Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop

In this Photoshop tutorial, we will explain how to create an amazing 3D-like text effect using some gradient fills, lasso tools, and the Dodge and Burn Tools.

Final Image Preview

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop

Resources

Step 1

Create a new document, 800×500 pixels, or any other dimensions depending on the text you’re going to create. Then, set the Foreground color to #b7e101, and the Background color to #74a203, and pick the Gradient Tool.

Choose the Foreground to Background fill, and click the Radial Gradient icon in the Options bar, then click and drag from the center of the document to one of the corners to create the gradient fill.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 1

Create the text in Bold All Caps using the color White and the font Familian with a Size value of 175 pt, then, set the Tracking value in the Character panel (Window > Character) to 100 to avoid overlapping.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 2

Go to Layer > Rasterize > Type to rasterize the text layer, then duplicate the text layer and make the original layer invisible by clicking the eye icon next to it.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 3

Step 2

Double click the copy text layer to apply a Gradient Overlay effect, and click the Gradient drop-down option to create the gradient used.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 4

There are only two colors used: #fffca6 to the left, and #cce80d to the right.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 5

This is how the text should look like.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 6

Step 3

Go to Edit > Transform > Skew, and move the upper corners to get a result similar to the one below. Then press Enter to get out of the Skew Mode.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 7

Pick the Rectangular Marquee Tool, and draw a 5 x 188 px rectangle on top of the first letter. You can check the dimensions in the Info panel (Window > Info).

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 8

Create a new layer on top of all layers and fill the selection with white. Go to Select > Deselect (or press Ctrl + D) to get rid of the selection.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 9

Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and enter 2.5 for the Radius value.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 10

Step 4

Create a new 24 x 195 px selection, create another new layer, fill the selection with white, and get rid of the selection.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 11

Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and enter 9 for the Radius value this time.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 12

Select both blur layers then go to Layer > Merge Layers, and rename the merged layer to “Blur“.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 13

Step 5

Go to Edit > Transform > Rotate, and rotate the blurred part as below, then press Enter.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 14

Duplicate the “Blur” layer and move it so that you have blur placed over each letter. Then, select all the Blur layers and merge them (Layer > Merge Layers).

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 15

Ctrl + Click the copy text layer’s thumbnail (icon) to create a selection, then go to Select > Inverse to invert the selection.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 16

Press Delete to get rid of the outer parts of the blur, then press Ctrl + D to get rid of the selection.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 17

Step 6

Make the original text layer visible again.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 18

Go to Edit > Transform > Skew, and skew this text a bit more to the right. Press Enter when done.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 19

Go to Edit > Transform > Scale, and scale the text down vertically. Don’t forget to press Enter after you do so.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 20

Make sure that the original text layer is selected (active), and click the “Lock transparent pixels” icon in the Layers panel. Set the Foreground color to #689106 and pick the Paint Bucket Tool. Uncheck the Contiguous box in the Options bar then fill the white part with the Foreground color.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 21

Step 7

Create a new layer on top of the original text layer. Pick the Polygonal Lasso Tool and draw a selection around the empty areas between the two text layers.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 22

Once you create the selection fill it with the same Foreground color then get rid of the selection (Ctrl + D).

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 23

Do the same for the rest of the letters, then merge this layer with the original text layer.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 24

Step 8

Next, we are going to use the Dodge Tool and Burn Tool to lighten and darken certain areas.

Pick the Dodge Tool, set the Range to Midtones and the Exposure to 30% (in the Options bar). If you are working on edges you’ll need to select those edges (using the Polygonal Lasso Tool) so that they look sharp, then, lighten the lower part of the selection.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 25

As for curves, no need for selections.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 26

Use the Burn Tool with the same settings as the Dodge Tool to darken the areas left.

Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop 27

Using the Dodge and Burn tools help give depth to the 3D effect.

Final Image

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial and found it useful.
Create a Cool Unusual Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop