptical Marquee Tool in hand, hold down your Shift key, click in the very top left corner of the document and, with your mouse button held down, drag diagonally down to the bottom right corner of the document to draw a circular selection outline. Holding the Shift key down as you drag will force the selection outline into a perfect circle. If you need to reposition the selection outline as you're drawing it, hold down your spacebar, drag the outline into position with your mouse, then release your spacebar and continue. When you're done, the edges of the selection outline should touch the edges of the document so it's the same width and height as the document itself:

Drag out a circular selection inside the document.

Step 9: Fill The Selection With Black

Go back up to the Edit menu at the top of the screen and once again choose Fill, just as we did back in Step 3. The Use option should already be set to Black since that's what we changed it to last time, so simply click OK to close out of the Fill dialog box. Photoshop fills the selection outline in the document with black. Press Ctrl+D (Win) / Command+D (Mac) on your keyboard to quickly deselect the area and remove the selection outline.

If you're using Photoshop CS4 or CS5 and you've zoomed far into your document as I have, you'll see a grid outline (known as the pixel grid) appearing through the black circle. The pixel grid is a new feature as of CS4 and is simply a visual aid when you've zoomed into your document. It's not part of the image itself and will disappear when viewing the image at its actual size, so just ignore it. The grid will not appear if you're using Photoshop CS3 or earlier:

The document (still zoomed in to 1600%) after filling the selection outline with black.

Step 10: Invert The Colors In The Document

Go up to the Image menu at the top of the screen, choose Adjustments, then choose Invert:

Go to Image > Adjustments > Invert.

This inverts the colors in the document, making the black areas white and the white areas black:

The circle itself is now white, while the corner areas become black.

Step 11: Define The Circle As A Pattern

Go up to the Edit menu at the top of the screen and choose Define Pattern:

Go to Edit > Define Pattern.

Photoshop will pop open a dialog box asking us to name the new pattern. Give the pattern a descriptive name. I'm going to name mine "Circle 20x20" since the size of my document is 20 px by 20 px. You may end up creating more circle patterns, all at different sizes, so it's a good idea to include the size of the document in the name:

Give the pattern a name।

Step 12: Add A Layer Mask To The Background Copy Layer

Switch back over to your main document and make sure the Background copy layer is selected in the Layers panel. Click on the Add Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel:

With the Background copy layer selected, click on the Add Layer Mask icon.

Again, nothing will seem to have happened in the document, but a white-filled layer mask thumbnail appears on the Background copy layer in the Layers panel, letting us know that we've added the layer mask. Notice that the thumbnail has a thin highlight border around it. This tells us that the layer mask itself is selected:

A layer mask thumbnail appears on the Background copy layer.

Step 13: Fill The Layer Mask With The Circle Pattern

Once again go up to the Edit menu at the top of the screen and choose Fill. This time, change the Use option from Black to Pattern:

Change the Use option to Pattern.

Click on the Custom Pattern preview thumbnail to select the pattern you want to use:

Click on the Custom Pattern thumbnail.

This opens the Pattern Picker. Choose the circle pattern we just created by clicking on its thumbnail. It should be the last thumbnail in the list. If you have Tool Tips enabled in Photoshop's Preferences, the name of the pattern will appear when you hover your mouse cursor over the thumbnail:

Click on the circle pattern's thumbnail to select it.

Click OK once you've selected your pattern to close out of the Fill dialog box. Photoshop fills the layer mask with the circle pattern, and our image is now made up of a pattern of colored dots:

The image after filling the layer mask with the repeating circle pattern.

I'll zoom in closer to the image so we can see the effect more easily. Each dot in the image is made up of a single solid color thanks to the Mosaic filter we applied earlier. The black area surrounding the circles is from Layer 1 below the image (which we filled with black back in Step 3):

A closer view of the effect.

Step 14: Add A Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer (Optional)

As an optional final step, we can enhance the effect a little by increasing color saturation in the image. Click on the New Adjustment Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel:

Click on the New Adjustment Layer icon.

Choose a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer from the list that appears:

Choose Hue/Saturation from the list of adjustment layers.

If you're using Photoshop CS3 or earlier, a Hue/Saturation dialog box will pop open on the screen. For Photoshop CS4 and CS5 users, the controls for the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer will appear in the Adjustments panel. In either case, increase the color saturation in the image by clicking on the Saturation slider and dragging it towards the right. The further you drag to the right, the more saturated the colors will become. I'm going to increase my saturation to +20:

Drag the Saturation slider towards the right to increase color saturation in the image.

For Photoshop CS3 and earlier users, click OK to close out of the Hue/Saturation dialog box. Photoshop CS4 and CS5 users can leave the Adjustments panel open. And with that, we're done! Here, after boosting color saturation, is my final "photo to colored dots" result:

The final result.

And there we have it!

Blend Photos Like A Hollywood Movie Poster In Photoshop

2011-08-28T15:02:00.000+05:30

The first photo.

Here's the image I want to blend it with:

The second photo.

And here's what the final effect will look like:

The final result।

Let's get started!

View the Photoshop Elements version of this tutorial.

Step 1: Drag One Image Into The Document Window Of The Other Image

The first thing we need in order to blend our two images together is for them to both be in the same document. To do that, with both of my images open on the screen in their own separate document windows, I'm going to grab my Move tool from the Tools palette, or I could press the letter V on my keyboard to quickly select it:

Select the Move tool from the Tools palette, or press "V" for the keyboard shortcut.

Then with my Move tool selected, I'm going to click anywhere inside the image of the couple walking on the beach to make that document window active, and I'm simply going to drag the image into the other document window:

Click inside the first and drag it into the document window of the second photo.

When I release my mouse button, both images appear inside the same document, one on top of the other:

The two photos now appearing in the same document.

