This tutorial will show you how to use Photoshop’s 3D tools and settings, along with textures, patterns, brushes, filters, and layer styles, to create a sparkling, fun, Christmas ornament inspired 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:
- Intro font
- “BACK TO SCHOOL“ DOTS & STRIPES PATTERNS by zooll
- Glitter texture 4 by ellemacstock
- Decorations image
- Bokeh lights 05 by Dom410
1. How to Create a Pattern File
Step 1
Create a new 600 x 600 px document, and double-click the Background layer to convert it into a normal layer.
Step 2
Double-click the layer again to apply a Pattern Overlay effect with these settings:
- Pattern: Back To School Pattern #6
- Scale: 25%
Step 3
Place the Glitter texture 4 image on top of the pattern layer, resize it to fit the document’s height, and then change its layer’s Blend Mode to Hard Light.
Save this file with the name Stripes, and then close it.
2. How to Create Text
Step 1
Create a new 1000 x 667 px document, and set the Resolution value to 300.
Step 2
Create the text using the font Intro, and set the Size to 70 pt.
Step 3
Rename the text layer to Text, duplicate it, and rename the copy to Stroke.
3. How to Create a Stroke Shape Layer
Step 1
Right-click the Stroke layer and choose Convert to Shape.
Step 2
Pick the Direct Selection Tool (A), and then, in the Options bar, change the Fill to None, the Stroke Color to Black, and its Size to 2. Then click the Set shape stroke type icon, and change the Align to Outside.
4. How to Create 3D Layers
Step 1
Select the Text layer, and go to 3D > New 3D Extrusion from Selected Layer.
Then, select the Stroke layer, and go to 3D > New 3D Extrusion from Selected Path.
Step 2
Select both 3D layers you have, and go to 3D > Merge 3D Layers.
5. How to Work With the 3D Scene
Step 1
To access the 3D mesh settings and properties, you’ll need to open two panels: the 3D panel and the Properties panel (both found under the Window menu).
The 3D panel has all the components of the 3D scene, and when you click the name of any of those, you’ll be able to access its settings in the Properties panel. So make sure to always select the tab of the element you want to modify in the 3D panel before you change its settings in the Properties panel.
Step 2
If you select the Move Tool, you’ll find a set of 3D Modes for it to the right of the Options bar.
When you choose one of those, you can then click and drag to perform changes (on the selected element in the 3D panel).
Use those modes to change the Current View into an angle you like.
Step 3
Click the eye icon next to the Stroke mesh tab in the 3D panel to hide it.
6. How to Modify the Text Mesh Settings
Step 1
Select the Text mesh tab in the 3D panel, and then, in the Properties panel, change the Extrusion Depth to 50.
Step 2
Click the Cap icon at the top of the Properties panel, and then change the Bevel Width to 5 and its Contour to Cone.
Then change the Inflate Angle to 50, and its Strength to 15.
7. How to Create a Front Inflation Material
Step 1
Select the text mesh’s Front Inflation Material tab, and then click the Diffuse folder icon, choose Load Texture, and open the Stripes file you created at the beginning of this tutorial.
Step 2
Click the Diffuse texture icon, and choose Edit UV Properties.
Step 3
Change the Tile and Offset values to get a result you like.
Step 4
Change the rest of the material settings as below:
- Specular: 219, 212, 212
- Shine: 35
- Refraction: 1.3
Step 5
Click the Bump folder icon, and select the Stripes file from the menu.
Step 6
Change the Bump value to 25.
8. How to Save and Re-Apply a 3D Material
Step 1
With the Front Inflation Material tab still active, click the Material Picker box, and then click the pop-up menu icon, and choose New Material.
Step 2
Type in a name for the material, and click OK.
Step 3
Select the Front and Back Bevel, as well as the Back Inflation Material tabs.
Open the Material Picker, scroll down to the material icon you’ve just saved, and click it to apply it to the selected materials.
Step 4
The Extrusion Material will be hidden beneath the Stroke, but just in case it shows somehow, we’ll use these material settings:
- Specular: 219, 212, 212
- Shine: 35
- Reflection: 30
- Roughness: 20
- Refraction: 1.3
9. How to Modify the Stroke Mesh Settings
Step 1
Make the Stroke Mesh visible again by clicking the empty box next to its tab, and change its Extrusion Depth to 50.
Step 2
For the Cap settings, set the Sides to Front and Back, and then change the Bevel Width to 3 and the Contour to Half Round.
Step 3
Select all the Stroke Material tabs, click the Diffuse texture icon, and choose Remove Texture.
