| This tutorial is based on my Gold Text Tutorial
for PSP 7 (people with PSP 6 will need to make only minor adjustments
to do this tutorial). This is an intermediate level tutorial, requiring familiarity with the Layers Palette and working with Selections and Gradients. No filters are used (cool, huh?). Download and unzip my Gradient and save it to your PSP Gradients folder: (The folder path should be something like C:\Program Files\Jasc Software Inc\Paint Shop Pro 7\Gradients). This is the same gradient you use for the Gold Text, so you don't need to save it again if you did that tutorial already. |
Tutorial
| ADDING THE TEXT: Click on the Text Tool (the big A) In the Text Entry Dialog Box, use the following Settings: Name: Big, bold font (I used Tahoma size 72 for the tutorial title) Size: Between 48 & 72 (Depending on the length of your word or phrase) Kerning and Leading: 0 Styles: Stroke & Fill: Linear Spectrum Gradient Set at 180 degrees (0 Repeats) Textures: Stroke & Fill: Null (The crossed out circle) Create As: Floating & Antialias checked Type your word or phrase and click OK SAVING THE SELECTION: Move the text to the center of the canvas (This does not need to be the exact center) Save the Selection to the Alpha Channel (Selections | Save to Alpha Channel) **This selection will be loaded numerous times - so make sure you do this. Deselect (Selections | Select None) DUPLICATING THE LAYER: Duplicate the Text 1 Layer (Layers | Duplicate) - name this new layer Text 2 **To do this, right click on the Copied Layer and Select "Rename" from the list Load the Selection (Selections | Load from Alpha Channel) Contract the Selection by 2 (Selections | Modify | Contract = 2 pixels) Feather the Selection by 1 (Selections | Modify | Feather = 1 pixel) Invert the Selection (Selections | Invert) Hit the delete key Deselect (Selections | Select None) Click the arrow beside where it says Normal in the layer palette and select Overlay from the list. **If you don't see your layer palette, go to View | Toolbars | and click on the box beside "Layer Palette" in the list and then click ok. FINE TUNING THE METAL: Duplicate the Text 1 layer again (Layers | Duplicate) and name this new layer Text 3 Drag this layer (Text 3) above Text 2 (Text 3 should now be the uppermost layer) Invert the colors (Colors | Negative Image) Set layer mode to Overlay in the Layer Palette (just as you did before) ** At this point, you should have a nice silver effect on your text and can stop here if you like. ADDING THE CHROME OUTLINE: Add a new layer (Layers | New Raster Layer) and name it Outline Load the Selection again (Selections | Load from Alpha Channel) Flood fill the Selection with Chrome Reflect Linear Gradient set at 0 degrees (0 Repeats) Contract the Selection by 2 (Selections | Modify | Contract - 2 pixels) Hit Delete Do not deselect Set layer mode to Hue in the Layer Palette ADDING THE CHROME COLOR: Add a new layer - name it Color Flood fill the Selection with Chrome Reflect Linear Gradient set at 0 degrees (0 Repeats) Set layer mode to Dodge in the Layer Palette Lower the opacity to 40% ADDING THE DROP SHADOW (optional): Make the Background Layer invisible (Click on the eyeglasses icon in the Layer Palette). Merge the visible layers (Layers | Merge Visible) With the merged layer highlighed in the Layer Palette: Load the Selection (Selections | Load from Alpha Channel) Add a drop shadow (Effects | 3D Effects | Drop Shadow) Vert & Horiz Offset: 4 Opacity: 60% Blur: 6.2 Color: Black THE FINISH LINE: Deselect (Selections | Select None) Make your background layer visible (click on the crossed out eyeglasses) and you're done :) Good Luck and Have Fun! |
Page Modified: Feb 13, 2001