I can also see both images now on their own separate layers in the Layers palette:

Photoshop's Layers palette showing each image on its own separate layer।

Step 2: Resize And/Or Reposition The Images As Needed

Now that I've dragged the beach photo into the other document, I need to resize it, and I can do that easily with Photoshop's Free Transform command. With the beach photo layer selected in the Layers palette, I'm going to use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+T (Win) / Command+T (Mac) to bring up the Free Transform box and handles around the image.

Problem is, this image is in "landscape" mode, meaning its width is longer than its height, and I've dragged it into a document containing an image that's in "portrait" mode (its height is longer than its width), so even though Photoshop has placed the Free Transform box and handles around my image, I can't see any of the corner handles because the sides of the image are extending out beyond the viewable area of the document.

To fix that, all I need to do is press Ctrl+0 (Win) / Command+0 (Mac) to fit everything onto the screen:

Press "Ctrl+0" (Win) / "Command+0" (Mac) to fit everything, including the Free Transform handles, onto the screen.

Now that I can see my corner handles, I can resize my image by dragging any of the corner handles inward in order to fit more of the image into the viewable document area. Since I don't want to distort the image, I'm going to hold down my Shift key as I'm dragging the handles to constrain the width and height proportions:

Hold down "Shift" and drag any of the corner handles inward to resize the image and fit more of it into the viewable area.

When I'm happy with the new size of my image, I'm going to press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) to accept the transformation.

The beach image looks good, but the image of the couple behind it needs to be moved up higher. Again, there's a slight problem. The image is on the Background layer:

The original image on the Background layer.

If I select the layer in the Layers palette and then click inside the document and try to drag the image up with my Move tool, Photoshop is going to complain and give me this pop-up message:

A warning message telling me that Photoshop can't move the image on the Background layer because the layer is locked.

The warning message is telling me that Photoshop can't move the image because the layer is locked, and the reason it's locked is because it's the Background layer. Photoshop treats Background layers differently from normal layers, and one of the things you can't do with images on the Background layer is move them. To get around that problem, all we need to do is rename the Background layer, and the quickest way to do that is to simple hold down Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) and double-click directly on the word "Background". Photoshop will automatically rename the layer "Layer 0":

Hold down "Alt" (Win) / "Option" (Mac) and double-click directly on the word "Background" to rename the Background layer "Layer 0".

Just like that, the layer is no longer a special Background layer, and we're now free to move the image on the layer. With my Move tool still selected, I'm going to click inside the document and drag the photo of the couple up higher. Since I want to make sure I'm dragging straight up and not accidentally dragging the image a little off to either side, I'm going to once again hold down my Shift key as I'm dragging:

Dragging the bottom image upward using the Move tool।

Step 3: Add A Layer Mask

Once you've resized and/or repositioned your photos in the document the way you like them, we can begin blending them together. The first thing we need is a layer mask, and we're going to add it to the layer on top ("Layer 1"), which is my case is the layer containing the beach photo, so I'm going to click on that layer in the Layers palette to select it. Then, click on the Add A Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers palette:

Click on the top layer to select it in the Layers palette, then click on the "Add A Layer Mask" icon.

We can now see the layer mask thumbnail added to the top layer:

The layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette.

Notice that the layer mask thumbnail has a white highlight border around it. That's telling us that the layer mask, not the layer itself, is currently selected, which is what we want.

Step 4: Drag Out A Black to White Gradient On The Mask To Blend The Two Images

Select your Gradient tool from the Tools palette, or press G to quickly access it with the keyboard shortcut:

Select the Gradient tool.

Then, up in the Options Bar at the top of the screen, click on the down-pointing arrow to the right of the gradient preview area, which will bring up the Gradient Picker. Click on the black to white gradient in the top row, third from the left to select it:

Select the black to white gradient, third from the left, top row.

Click anywhere else on the screen to close out of the Gradient Picker once you've selected the gradient. Then, back in your document, hold down your Shift key and drag out a black to white gradient to blend the two images together. Because you're dragging the gradient on the layer mask, not the layer itself, you won't see your gradient. Instead, you'll see the two images blend together. Start at the top of where you want the transition from one image to the other to begin, which in my case is the top of the beach photo, and drag down to the point where you want the transition to end. I want my transition to end where the water and land meet, so I'm going to click just below the top of my beach photo and drag straight down to just above the water line:

Dragging the gradient from just below the top of the beach photo to just above the top of the water line to set the transition area between the two photos.

Release your mouse button, and the two images blend together at the location where you dragged out the gradient:

The two images now fade from one into the other thanks to the black to white gradient we added to the layer mask।

Step 5: Merge Both Layers Onto A New Layer

With "Layer 1" still selected in the Layers palette, press Shift+Ctrl+Alt+E (Win) / Shift+Command+Option+E (Mac) to merge both layers onto a new layer above it, which Photoshop will name "Layer 2":

Merge both layers onto a new layer at the top of the Layers palette.

Step 6: Desaturate The Layer

We're going to remove all the color from the image at this point so we can add our own color, which we'll do in a moment. To remove the colors, press Shift+Ctrl+U (Win) / Shift+Command+U (Mac) to desaturate the layer:

Press "Shift+Ctrl+U" (Win) / "Shift+Command+U" (Mac) to desaturate the image, removing the colors.

Step 7: Add Noise

Let's add a little noise to the image to help the two photos blend more seamlessly together. Go up to the Filter menu at the top of the screen, choose Noise, and then choose Add Noise. This brings up the Add Noise dialog box. Set the Amount to somewhere between 2-6% depending on the pixel dimensions of your image. I'm working on a low resolution image for this tutorial, so I'm going to set mine to 2% just to add a hint of noise. Make sure Distribution is set to Gaussian, and also make sure the Monochromatic option at the very bottom is checked:

Add a bit of noise to the image to help blend the two photos together.

Step 8: Add A Solid Color Adjustment Layer

All that's left to do is add our own color to the image. For that, we're going to use a Solid Color fill layer. Click on the New Fill Or Adjustment Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette:

Click the "New Fill Or Adjustment Layer" icon.

