Shiny Text Tutorial

This tutorial was created in Photoshop CS3 but this technique can be done on almost all versions of Photoshop.

What all your hard work will amount to:

Step 1
Create a new document and make sure the resolution is correctly set to “72 pixels/inch” and the color mode is RGB Color (8 bit).

Step 2
Using the text tool , type in some text using a fairly thick font. I used “Tiranti Solid LET” which I actually don’t know where I got from but congrats to whoever made this font.

Step 3
Ctrl + Click on the thumbnail of the layer. This will select the outline of the text.

Create a new layer and then switch over to the gradient tool.

Select the first type of gradient (foreground to background).

Then select two colors that similar for the foreground and background.

Make sure you have these settings before proceeding further.

Now create a gradient from the top to the bottom of the text.

This should be your result so far.

Step 4
Create a new layer for the reflection (the button to the left of the trash can).

Press “D”, then “X” to select white as your foreground and black as the background. Now select the foreground to transparent in the gradient tool settings.

Make a slightly smaller gradient this time.

Ctrl + D to deselect and then lower the opacity to about 80%.

While still on the reflection layer, and make an elliptical selection (with the elliptical marquee tool) like the one shown below.

Press delete.

Step 5

Right-click on the first layer and then select “Blending Options”. Select “Outer Glow”, and match up the options with the screenshot.

Create a new layer, move it all the way to the bottom but just before our original text layer, and then D and then X. Now Alt + Backspace to fill the space with a nice white background.

Final Result:

Here’s the PSD: Shiny.PSD