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How To Create Metal Type In Five Easy Steps - Photoshop Tutorial
NOVEMBER 14, 2012
This Photoshop tutorial from Adam Smith at Photoshop Daily will teach you how to use Photoshop to create a relastic metallic type effect.
From 2D to metallic shine
Start with your type image and duplicate this layer. With the duplicate active Cmd/Ctrl click to select the layer, then go Edit>Fill, choosing a dark grey colour. Keep the layer selection and go Edit> Stroke>Width and set 3px, Location to Inside, Opacity at 100% and Mode to Normal.
Create the metallic text effect
With the selection is still active, create a new layer named ‘White Shadow’. Next go to Select>Modify>Contract and set 2px. Fill the selection with white, then hit Cmd/Ctrl+D to deselect this. Now we need to blur the white shadow layer. Go Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur set to 3. Change the layer mode to Overlay. Go back to the stroked layer, Ctrl/right-click on the Layers palette and duplicate the layer. Name this layer ‘Metallic’. Hit Cmd/Ctrl and left-click the Metallic layer to select it.
Work with channels
Now go to Channels and click Save Selection as Channel (Alpha 1). Drag the Alpha 1 layer down to the Create New Layer button to duplicate it (Alpha 1 copy). Select the Alpha 1 duplicate layer, while the layer is still selected. Apply a Gaussian Blur five times, at first with 10px then getting gradually lower. Repeat the step with 5px then 3px, 2px and 1px.
Apply lighting effects
Select the Metallic layer then apply Filter>Render>Lighting Effects with the settings shown. Name the selected Texture Channel ‘Alpha 1 copy’. Create an inverse selection of the Metallic layer, press Cmd/Ctrl-click on the Layers palette to select it then Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+I to invert. Go to Select>Modify>Feather, set Feather to 1 pixel then press Cmd/Ctrl+X to delete pixels.
Make it shiny and Deep
Add a Curves adjustment layer, set as shown to the right. Curves enable you to make the text darker or more shiny. Add some colour and a Photo Filter>Warming Filter (85) with Density at 62%. Deactivate the Background layer and merge all visible layers (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+E). Create a new layer, fill with solid black then set the blending mode to Soft Light with Opacity and Fill at 100%. Choose a soft round Eraser Brush set to 90px and erase the top side and the corners of the letters. Use a smaller eraser at a lower opacity on the decorative elements.
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