Then select Solid Color from the top of the list that appears:

Select the Solid Color fill layer from the list.

Photoshop's Color Picker will appear. Choose the color that you want to use for your image. I'm going to select a light orange for my color:

Choose a color to use for your image from the Color Picker.

Click OK once you've chosen a color to exit out of the Color Picker. Don't worry about choosing the "right" color at the moment because you can always change it later.

Step 9: Set The Layer Blend Mode To "Color"

After clicking out of the Color Picker, your image will now be filled completely with the color you chose, which isn't exactly what we wanted. To fix that, with the new Solid Color fill layer selected in the Layers palette, go up to the Blend Mode option in the top left corner of the Layers palette, click on the down-pointing arrow to the right of the word "Normal", and select Color from the list:

Change the blend mode of the Solid Color fill layer to "Color".

Your image will now be colorized with your chosen color rather than being blocked from view by it. If you decide you're not happy with the color you chose, just double-click on the Solid Color fill layer's color swatch icon in the Layers palette:

Double-click the color swatch icon in the Layers palette.

When you do that, the Color Picker will pop back up and you can choose a different color. Since the Solid Color fill layer is already set to the "Color" blend mode, you'll be able to see a live preview of how your current color choice looks with your image.

I'm going to stick with my initial color selection, and here, after changing the blend mode to "Color", is my final result:

The final result.

And there we have it!

Open Multiple Images As Photoshop Layers

2011-08-28T15:00:00.000+05:30

Step 1: Select Your Images In Bridge

Begin by opening Adobe Bridge and navigate to the folder that contains the images you want to add to your document. Here, I have Bridge open to a folder on my Desktop with three photos inside of it. I'll select the first image (the one on the left) by clicking on its thumbnail:

Clicking on the photo on the left to select it.

Then, to select the other two images as well, I'll hold down my Shift key and click on the last of the three images (the one on the right). All three images are now highlighted and selected:

Holding down Shift and clicking on the last image to select all three images at once.

Step 2: Select The "Load Files into Photoshop Layers" Command

With all of the images selected, go up to the Tools menu in the Menu Bar along the top of the screen in Bridge, choose Photoshop for a list of Photoshop-specific options, then choose Load Files into Photoshop Layers:

In Bridge, go to Tools > Photoshop > Load Files into Photoshop Layers.

And that's all there is to it! Photoshop will open automatically if it's not open already and will add all three images (or as many images as you selected) into the same document. It may take a few moments for Photoshop to process everything, but when it's done, you'll see a single document open on your screen containing all of your photos:

All of the images have opened inside a single Photoshop document.

Some images may be blocking others from view in the document window, but if we look in the Layers panel, we see that each of the three photos I selected in Bridge has been added to the document and placed on its own layer. Notice that Photoshop used the names of the images for the layer names:

Each photo has been added on its own layer inside the Layers panel. The name of the image is now the name of the layer it sits on.

Viewing Individual Layers

If you want to view a specific image in the document window, hold down your Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) key and click on the layer visibility icon for the layer you want to view. It's the little eyeball icon on the far left of each layer in the Layers panel. Photoshop will temporarily turn off every layer in the document except the one you clicked on. For example, I want to view the photo of the woman which is currently being blocked by the other two images above it in the document, so I'll hold down my Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) key and click on the layer visibility icon for the "woman.jpg" layer:

Holding Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) and clicking the layer visibility icon for the "woman.jpg" layer in the Layers panel.

This turns off the other two layers and displays only the "woman.jpg" image in the document window. To turn the other layers back on when you're done, simply hold down Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) and click once again on the same layer visibility icon. Notice the checkerboard pattern below my photo, which is how Photoshop represents transparent areas of a layer. The reason part of this layer is transparent is because each image I opened was a different size, so Photoshop created a document wide and tall enough for all of them to fit into. This means that some images will still need to be resized and repositioned with the Free Transform command after they've been loaded into the document, but that's something we would normally have to do anyway:

Only the selected layer is now visible in the document.

Renaming The Layers

The only thing I don't really like about the Load Files into Photoshop Layers command is that it includes the file extension in the name of each layer ("forest.jpg", "leaves.jpg", "woman.jpg"). Fortunately, it's easy to rename layers. Simply double-click directly on the name of a layer to highlight it, then type in a new name. Or, in this case, simply delete the file extension from the end of the name. I'll double-click on the name "forest.jpg" to highlight it, then I'll delete the ".jpg" part at the end:

Deleting the ".jpg" file extension from the end of the layer name.

When you're done, press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) to accept the name change. I'll go ahead and rename the other two layers as well, deleting the file extension at the end of each one:

All three layers have been renamed.

With each image already on its own layer in the same document thanks to the Load Files into Photoshop Layers command, we can spend a bit more time being creative with our designs and less time on less interesting tasks like dragging or copying images from one document into another.

Blending images and creating composites goes far beyond the scope of this tutorial (see our Photo Effects section for lots of great ideas with step-by-step instructions), but just for fun, here's my result after spending a few minutes playing around with the images using blend modes and layer masks:

All three images combined into one.

And there we have it!

Photoshop Layers - Layer Groups

2011-08-28T14:55:00.000+05:30

Here's an ad layout I have open on my screen for a fictional garden center:

An ad layout in Photoshop.

If we look in my Layers panel, we see that even though I've gone ahead and renamed many of the layers, there's still quite a few layers to sort through. In fact, I've had to split the Layers panel in half here to fit it more easily on the page. The top half is on the left and the bottom half is on the right:

The Layers panel showing all the layers used in the document.

It may look like there's a lot of layers in the document, but there's actually even more layers than what we're seeing. If we look at the very top of the layer stack, we see that I've already added a layer group, which I've named "Logo". We know that it's a layer group because of the folder icon to the left of the group's name:

A layer group named "Logo" appears at the top of the layer stack. The folder icon tells us it's a layer group.

