How to Create a Fur Action Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop

In this tutorial I will show you how to create a fur action in Adobe Photoshop using a pattern, a brush, a layer style, and a gradient map. At the end of the tutorial you will have an action, ready to perform almost the entire process with a single click.

If you’d like to skip this tutorial but still wish to buy the action, you can head over to GraphicRiver and buy Fur Generator. The complete action has additional features, it works with 72 dpi and 300 dpi, it also works with shapes, and you can choose different colors and sizes of the fur.

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used during this tutorial:

• Aller Display font
• Background JPG image
• Fur Brush
• Fur Texture Pattern

1. How to Set the Background for the Action

Open Photoshop, go to File > Open, and choose FurAction-BG.jpg.

2. How to Create the Text

Pick the Type Tool (T) and write “FUR”. Choose the Aller Display font, and then go to Window > Character and set the Size to 347 pt and Tracking to 50.

3. How to Install the Brush and Pattern

Step 1

Go to Edit > Presets > Preset Manager… In the Preset Type, select Brushes, click load…, and choose Brush (Fur Tutorial).abr.

Step 2

Go to Edit > Presets > Preset Manager… In the Preset Type, select Patterns, click load…, and choose Pattern (Fur Tutorial).pat.

4. How to Create an Action

Step 1

Open the Actions panel, and go to Window > Actions.

Step 2 

Let’s create a new set of actions. To do so, click the Create New Set icon, name it Fur Action, and click OK.

Step 3

Click the Create New Action icon, name it Fur Text, and click Record.

From this point on, everything you do will be recorded, so keep an eye on the Actions panel. If you make a mistake, click the Stop Playing/Recording icon, and delete the unnecessary step from the action Fur Text. Then click the Begin Recording icon to continue.

Step 4

With the text layer selected, go to Layer > Rename Layer… and rename it Base Text 1.

Step 5 

Pick the Brush Tool (B). Select the FUR Brush – Tutorial brush, and then set the Mode to Normal and the Opacity and Flow to 100%, and make sure that the following icons are unselected. 

Step 6

Now let’s create a new layer. Go to Layer > New > Layer…, name it Fur-1, and click OK.

Step 7

Select the layer Base Text 1 again and go to Type > Create Work Path.

Step 8

Now select the layer Fur-1, open the Paths panel by going to Window > Paths, right click the Work Path, and choose Stroke Path… Choose Brush in the drop-down menu, uncheck the Simulate Pressure option, and click OK.

After that, delete the Work Path from the Paths panel.

Step 9

Go back to the Layers panel. Now we’re going to merge the text with the fur. To do so, select Fur-1 in the Layers panel, and then hold down the Shift key and select Base Text 1.

Now release the Shift key, Right Click Fur-1, and choose Merge Layers.

Step 10

Now we’re going to add a Layer Style. Double Click the layer Fur-1 to apply the following style:

Add a Bevel & Emboss with these settings:

• Style: Inner Bevel
• Technique: Smooth
• Depth: 63 %
• Direction: Up
• Size: 24 px
• Soften: 16 px
• Use Global Light: Unchecked
• Angle: 13º
• Altitude: 42º
• Gloss Contour: Gaussian
• Anti-aliased: True
• Highlight Mode: Soft
• Color of the Highlight mode: #ffffff
• Opacity of the Highlight: 65%
• Shadow Mode: Overlay
• Color of the Shadow Mode: #362a1a
• Opacity of the Shadow Mode: 26%

Step 11

Add a Contour to the Bevel & Emboss with these settings:

• Contour: Gaussian 
• Anti-aliased: Unchecked
• Range: 61%

Step 12

Add an Inner Glow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Screen
• Opacity: 25%
• Noise: 0%
• Color: #cfb9a6
• Technique: Softer
• Source: Center
• Choke: 4%
• Size: 213 px
• Contour: Linear
• Anti-aliased: Unchecked
• Range: 100%
• Jitter: 0%

Step 13

Add a Color Overlay with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Color
• Color: #ffffff
• Opacity: 21%

Step 14

Add a Pattern Overlay with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Normal
• Opacity: 100%
• Pattern: Choose the pattern that you downloaded, Pattern (Fur Tutorial).pat.
• Scale: 25%
• Link with Layer: Checked

Step 15

Add a Drop Shadow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Normal
• Color: #6d655d
• Opacity: 100%
• Use Global Light: Unchecked
• Angle: 0 º
• Distance: 18 px
• Spread: 100%
• Size: 0 px
• Contour: Linear 
• Anti-aliased: Unchecked
• Noise: 0%
• Layer Knocks Out Drop Shadow: Checked

Step 16

If you are not using Adobe Photoshop CC, click OK and skip to step 18, otherwise continue here.