Step 4
Change the rest of the settings as below:
- Diffuse: 68, 44, 6
- Specular: 230, 220, 186
- Shine: 85
- Reflection: 75
- Refraction: 1.35
10. How to Split a 3D Mesh
Step 1
Select the Text mesh tab, and then go to 3D > Split 3D Extrusion. This will create a new group that has the letters of the text split into separate 3D meshes.
Step 2
Split the Stroke mesh as well.
11. How to Move 3D Meshes
Step 1
What you’ll need to do next is select each text mesh tab, along with its corresponding stroke mesh tab, and move them around.
To do so, after selecting the meshes, pick the Move Tool, and use the 3D Axis to move the Text and Stroke meshes in the scene.
The arrows at the ends of the axis move the mesh, the part below them is used for rotation, and the cubes are used for scaling. The cube in the center is used to scale the object uniformly. All you need to do is click and drag the part you want.
Step 2
Make sure to change the Current View as you’re working with the meshes, and get an angle you like for the final scene.
12. How to Adjust a 3D Scene’s Lighting
Step 1
Select the Infinite Light tab, and then change the Intensity to 60% and the Shadow Softness to 30%.
Step 2
Use the Move Tool to move the light, or click the Coordinates icon at the top of the Properties panel to enter numerical values.
Step 3
Select the Environment tab, click the IBL texture icon, choose Replace Texture, and open the Decorations image.
Step 4
Change the IBL light’s Intensity to 50% and the Ground Plane Shadows Opacity to 0%.
Step 5
Use the Move Tool to move the texture around until you like the lighting.
13. How to Render a 3D Scene and Add a Background
Step 1
Once you’re done modifying the 3D scene, go to 3D > Render to render it. The rendering might take a while, but you can stop it any time by pressing the Esc key.
When the rendering is finished, right-click the 3D layer, and choose Convert to Smart Object.
Step 2
Place the Bokeh lights 05 image on top of the Background layer, and go to Edit > Transform > Rotate 90° Clockwise.
Then, resize the texture as needed, and rename its layer to Bokeh.
Step 3
Click the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel and choose Levels.
Step 4
Clip the Levels layer to the 3D layer, and then change the Highlights value to 16 and the Shadows to 220.
14. How to Create and Style Simple Strings
Step 1
Create a new layer on top of the Bokeh layer, name it Strings, and then pick the Brush Tool. Use a hard round 3 px tip to create a straight line behind each letter you have.
Double-click the Strings layer to apply the following layer style:
Step 2
Add a Bevel and Emboss with these settings:
- Size: 7
- Angle: 30
- Altitude: 30
- Gloss Contour: Cone
- Check the Anti-aliased box
- Highlight Mode: Linear Light
- Opacity: 50%
- Shadow Mode: Linear Burn
- Opacity: 50%
Step 3
Add a Contour with these settings:
- Contour: Ring – Double
- Check the Anti-aliased box.
Step 4
Add a Texture with these settings:
- Pattern: Metal Landscape
- Scale: 25%
Step 5
Add a Color Overlay with these settings:
- Color:
#917149
This will style the strings.
15. How to Add Light Spots
Step 1
Create a new layer on top of all layers, name it Light, and change its Blend Mode to Vivid Light.
Then, set the Foreground Color to #a6a497, pick the Brush Tool, and use a soft round brush, with any Size you prefer, to add some light spots all over the text.
Step 2
Command-click the 3D layer’s thumbnail to create a selection.
Step 3
Click the Add layer mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel to mask the selection.
16. How to Adjust the Coloring and Add Noise
Step 1
Add a Gradient Map layer on top of all layers.
Check the Dither box, and then create the gradient fill using the colors #48406e to the left, #76747e in the middle, and #fbc690 to the right.
Change the Gradient Map layer’s Blend Mode to Soft Light and its Opacity to 50%.
Step 2
Set the Foreground and Background Colors back to Black and White, and then select the 3D layer.
Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise, choose the Gaussian Distribution, and uncheck the Monochromatic box.
Zoom in until you can see the noise in the background Bokeh texture, and change the Amount value until the text’s noise matches the background’s.
Congratulations! You’re Done
In this tutorial, we used a pattern and a texture to create the main stripes fill for the 3D effect.
Then, we created the text and the stroke, converted them to 3D layers, and worked on the mesh settings and materials.
After that, we adjusted the lighting, rendered the scene, and added the background and the strings. Finally, we used adjustment layers, brushes, and filters to finish off the effect.
Please feel free to leave your comments, suggestions, and outcomes below.
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