Opening And Closing Layer Groups

I've gone ahead and placed a few layers inside the group, but by default, layer groups are closed, which is why we can't see any of the layers inside it. To open a group, simply click on the small triangle icon to the left of the folder icon:

Clicking on the triangle icon.

This "twirls" the group open, displaying the layers inside it. Photoshop lets us know which layers are part of the group by indenting them slightly to the right. Here, we can see that my Logo group contains five layers ("Bud's", "GARDEN", "CENTER", "leaves", and "Logo background"). To close a layer group after you've opened it, just click again on the triangle icon:

The five layers that make up the Logo group are indented to the right.

You may have guessed that the reason I placed those five layers into a group named "Logo" is because those are the layers that make up the "Bud's Garden Center" logo design in the top left corner of my document:

The layers in the group make up the logo in the top left corner.

One of the added advantages of using layer groups, besides keeping things organized, is that they make it easy to turn several layers on or off at once in the document. Normally, to turn a single layer on or off, we'd click on its layer visibility icon (the "eyeball") on the far left of the layer in the Layers panel. We can do the same thing with layer groups. Each group also has its own visibility icon. I'll turn the "Logo" group off temporarily by clicking on the eyeball:

Clicking on the Logo group's visibility icon.

With the group itself turned off, all five layers inside the group are instantly hidden in the document. To turn them all back on at once, I'd simply need to click again on the group's visibility icon:

All five layers that make up the logo are turned off by turning off the group itself.

Creating A New Layer Group

Let's look at how to create a new layer group. The fastest and easiest way to create a new group is by clicking on the New Layer Group icon at the bottom of the Layers panel. It's the icon that looks like a folder:

Clicking on the New Layer Group icon.

Photoshop will create a new layer group, give it a default, generic name (in this case, "Group 1") and place it directly above whatever layer or layer group was selected when you clicked on the New Layer Group icon. In my case, my "Logo" group was selected, so Photoshop placed the new group above it:

A new group, "Group 1", appears at the top of the layer stack।

A better way is to first select the layers we want to place inside the group. For example, let's say I want to take the layers that display the garden center's address and hours of operation (in the bottom left corner of the layout) and place them inside their own group. There's eight layers in total that I'll need to select. To do that, I'll start by clicking on the top-most layer that I need (the "Open Year 'Round" text layer):

Clicking on the top layer to select it.

Next, I'll hold down my Shift key and I'll click on the bottom-most layer. This selects both layers plus all the layers in between. I now have my eight layers selected. It's very important to note here that all of the layers I'm about to place inside a group are sitting directly above or below each other in a continuous column. Trying to group layers together that are scattered throughout the Layers panel, with other layers between them, will usually cause problems with your layout. Layer groups work best with layers that are in a continuous column like these ones:

Holding Shift and clicking on the bottom layer to select all 8 layers at once.

With all of the layers you need selected, click on the menu icon in the top right corner of the Layers panel (in earlier versions of Photoshop, the menu icon looks like a small arrow):

Click on the Layers panel menu icon.

Select New Group from Layers from the menu that appears:

Choose "New Group from Layers" from the menu.

Photoshop will pop open a dialog box asking you to name the new group. I'll name mine "Address / Hours". Click OK when you're done to close out of the dialog box:

Enter a name for the new layer group, then click OK.

We can see in the Layers panel that I now have a new layer group named "Address / Hours" sitting below the "Logo" group. As I mentioned earlier, the new group is closed by default so the layers are currently nested away inside it:

The selected layers are now nested inside the new group.

If I want to see the layers inside the group, I can twirl the group open by clicking on its triangle icon, and now all eight layers are visible:

Twirling the new group open to reveal the layers inside it.

I'll close the group again so we can see that just by placing those eight related layers into a layer group, I've managed to save a considerable amount of space in my Layers panel and greatly reduce the clutter:

Grouping the layers has made the Layers panel easier to work with.

Just as we saw earlier with the "Logo" group, I can now turn off all the layers inside the "Address / Hours" group at once by clicking on the group's visibility icon:

Clicking on the visibility icon for the new "Address / Hours" group.

Instantly, all of the information in the bottom left corner of the layout is turned off. I can turn it back on any time I want by again clicking on the group's visibility icon:

The address and business hours information is now hidden.

There are several other things we can do with grouped layers in Photoshop besides turning them on and off. We can move them all at once with the Move Tool, we can resize and reshape them all with the Free Transform command. We can even add layer masks to groups! To avoid going completely off topic though, in this tutorial, we'll focus on the main purpose and benefit of layer groups, which is to keep our layers and the Layers panel better organized.

Removing Layers From A Group

If, after you've grouped layers together, you need to ungroup them, the easiest way to do it is to right-click (Win) / Control-click (Mac) anywhere on the group in the Layers panel:

Right-click (Win) / Control-click (Mac) anywhere on the group.

Then choose Ungroup Layers from the menu that appears:

Choose "Ungroup Layers" from the menu.

This returns the layers back to their original ungrouped state. The layer group itself is deleted:

The layers are no longer grouped together।

Nesting Groups Inside Other Groups

Not only does Photoshop let us group layers together, it even let's us group layer groups! For example, I want to take the two layer groups I've already added ("Logo" and "Address / Hours") and place them both inside another new group. Grouping two or more layer groups together is no different from grouping individual layers. First, we need to select the groups we want. I already have the "Address / Hours" group selected, so I'll hold down my Shift key and click on the "Logo" group above it. This selects both groups at once:

Selecting the two layer groups I want to place inside a new group.

With both groups selected, I'll click on the menu icon in the top right corner of the Layers panel, just as I did before:

Click on the menu icon.

I'll select New Group from Layers from the menu that appears. It still says "New Group from Layers" even though we're actually creating a new group from other groups:

Choose "New Group from Layers".