Add another Drop Shadow right below the first one, with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Normal
• Color: #e5dacf
• Opacity: 100%
• Use Global Light: Unchecked
• Angle: 0º
• Distance: 0 px
• Spread: 0%
• Size: 2 px
• Contour: Linear
• Anti-aliased: Unchecked
• Noise: 0%
• Layer Knocks Out Drop Shadow: Checked

Step 17

Add the third Drop Shadow right below the second one, with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Multiply
• Color: #000000
• Opacity: 30%
• Use Global Light: Unchecked
• Angle: 3º
• Distance: 34 px
• Spread: 0%
• Size: 1 px
• Contour: Linear 
• Anti-aliased: Unchecked
• Noise: 0%
• Layer Knocks Out Drop Shadow: Check

Click OK.

Your image should look like this:

Or like this if you are using an older version of Adobe Photoshop:

Step 18

Skip to step 23 if you are using Adobe Photoshop CC.

Make two copies of the layer Fur-1 and place them below the original one:

Step 19

Right Click the first copy and choose Clear Layer Style. Do the same for the second copy.

Step 20

Change the Fill of both copies to 0%.

Step 21

Double Click the first copy to add a new Layer Style.

Add a Drop Shadow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Normal
• Color: #e5dacf
• Opacity: 100%
• Use Global Light: Unchecked
• Angle: 0 º
• Distance: 0 px
• Spread: 0%
• Size: 2 px
• Contour: Linear
• Anti-aliased: Unchecked
• Noise: 0%
• Layer Knocks Out Drop Shadow: Checked

Click OK.

Step 22

Double Click the second copy to add a new Layer Style.

Add a Drop Shadow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Multiply
• Color: #000000
• Opacity: 30%
• Use Global Light: Unchecked
• Angle: 3º
• Distance: 34 px
• Spread: 0%
• Size: 1 px
• Contour: Linear 
• Anti-aliased: Unchecked
• Noise: 0%
• Layer Knocks Out Drop Shadow: Checked

Click OK.

Step 23

Now we need to convert the Fur-1 layer into a Smart Object.

For Adobe Photoshop CC: 

Right Click the layer Fur-1 and choose Convert to Smart Object.

For older versions of Adobe Photoshop:

Select Fur-1, hold down the Shift key and click Fur-1 copy 2. Release the Shift key, and then Right Click the layer Fur-1 and choose Convert to Smart Object.

Step 24

Now let’s change the color of the fur. We will make it white. Go to the Adjustments panel and click on Gradient Map. If you don’t see it, go to Window > Adjustments.

Step 25

Your entire image will look strange, but don’t worry. Rename the layer Gradient map 1 to Gradient Color.

Step 26

Right Click the layer Gradient Color and choose Create Clipping Mask.

Step 27

Double Click the Gradient icon in the Gradient color layer. The Properties panel will pop up.

Step 28

Click the Gradient bar in the Properties panel to open the Gradient Editor.

Set the gradient with these settings:

• First stop Color: #000000 and Location 0%
• Second stop Color: #848484 and Location 30%
• Third stop Color: #c0c0c0 and Location 48%
• Fourth stop Color: #ffffff and Location 100%

Click OK.

Step 29

Rename the layer Fur-1 to Fur, and then stop recording the action.

Congratulations, You’re Now Done!

In this tutorial, you learned how to create a fur action in Adobe Photoshop.

We started out by creating our text, and while recording an action, we added a border to it using a Brush and a Path, then a Layer Style and finally a Gradient map to change the color.

Things to remember before playing the action:

• Make sure that you have installed the Pattern and Brush.
• Make sure that the Brush Opacity and Flow are set to 100%, just like step 5 of “4 – How to Create the Action.”
• Make sure that you are playing the action with the text layer selected.

To play it, you need to select the action Fur Text and click Play in the Actions panel.

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial, and feel free to leave your comments below. This action we just created is part of Fur Generator.