NEAT TRICKS 310

PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS – METALLIC TEXT

INTRODUCTION
Here we’ll make text look like it’s made of metal.

OPEN PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS
Open Photoshop Elements in the Full Edit mode.

CREATE A BLANK WHITE LAYER
Hold the Ctrl key and tap the N key > set Height: 4 inch, Width: 6 inch, Resolution: 300, Color: White > click OK.

CREATE METALLIC COLOR
Select the Gradient Tool > click the 2 arrows indicated below > select Metals from the drop-down menu > select Linear Gradient (left square of 5 on the Options Bar) > drag a vertical line from top to bottom of the white layer.

ENHANCE THE METALLIC COLOR
Click Filter + Noise + Add Noise, Amount: 15, Distribution: Uniform, check Monochromatic > click OK.  Click Filter + Blur + Motion Blur, Angle: 90, Distance: 22 > click OK.

WRITE SOME TEXT
Select the Text Tool, Font: Impact, Size 24 > type METAL > click the Move Tool (click again if grab bars are not visible) > move and resize the text to cover ¾th of the layer.

TRANSFER THE METAL TO THE TEXT
Double click the Background (converts it into a layer) > move Layer 0 above the text layer > hold the Alt key and click the line between the 2 layers (makes the transfer).

ADD STYLE TO THE TEXT
Select the Text layer > select  the Text Tool > on the Options Bar, choose Style > try some of the options and end with Simple Emboss > double click fx icon to fine-tune.

ADD A WHITE BACKGROUND
On the Layers Palette, select New Layer > drag the new layer below the text layer > set the foreground color to white > select the Paint Bucket Tool > click the bottom layer.

CONCLUSION
This procedure can be used to convert text to any color or picture that is in the background.

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