I'll name the new group "Left Column" in the dialog box that appears, since the contents of the "Logo" and "Address / Hours" groups make up the left column of my layout:

Naming the new layer group.

I'll click OK to close out of the dialog box, at which point Photoshop creates a new layer group named "Left Column". If I twirl the new group open by clicking on its triangle icon, we see the "Logo" and "Address / Hours" groups nested inside it:

A new layer group has been created from two existing groups.

Removing groups from a larger group is also done the same way as ungrouping individual layers. Simply right-click (Win) / Control-click (Mac) anywhere on the layer group in the Layers panel and choose Ungroup Layers from the menu that appears:

Removing the two layer groups from the larger group.

And now I'm back to having my two individual layer groups:

The Layers panel after ungrouping the two layer groups.

To finish organizing my Layers panel, I'll quickly select all the layers that make up the center column of my layout (the "Huge Selection!" and "Huge Savings!" text and images):

Selecting the layers that make up the center part of the layout.

If you're the kind of person who prefers keyboard shortcuts over menu commands, a really quick way to create a group from your selected layers is to simply press Ctrl+G (Win) / Command+G (Mac) on your keyboard. Photoshop will instantly place your layers into a group, although it will give the group a default, generic name rather than giving you the chance to name it first. Here, my layers have been placed into a new group named "Group 1":

Press Ctrl+G (Win) / Command+G (Mac) to quickly create a new group (with a default name) from selected layers.

To ungroup the layers using a keyboard shortcut, press Shift+Ctrl+G (Win) / Shift+Command+G (Mac).

To rename the group and give it a more descriptive name, double-click directly on the group's name in the Layers panel and type in a new one, just as if you were renaming a normal layer. I'll name mine "Selection / Savings". Press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) when you're done to accept the name change:

Renaming a layer group is as easy as renaming a normal layer.

As we've seen in this tutorial, layer groups are an easy and convenient way to package related layers together, freeing up space in the Layers panel and keeping it from looking cluttered and disorganized, but there's more we can do with them. We'll look at the real power of layer groups in the next tutorial.

Photoshop Layers - Align And Distribute Layers

2011-08-28T14:50:00.000+05:30

Here's a document I have open on my screen displaying some wooden blocks.

The original document.

At the moment, the blocks are scattered all over the place, but what I'd like to do is arrange them in more of a 3x3 grid pattern. If we look in my Layers panel, we see that each block is sitting on its own layer above the Background layer. I've gone ahead and renamed each layer based on where I want each block to appear in the grid ("Top Left", "Top Right", "Bottom Right", etc.):

Each block appears on its own layer in the Layers panel.

So how can I re-arrange the blocks inside the document and line them up with each other? Well, I could try to drag them into place manually using the Move Tool, but that would take time and I doubt I'd be able to get them all lined up perfectly just by "eyeballing" it. A better way, and a much easier way, would be to let Photoshop do the work for me automatically using its Align and Distribute options!

To access the Align and Distribute options, we need to have the Move Tool selected, so I'll select it from the top of the Tools panel:

Select the Move Tool.

With the Move Tool selected, the Align and Distribute options appear as a series of icons in the Options Bar along the top of the screen. At the moment, the icons are grayed out and unavailable because I only have one layer selected in my Layers panel, and there's not much point trying to align or distribute a layer with itself:

With the Move Tool selected, the Align and Distribute options appear in the Options Bar.

Let's see what happens if I select multiple layers. I already have the Top Left layer selected at the top of the layer stack:

The Top Left layer is currently selected.

I'll select the Top Center and Top Right layers as well by holding down my Shift key and clicking on the Top Right layer. This keeps the Top Left layer selected, adds the Top Right layer to the selection, and also selects the Top Center layer in between them, so now all three layers are selected at once:

Selecting the Top Left, Top Center and Top Right layers in the Layers panel.

With more than one layer now selected, the Align and Distribute options become available. Let's take a closer look at them.

The Align Options

The first six icons in the row are the Align options. From left to right, we have Align Top Edges, Align Vertical Centers, Align Bottom Edges, Align Left Edges, Align Horizontal Centers, and Align Right Edges. These options will line up the contents of two or more layers based on either the edges of the content or the centers of the content:

The six Align options - Top Edges, Vertical Centers, Bottom Edges, Left Edges, Horizontal Centers, and Right Edges..

The Distribute Options

Next are the six Distribute options, which will take the contents of multiple layers and space them out equally. From left to right, we have Distribute Top Edges, Distribute Vertical Centers, Distribute Bottom Edges, Distribute Left Edges, Distribute Horizontal Centers, and finally, Distribute Right Edges. Note that you'll need to have three or more layers selected at once in the Layers panel for the Distribute options to become available:

The six Distribute options - Top Edges, Vertical Centers, Bottom Edges, Left Edges, Horizontal Centers, and Right Edges.

Let's see how I can use these Align and Distribute options to easily re-arrange the blocks in my document. As we saw a moment ago, I selected the Top Left, Top Center, and Top Right layers in the Layers panel. I'm going to temporarily turn off the other blocks in the document by clicking on each layer's visibility icon. You don't need to turn off other layers to use the Align and Distribute options. I'm only doing this to make it easier for us to see what's happening in the document:

Turning off the other blocks by clicking on their layer visibility icons.

With the other blocks turned off, only the blocks on the three layers I selected remain visible. Again, I've turned the other blocks off here just to make it easier for us to see what's happening. There's no need to turn layers on and off to use these options:

The blocks on the Top Left, Top Center and Top Right layers remain visible.

The first thing I want to do is line these three blocks up horizontally based on the top edges of the blocks. To do that, with the three layers selected in the Layers panel, all I need to do is click on the Align Top Edges option in the Options Bar:

Clicking on the Align Top Edges option.

Photoshop looks at the three blocks, figures out which one is closest to the top of the document, then moves the other two blocks up to align the top edges of all three, and it's all done instantly:

The three blocks are now aligned to their top edges.

