This is my favourite effect and u can see the results in my siggy as well. Used Photoshop CS for this>
- Start with opening a new transparent file of required resolution.
- Create a new text box and the type the content. Choose a bold font because u need extra surface to show the effects. I selected the Arial Black font in Bold for this tutorial.
- After typing the text save the file and name it as say 'tut1.psd'
- Next, cntrl+left click on the text layer in the layer window (bottom right). U will see ur text being selected along the lines of the font.
- Now, select the 'channels' tab in the layer window and click on 'save selection as channel' (bottom of the window, second icon from left'
- U will see a new channel being created. Click on it and the whole picture window gets blackened except for the text.
- To get the glassy effect, we use the gaussian blur. Go to the filters menu >> blur >>gaussian blur. Set pixel size as 6.0 and apply the blur.
Application of the blur effect must be repeated. I personally prefer the pixel sequence to be 6,6,4,3,1.
- Next, select the whole canvas (cntrl+A). And apply gaussian blur of pixel size 1.0 (this is because the font has sharp edges and blurring them helps in a smoother font edge).
- Next, copy the whole canvas (cntrl+C) on to the clipboard. Open a new transparent file of same resolution as ur previous one. Paste the canvas here and save the file as 'tut2.psd'. and close it.
- Lets go back to our original canvas. Click the 'layers' tab in the layer window and click on the new layer button at the botom of the window. Name this layer as 'BG'
- Now, its time to open the background image of ur choice. Prefer an image that has curves and swirls like water etc. Be creative in ur choice. Make sure that this image is larger than the canvas that ur working on.
- After opening the image, select the whole image and paste it on ur canvas.
Using cntrl+left click move the image to the desired position (since the image is larger than ur canvas). Select an area that has transitions from light shades to darker shades. This gives better effect.
- Next, click on the 'BG' layer. and click 'cntrl+A'.
- Now, for the glass effect. Go to filter >> distort >> glass. A new window opens. On the right side, there is a drop-down menu called textures. Next to it, there is a button to load a texture. Click on it and select ur previously created file called 'tut2.psd'.
- Voila, a glassy text shows up on ur canvas. U can select the distortion and smoothness levels and can also invert the glass filter for a different effect. Close the window.
- Now, go to the layers window and u can see ur two layers 'text' and 'BG'. Pressing 'ALT' and taking ur mouse pointer between the two layers, click on the line separating the two layers in the layer window. Doing this will make the background disappear and only the glassy effects in the font to remain.
- If u want, u can select this font layer 'cntrl+left click' , copy it and paste it on a new image of similar color (u can use the background image that u used earlier) and pasteit there. Apply 80-90% of transparency and u get a great image :hap2:
hope this is helpful
- Start with opening a new transparent file of required resolution.
- Create a new text box and the type the content. Choose a bold font because u need extra surface to show the effects. I selected the Arial Black font in Bold for this tutorial.
- After typing the text save the file and name it as say 'tut1.psd'
- Next, cntrl+left click on the text layer in the layer window (bottom right). U will see ur text being selected along the lines of the font.
- Now, select the 'channels' tab in the layer window and click on 'save selection as channel' (bottom of the window, second icon from left'
- U will see a new channel being created. Click on it and the whole picture window gets blackened except for the text.
- To get the glassy effect, we use the gaussian blur. Go to the filters menu >> blur >>gaussian blur. Set pixel size as 6.0 and apply the blur.
Application of the blur effect must be repeated. I personally prefer the pixel sequence to be 6,6,4,3,1.
- Next, select the whole canvas (cntrl+A). And apply gaussian blur of pixel size 1.0 (this is because the font has sharp edges and blurring them helps in a smoother font edge).
- Next, copy the whole canvas (cntrl+C) on to the clipboard. Open a new transparent file of same resolution as ur previous one. Paste the canvas here and save the file as 'tut2.psd'. and close it.
- Lets go back to our original canvas. Click the 'layers' tab in the layer window and click on the new layer button at the botom of the window. Name this layer as 'BG'
- Now, its time to open the background image of ur choice. Prefer an image that has curves and swirls like water etc. Be creative in ur choice. Make sure that this image is larger than the canvas that ur working on.
- After opening the image, select the whole image and paste it on ur canvas.
Using cntrl+left click move the image to the desired position (since the image is larger than ur canvas). Select an area that has transitions from light shades to darker shades. This gives better effect.
- Next, click on the 'BG' layer. and click 'cntrl+A'.
- Now, for the glass effect. Go to filter >> distort >> glass. A new window opens. On the right side, there is a drop-down menu called textures. Next to it, there is a button to load a texture. Click on it and select ur previously created file called 'tut2.psd'.
- Voila, a glassy text shows up on ur canvas. U can select the distortion and smoothness levels and can also invert the glass filter for a different effect. Close the window.
- Now, go to the layers window and u can see ur two layers 'text' and 'BG'. Pressing 'ALT' and taking ur mouse pointer between the two layers, click on the line separating the two layers in the layer window. Doing this will make the background disappear and only the glassy effects in the font to remain.
- If u want, u can select this font layer 'cntrl+left click' , copy it and paste it on a new image of similar color (u can use the background image that u used earlier) and pasteit there. Apply 80-90% of transparency and u get a great image :hap2:
hope this is helpful
