Bright Retro Text Effect

This tutorial will explain how to use layer Layer Style to create a nice bright retro text effect. Then, it will explain how to use a couple of brushes to add the stroke, some sparkles, and retro line decorations to the Background.

The Final Result

Tutorial Details

• Software Used : Photoshop
• Version : CS5 Extended
• Time : 0:30 – 0:45

Resources

• Marbold font.
• Retro Clouds : V. by ArtOfDecay-Stock.
• Sparklies Photoshop Brushes by redheadstock.
• decorative light effects by lindelokse.
• Retro Diagonals brushes pack.

Step 1

Create a new 1024 x 768 px document. Set the Foreground color to #424100, and the Background color to #161400, then, create a Diamond Gradient from the center of the document to one of the corners.

Open the Retro Clouds : V. image and place it on top of the Gradient Background. Resize the image to fit the document, and change its Blend Mode to Soft Light.

Step 2

Create the text using the color #47460e. The font used is Marbold and the Size is 250 px. You need to set the Tracking value to something around 75 to avoid overlapping.

Duplicate the text layer and set the copy’s Fill value to 0.

Double click the original text layer to apply the following Layer Style:

– Outer Glow

• Blend Mode : Vivid Light
• Color : #fcfcfb
• Size : 16

– Inner Glow

• Blend Mode : Vivid Light
• Color : #fcfcfb
• Source : Center
• Size : 30

– Satin

• Blend Mode : Overlay
• Color : #6f9ad0

– Gradient Overlay

• Blend Mode : Overlay
• Opacity : 45%
• Style : Reflected
• Scale : 85%

This will add nice glow to the original text layer.

Step 3

Double click the copy text layer to to apply the following Layer Style:

– Bevel and Emboss

• Technique : Chisel Hard
• Size : 20
• Gloss Contour : Cone – Inverted
• Check the Anti-aliased box
• Highlight Mode : Overlay
• Color : #e2e2e2
• Shadow Mode – Color : #7d7d7d

– Contour

• Contour : Guassian Inverse
• Check the Anti-aliased box.

This will add the retro-like effect to the glow.

Step 4

Create a new 20 x 64 px document with a Transparent Background. Use a smooth round brush to create 3 Black dots with different sizes. Go to Image > Image Size and resize the document to 5 x 16 px.

Go to Edit > Define Brush Preset and type in Stroke.

Back to the original document, open the Brush panel (Window > Brush). Under Shape Dynamics, choose Direction from the Control drop down menu under Angle Jitter. Also, make sure all the other values are set to 0.

Step 5

Create a new layer between the two text layers and call it Stroke. Set the Foreground color to #a7a400.

Right click one of the text layers, and choose Create Work Path.

Pick the Direct Selection Tool, make sure that the Stroke layer is selected (active), then right click the path and choose Stroke Path.

Choose Brush with the Simulate Pressure box un-checked.

This will create a simple stroke.

Step 6

Click the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon down the Layers panel, and choose Photo Filter.

Choose the Red filter.

Create a new layer on top of the copy text layer and call it Sparkles, then change its Blend Mode to Vivid Light. Set the Foreground color to #f4edd3, and use the Sparklies Photoshop Brushes to add some sparkles. One or two are enough, but you can go ahead and add more if you want to.

Create another new layer right below the Original text layer and call it BG Light, then change its Blend Mode to Vivid Light and its Opacity to 70%.

Use the decorative light effects brushes to add some nice glowing lights.

Finally, create a new layer below the Background image (Layer 1) and call it Retro Lines. Set the Foreground color to #424100, and use a brush from the Retro Diagonals set to add some lines to the Background. Keep in mind that you can resize the brushes to whatever size you like.

This is the final effect. But you can check the next step to see how to add some nice colors to this effect to make it look even more “Retro”.

Step 7

Create a new layer on top of the Sparkles layer and call it Colors. Change its Blend Mode to Hue.

Using a big soft round brush, add some color spots to the text. This technique adds a nice retro or vintage feel to the effect. The colors used here are #00709e and 960014, but you can go ahead and try other different colors as well.

If the colors look so bright, you can lower the Colors layer’s Opacity value. Here, it’s set to 70%.

And that’s pretty much it!
Hope you enjoyed this tutorial.