I also want to distribute the three blocks horizontally so they're spaced equally apart from each other, so this time (again with the three layers selected in the Layers panel), I'll click on the Distribute Horizontal Centers option in the Options Bar:

Clicking on the Distribute Horizontal Centers option.

Photoshop again looks at the three blocks, looks at where the block on the left is and where the block on the right is, then moves the center block into position to create an equal amount of space between them. The blocks on either side don't move. Only the block between them is moved:

The blocks are now spaced equally apart horizontally.

With the top three layers now in place, I'll turn on the Middle Left and Bottom Left layers by clicking on their visibility icons in the Layers panel:

Clicking on the visibility icons for the Middle Left and Bottom left layers.

This turns those two new blocks on in the document. The blue "T" block is on the Middle Left layer and the orange "H" is on the Bottom Left layer:

Two more blocks appear in the document.

I want to align the left edges of these two new blocks with the left edge of the "P" block in the top left corner, so the first thing I need to do is select those three layers in the Layers panel. I'll start by clicking on the Top Left layer to select it, then I'll hold down my Ctrl (Win) / Command (Mac) key as I click on the Middle Left and Bottom Left layers. This will select all three layers at once:

Selecting the Top Left, Middle Left and Bottom Left layers.

With the three layers selected, I'll click on the Align Left Edges option in the Options Bar:

Clicking on the Align Left Edges option.

Photoshop looks at the three blocks, figures out which one is closest to the left side of the document, then moves the other two blocks to the left to line up the left edges of all three:

The left edges of the blocks are now aligned।

I still need to correct the spacing between the three blocks, but I'll come back to them in a moment. I'm going to turn on the Bottom Center and Bottom Right layers by clicking on their visibility icons:

Clicking the visibility icon for the Bottom Center and Bottom Right layers.

This turns on the blue "O" (Bottom Center) and red "P" (Bottom Right) blocks along the bottom:

Two new blocks along the bottom are now visible.

I'll select all three layers at once by first clicking on the Bottom Left layer in the Layers panel, then holding down my Shift key and clicking on the Bottom Right layer. All three layers, including the Bottom Center layer in between, are now selected:

Selecting the Bottom Left, Bottom Center and Bottom Right layers.

I want to align the bottom edges of these layers, so I'll click on the Align Bottom Edges option in the Options Bar:

Clicking on the Align Bottom Edges option.

Photoshop figures out which of the three blocks is closest to the bottom of the document, then moves the other two blocks down to line up the bottom edges of all three:

The bottom edges of the blocks are now aligned.

Now that the "H" block in the bottom left corner is in place, I'll go back and fix the spacing between the blocks along the left. Again, I'll select the Top Left, Middle Left and Bottom Left layers in the Layers panel:

Selecting the Top Left, Middle Left and Bottom Left layers.

With the three layers selected, I'll click on the Distribute Vertical Centers option in the Options Bar:

Clicking on the Distribute Vertical Centers option.

Photoshop looks at the position of the top and bottom blocks, then moves the middle block to create an equal amount of space vertically between them:

The three blocks along the left are now equally spaced.

So far so good. I'll turn on the Middle Right layer in the document by clicking on its visibility icon:

Turning on the Middle Right layer.

This turns on the green "S" block along the right side:

The green "S" block on the Middle Right layer becomes visible.

To line up the right edges of the three blocks along the right (the "O", "S" and "P" blocks), I'll first select the Top Right, Middle Right and Bottom Right layers in the Layers panel:

Selecting the Top Right, Middle Right and Bottom Right layers.

Then I'll click on the Align Right Edges option in the Options Bar:

Clicking on the Align Right Edges option.

Photoshop determines which of the three blocks is closest to the right side of the document, then moves the other two blocks to the right to line up the right edges of all three:

The right edges of the three blocks are now aligned.

I also need to space the three blocks equally from each other, so I'll click on the Distribute Vertical Centers option in the Options Bar, just as I did when I adjusted the spacing of the three blocks along the left:

Clicking again on the Distribute Vertical Centers option.

And now the three blocks on the right are equally spaced:

The blocks after clicking the Distribute Vertical Centers option।

Finally, I'll turn on the Middle Center layer by clicking on its visibility icon in the Layers panel:

Turning on the Middle Center layer.

This turns on the red "O" block in the center:

The "O" block in the center is now visible.

The center block needs to be aligned with the blocks on either side of it, so I'll select the Middle Left, Middle Center and Middle Right layers in the Layers panel:

Selecting the three middle layers.

Then I'll click on the Align Top Edges option in the Options Bar:

Clicking on the Align Top Edges option.

Photoshop moves the middle block upward to align its top edge with the top edges of the "T" and "S" blocks beside it, and with that, the "grid" pattern is complete, all thanks to Photoshop's Align and Distribute options:

The Align and Distribute options made it easy to rearrange the blocks.

Of course, there's still one problem remaining. The blocks may be aligned and distributed among themselves, but the overall design still needs to be centered in the document. To do that, we need a way to move and align the blocks as a single unit, and the easiest way to do that is by placing them all inside a layer group, which we looked at in the previous tutorial.

To place the blocks inside a group, I first need to select all the layers I need, so I'll start by clicking on the Top Left layer at the top of the layer stack, then I'll hold down my Shift key and click on the Bottom Right layer directly above the Background layer. This will select the Top Left layer, the Bottom Right layer, plus every layer in between:

Selecting all the blocks layers at once.

With all the block layers selected, I'll click on the menu icon in the top right corner of the Layers panel (the menu icon will look like a small arrow in older versions of Photoshop)

Clicking on the menu icon in the top right corner of the Layers panel.

I'll choose New Group from Layers from the menu that appears:

Choosing New Group from Layers from the Layers panel menu.

Photoshop will pop open a dialog box asking me for a name for the new layer group. I'll name it "Blocks", then I'll click OK to close out of the dialog box:

Naming the new layer group.

