How to Create a Realistic Burnt Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop

This tutorial will show you how to use two layer styles to create a super easy, but very realistic burnt-in-leather text effect. Let’s get started!

This text effect was inspired by the many Layer Styles available on GraphicRiver.

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used during the production of this tutorial:

• Big Top font
• Leather Texture by The-Auteur-Stock
• Little Pluses pattern by Atle Mo

1. How to Add a Background Texture

Step 1

Create a new 1024 x 683px document, and then go to File > Place Linked to load the Leather Texture image.

Resize the image to fit within the document, and try to keep the very dark bottom right corner outside.

Step 2

Go to Image > Adjustments > Shadows/Highlights.

Check the Show More Options box, and use these values for the rest of the settings:

Shadows:

• Amount: 1
• Tone: 50
• Radius: 30

Highlights:

• Amount: 20
• Tone: 50
• Radius: 30

Adjustments:

• Color: 0
• Midtone: 0

2. How to Create a Simple Vignette Effect

Step 1

Click the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel, and choose Gradient.

Step 2

Create a Transparent to Fill Color gradient fill using the colors #eaeaea to the left and #816f69 to the right.

Change the Style to Radial and the Scale to 350, and check the Dither box.

Step 3

Change the Gradient layer’s Blend Mode to Linear Burn.

3. How to Create Text

Step 1

Create the text using the font Big Top. Change the Size to 200 pt and the Tracking to -50.

Step 2

Change the text layer’s Fill value to 0.

Step 3

Duplicate the text layer.

4. How to Apply a Layer Style to a Text Layer

Double-click the original text layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add a Bevel and Emboss with these settings:

• Size: 30
• Gloss Contour: Ring – Double
• Check the Anti-aliased box
• Highlight Mode: Overlay
• Shadow Mode:
  • Color: #675b47

Step 2

Add a Contour with these settings:

• Contour: Rolling Slope – Descending
• Check the Anti-aliased box.
• Range: 100%

Step 3

Add a Texture with these settings:

• Pattern: Little Pluses

Step 4

Add a Color Overlay with these settings:

• Color: #3f3d43
• Blend Mode: Multiply
• Opacity: 90%

Step 5

Add a Drop Shadow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Linear Burn
• Color: #74838e
• Opacity: 65%
• Distance: 5
• Spread: 10
• Size: 20

5. How to Use the Blend If Option

Step 1

Click the Blending Options tab at the top of the Layer Style box.

In the Blend If section near the bottom, click-drag the Underlying Layer‘s white slider to the left.

Notice how that affects the text’s fill in the document, as you’ll start seeing the bright areas showing through.

Step 2

Now hold the Option key and click-drag the slider to split it. Move each end separately to create a smooth transition.

Adjust the sliders until you get an effect you like.

This basically helps protect the texture’s highlights from being affected by the text effects you applied.

6. How to Apply a Layer Style to a Copy Text Layer

Double-click the copy text layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add a Bevel and Emboss with these settings:

• Style: Pillow Emboss
• Size: 15
• Check the Anti-aliased box
• Highlight Mode: Overlay

Step 2

Add a Contour with these settings:

• Contour: Cover – Deep
• Check the Anti-aliased box.

Step 3

Add an Inner Shadow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Linear Burn
• Color: #85552f
• Opacity: 35%
• Distance: 5
• Size: 10

Step 4

Click the + sign at the right of the Inner Shadow tab to add another Inner Shadow effect with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Linear Burn
• Color: #85552f
• Opacity: 35%
• Distance: 0
• Size: 25

Step 5

Add an Outer Glow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Linear Burn
• Opacity: 70%
• Color: #b2b0af
• Size: 10

Step 6

Add a Drop Shadow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Linear Dodge (Add)
• Color: #ccdfe0
• Opacity: 45%
• Distance: 0
• Size: 5

Step 7

Add another Drop Shadow effect with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Vivid Light
• Color: #c9c7ad
• Opacity: 35%
• Distance: 5
• Size: 15

This will finish off the text effect.

Awesome Work, You’re Now Done!

In this tutorial, we created a simple background using a texture and a gradient fill layer.

Then, we created two text layers, and styled them with a couple of effects and blending options to create the burnt effect.

Please feel free to leave your comments, suggestions, and outcomes below.