Quick Tip: How to Create a Metallic Text Effect Using Layer Styles in Photoshop

Final product image — What You’ll Be Creating

In this tutorial, I will explain how to create a metallic text effect using layer styles in Photoshop.

This text effect you are going to learn today is part of 8 Photoshop Styles 2 of 4.

Tutorial Assets

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

Download the file MetalKid_assets.zip and extract both files inside. Install the Pattern file named Dark_Pattern.pat and the Contour file pack named CustomContoursMK.shc. To install, you have to double-click the icons. It’s that simple.

Download and install the Strasua font.

Let’s get started!

1. How to Create the Background

Step 1

Create a new document (File > New).

Width: 850 px
Height: 500 px
Resolution: 72 PPI

Step 2

Duplicate the background (go to Layer > Duplicate Layer > OK) and rename the new layer as “Background Pattern“.

Step 3

Now we are going to add a texture to the background layer.

Double-click on “Background Pattern layer” to open the layer style window. Go to Pattern Overlay, and then click on the Pattern box and select the new added Dark Pattern. Press OK.

Step 4

To make the background look even better, we are going to add an inner shadow. You have to double-click on Background Pattern layer and, once the layer style window appears, set the following values.

Blend Mode: Normal
Color: #000000
Opacity: 100%
Angle: 90º
Use Global Light checkbox: Unchecked
Distance: 0 px
Choke: 0%
Size: 250 px
Noise: 0%

2. How to Create the Text and Align It

Step 1

Type the word “Metalkid” using the Strasua font.

Font Size: 100 pt
Tracking: 20 pt
Anti-aliasing mode: Sharp
Color: #ffffff

Type the word Metalkid using Strasua font

Step 2

Using the Move Tool, select the text layer and background layer and then click the align commands on the top menu to center the text.

Align Horizontal: Center
Align Vertical: Center

3. How to Create the Text Effect

Step 1

Add a layer style to the text—you have to right click on the layer in your Layers menu and choose Blending Options. Make sure you use the following values and press OK.

Step 2

Let’s start with the text effect! First, we are going to add some shadows to separate the text from the background. Go to Layer Style > Drop Shadow and use the values shown in the image below.

Blend Mode: Normal
Color: #000000
Opacity: 70%
Angle: 90º
Use Global Light: Unchecked
Distance: 10 px
Spread: 20 px
Size: 10 px
Contour: Default
Noise: 0%
Layer Knocks Out Drop Shadow: Checked

Step 3

Now we are going to create a gradient overlay, which will give a base to the metal effect. Open the Layer Style again and modify the Gradient Overlay setting to the following values.

Blend Mode: Normal
Opacity: 100%
Reverse: Unchecked
Style: Linear
Align with Layer: Checked
Angle 90º
Scale: 150%

Click on the Gradient Bar and make a gradient with these settings:

Tip: To create a new point in the gradient, you have to click under the gradient bar. Clicking each one of the color stops allows you to modify the Location and Color.

First Stop Color: #0d1117
First Stop Position: 0%
Second Stop Color: #a0a0a0
Second Stop Position: 25%
Third Stop Color: #161a20
Third Stop Position: 50%
Fourth Stop Color: #a0a0a0
Fourth Stop Position: 75%
Fifth Stop Color: #0d1117
Fifth Stop Position: 110%

Step 4

Go to Layer Style > Inner Glow and use the settings shown below to brighten up the edges.

Blend Mode: Normal
Opacity: 100%
Noise: 0%
Color: #ffffff
Technique: Softer
Edge: Checked
Choke: 40%
Size: 2 px
Contour: Default
Anti-aliased: Unchecked
Range: 50%
Jitter: 0%

Inner Glow

Step 5

To start creating the 3D look, go to Layer Style > Bevel & Emboss and use the following values.

Style: Inner Bevel
Technique: Smooth
Depth: 100%
Direction: Up
Size: 10 px
Soften: 1 px
Angle: 90º
Use Global Light: Unchecked
Altitude: 30º

Now, we are going to add the previously installed “custom contour”. Click on the Gloss Contour drop-down icon and then select the contour named “CustomContourMK01“

Now we can continue:

Anti-aliased: Unchecked
Highlight Mode: Screen
Highlight Color: #ffffff
Highlight Opacity: 75%
Shadow Mode: Multiply
Shadow Color: #000000
Shadow Opacity: 75%

Step 6

Now we are going to emphasize the highlights and shadows to give more realism to the metal effect. Go to Layer Style > Satin and use the settings shown below.

Blend Mode: Color Dodge
Color: #ffffff
Opacity: 50%
Angle 20º
Distance: 45 px
Size: 8 px
Anti-aliased checkbox: Unchecked
Invert checkbox: Checked

We are going to add the second “custom contour” we installed. Click on the Gloss Contour drop-down icon and then select the contour named “CustomContourMK02” and press OK.

Step 7

It’s almost done. In this final step, we are going to accentuate the edges and corners, giving the text the final 3D look. Go to Layer Style > Stroke, and use the values shown in the image below.

Size: 2 px
Position: Outside
Blend Mode: Normal
Opacity: 100%
Fill Type: Gradient

Click on the Gradient Bar and make a gradient with these settings:

First Stop Color: #1a1b1e
First Stop Position: 0%
Second Stop Color: #7f7f7f
Second Stop Position: 50%
Third Stop Color: #1a1b1e
Third Stop Position: 100%

Style: Reflected
Align with Layer checkbox: Checked
Angle 90º
Scale: 100%

Final Image

Great Job, You’re Done!

In this tutorial, I showed you how to create a metal text effect using only style options. I hope that you enjoyed this tutorial and can use what you’ve learned for your own projects. Please feel free to comment and show me your results.

This text effect is part of 8 Photoshop Styles 2 of 4.

8 Premium fully editable PSD and ASL Photoshop files