If we look in the Layers panel, we see that all of the block layers are now nested away inside a layer group named "Blocks":

The selected layers are now inside a layer group.

One of the nice things about layer groups, besides being a great way to keep your Layers panel looking clean and organized, is that they allow us to move all of the layers inside them as if they were a single layer. The Blocks group is already selected in the Layers panel, so I'll hold down my Shift key as I click on the Background layer below it. This selects both the layer group and the Background layer at once:

Selecting the layer group and the Background layer at once.

As we learned in the Background layer tutorial, Background layers are locked in place, which means they can't move around inside the document. The only thing I've selected that can move is the layer group. I'll click on the Align Vertical Centers option in the Options Bar:

Clicking on the Align Vertical Centers option.

Photoshop aligns the block layers inside the layer group vertically with the Background layer:

The blocks inside the layer group are aligned as if they were on a single layer.

And finally, I'll click on the Align Horizontal Centers option in the Options Bar:

Clicking on the Align Horizontal Centers option.

This aligns the blocks horizontally with the Background layer, centering the design in the document:

The layer group made it easy to center the block design with the document.

Colorful Light Burst Text In Photoshop

2011-08-28T14:39:00.001+05:30

The final result।

Let's get started!

Step 1: Open A New Photoshop Document

Open a new document in Photoshop by going up to the File menu and choosing New..., or by using the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl+N (Win) / Command+N (Mac). You can choose your own width and height for your document, but if you want to follow along, I chose the 640x480 size from the list of available presets to keep things simple. I've also left my Resolution value set to its default of 72 pixels/inch. Since I'm creating this text effect for the web, it makes no difference what I set the resolution value to, so the default value is fine:

Create a new document in Photoshop. To follow along, use the "640x480" preset size.

Step 2: Add Your Text

With your new blank document open, grab the Type tool from the Tools palette or by pressing T on your keyboard. Make sure black is selected as your foreground color. If it isn't, just press D on your keyboard to reset it to black. Choose your font in the Options Bar at the top of the screen. Thick, heavy fonts work best for this effect. Then, go ahead and enter your text. I'm going to use "Impact", and I'll type the words "LIGHT BURST":

Choose a thick, heavy font, and with black as your foreground color, enter your text.

Step 3: Resize Your Text With Free Transform

With your text layer selected in the Layers palette, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+T (Win) / Command+T (Mac) to bring up the Free Transform box and handles around your text. Hold down Shift+Alt (Win) / Shift+Option (Mac) and drag out any of the corner handles to make your text larger and fill up more of the document area. Holding Shift constrains the text proportions, and holding Alt/Option resizes the text from the center:

Resize the text with Photoshop's "Free Transform" command।

Step 4: Rasterize Your Text

We're going to be applying several filters to our text, but Photoshop doesn't allow us to do that without first rasterizing it, which simply means to convert it into pixels. So again with the text layer selected, go up to the Layer menu at the top of the screen, choose Rasterize, and then choose Type. This will convert our text into pixels. It will still look the same in the document window, but in the Layers palette, the Type layer will now be a regular layer:

After rasterizing the text, the Type layer in the Layers palette becomes a normal layer.

Step 5: Add A Selection Around Your Text And Save It

Ctrl-click (Win) / Command-click (Mac) directly on the thumbnail preview area of the text layer in the Layers palette to quickly load a selection around your text:

"Ctrl-click" (Win) / "Command-click" (Mac) directly on the text thumbnail in the Layers palette.

Your text will now have a selection around it:

The text is now selected.

With the text selected, go up to the Select menu at the top of the screen and choose Save Selection. When the Save Selection dialog box appears, just click OK. There's no need to name it or make any changes to the options.

Once you've saved your selection, press Ctrl+D (Win) / Command+D (Mac) to deselect your text.

Switch over to your Channels palette for a moment (it's grouped in beside the Layers palette) and you'll see your selection saved as a new channel named "Alpha 1" at the very bottom. We'll be coming back here a bit later to load our selection again:

The selection is now saved as a new channel, "Alpha 1", in Photoshop's Channels palette।

Step 6: Use "Fill" To Fill Your Text Layer With White And Set The Blend Mode To "Multiply"

Switch back to your Layers palette once again, and with the text layer selected, go up to the Edit menu at the top of the screen and choose Fill, or press Shift+F5 on your keyboard to quickly bring up Photoshop's Fill dialog box. When the dialog box appears, set the Contents to White and change the Blending Mode to Multiply:

Photoshop's "Fill" dialog box".

Click OK when you're done. Nothing will seem to have happened in your document window, but if you look at your text layer's thumbnail in the Layers palette, you'll see that all of the empty space around the text has now been filled with white, while leaving the text black thanks to that "Multiply" mode.

Step 7: Apply The Gaussian Blur Filter To The Text

Go up to the Filter menu at the top of the screen, choose Blur, and then choose Gaussian Blur. When the Gaussian Blur dialog box appears, enter a Radius value of about 4 pixels and click OK to apply a slight blurring to the text:

Apply the Gaussian Blur filter to the text.

Here's the text after applying Gaussian Blur:

The text is now blurred slightly.

Step 8: Apply The "Solarize" Filter To The Text

With the text layer still selected, go back up to the Filter menu and this time choose Stylize, and then choose Solarize. This will turn the document black, and your text will appear as a white stroke:

The image after applying the Solarize filter.

Step 9: Lighten The Text With Levels

The text is looking a little dark, so let's lighten it. Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+L (Win) / Command+L (Mac) to bring up Photoshop's Levels command, and drag the white point slider on the right in towards the left until you reach the right edge of the histogram:

With the Levels dialog box open, grab the white point slider on the right and drag it to the right edge of the histogram to brighten the text.

Click OK. The text will now appear much brighter:

The text is now much brighter after applying Levels.

Step 10: Make A Copy Of The Text Layer

We need to make a copy of the text layer at this point, so to do that, with the text layer selected, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+J (Win) / Command+J (Mac), which will add a copy of the layer above it in the Layers palette:

The Layers palette now showing both the text layer and the copy above it।

Step 11: Apply The "Polar Coordinates" Filter To The Text

Go back up to the Filter menu, and this time choose Distort, and then Polar Coordinates. We're going to send our text to the North Pole. Alright, no we're not. What we are going to do is make it look very strange. When the Polar Coordinates dialog box appears, select the Polar To Rectangular option at the very bottom and then click OK:

Photoshop's "Polar Coordinates" dialog box.

Your text will now look very strange indeed:

The text after applying the "Polar Coordinates" filter.

Step 12: Rotate The Canvas 90 Degrees Clockwise

Go up to the Image menu at the top of the screen, select Rotate Canvas, and then choose 90° CW to rotate the canvas 90 degrees clockwise:

Rotate the canvas 90 degrees clockwise.

Step 13: Invert The Image

Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+I (Win) / Command+I (Mac) to invert the image, so black becomes white and white becomes black:

Invert the image with "Ctrl+I" (Win) / "Command+I" (Mac)।

Step 14: Apply The "Wind" Filter Three Times

Go back up to the Filter menu once again, choose Stylize, and then choose Wind. When the Wind filter's dialog box appears, make sure Method is set to Wind and Direction is set to From the Right:

Photoshop's "Wind" filter.

Click OK to apply the Wind filter once. Then press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+F (Win) / Command+F (Mac) twice to apply the same filter two more times.

Step 15: Invert The Image Again

Press Ctrl+I (Win) / Command+I (Mac) to invert the image once again:

Invert the image once again using "Ctrl+I" (Win) / "Command+I" (Mac).

Step 16: Apply The "Wind" Filter Three More Times

With the image inverted, press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+F (Win) / Command+F (Mac) three more times to apply the filter to the image three more times:

Apply the "Wind" filter to the image three more times.

Step 17: Brighten The Image Again With Levels

We need to brighten the image again using Levels, but this time, we'll let Photoshop do the work for us by using Auto Levels. To do that, press Shift+Ctrl+L (Win) / Shift+Command+L (Mac) to apply the Auto Levels command to the image, which will brighten it up:

Apply the "Auto Levels" command to brighten the image.

Step 18: Rotate The Canvas 90 Degrees Counterclockwise

Go back up to the Image menu at this point, choose Rotate Canvas once again, and this time choose 90° CCW to rotate the canvas back to the way it was originally:

Rotate the canvas 90° CCW.

Step 19: Apply The "Polar Coordinates" Filter Again

Go back up to the Filter menu again, choose Distort, and then choose Polar Coordinates. This time choose the Rectangular to Polar option and click OK:

Apply "Polar Coordinates" again, this time choosing "Rectangular to Polar".

Your image should now look something like this:

The image after applying the "Polar Coordinates" filter a second time.

Step 20: Set The Layer Blend Mode To "Screen"

Go up to the blend mode options in the top left of the Layers palette and change the blend mode of the text copy layer from "Normal" to Screen by clicking on the down-pointing arrow and selecting "Screen" from the list:

Change the blend mode of the text copy layer to Screen.

This reveals the original text layer beneath it:

The original text layer is now visible as well।

Step 21: Apply A Gradient Fill Layer To Add Color

Click on the New Fill Or Adjustment Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette:

Click the "New Fill Or Adjustment Layer icon.

And select "Gradient" from the list:

Select a Gradient fill layer.

When the Gradient Fill dialog box pops up, click inside the gradient preview area at the top:

Click inside the gradient preview area.

This will bring up the Gradient Editor dialog box. Click on the gradient swatch in the top left, the black to white gradient first, and this will make sure that both colors on either side of the gradient have their opacity set to 100%:

Select the black to white gradient swatch in the top left to make sure both colors are set to 100% opacity first.

Then set your gradient colors to whatever you like. I've set the color on the left to a reddish-orange, and the color on the right to a yellowish-orange:

Set your gradient colors.

Exit out of the gradient dialog boxes once you've chosen your colors.

Step 22: Change The Blend Mode Of The Gradient Fill Layer To "Color"

With the Gradient fill layer selected, go back to the blend mode options in the top left of the Layers palette and change the layer's blend mode to Color:

Change the blend mode of the Gradient fill layer to "Color".

The image is now colorized with the colors from the gradient:

The gradient colors are now applied to the image.

Step 23: Apply A Radial Blur To The Original Text Layer

We're done with the text copy layer at this point. We're going to finish off the last few steps by working on the original text layer, so click on it in the Layers palette to select it. Then go up to the Filter menu, choose Blur, and then choose Radial Blur:

Photoshop's "Radial Blur" dialog box.

Set the Amount to about 65 pixels, the Blur Method to Zoom, and the Quality to Best, as circled above, and then click OK to apply the filter to the original text:

The Radial Blur applied to the image.

Step 24: Load The Saved Text Selection

Only a couple of things left to do. First, switch over to your Channels palette again like we did earlier. We're going to reload that selection we saved. To do that, simply right-click (Win) / Control-click (Mac) anywhere on the Alpha 1 channel at the very bottom, which will load the selection back into the document window:

Right-click (Win) / Control-click (Mac) anywhere on the "Alpha 1" channel to load the saved text selection.

Switch back to the Layers palette when you're done. The selection is now loaded in the image:

The selection now loaded into the image.

One thing left to do...

Step 25: Fill The Selection With Black

With the original text layer selected in the Layers palette and black still as your foreground color, press Alt+Backspace (Win) / Option-Delete (Mac) to fill the selection with black and finish the effect.

Press Ctrl+D (Win) / Command+D (Mac) to remove the selection, and you're done!

After all that, here's the final "light burst" text effect:

The final "Light Burst" effect.