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Grass and Dirt Text Effect

This tutorial will explain a very simple and quick way to create a vivid grass and dirt text effect, with the help of Layer Masks, adjustment layers, and some basic Layer Effects.

The Final Result

Tutorial Details

  • Software Used : Photoshop
  • Version : CC 2014
  • Time : 0:30 – 0:45

Resources

Step 1

Start by creating a new 1600 x 1064 px document, and duplicate the Background layer.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 1

Double click the copy Background layer to apply a Pattern Overlay effect using the Soil Pattern 1.0 pattern, and the Scale value of 50%.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 1

Right click the copy layer and choose Rasterize Layer Style (or group that layer and merge the group for < CS6 versions).

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 1

Step 2

Place the Grass0138 image on top of the copy Background layer, and rename its layer to Grass.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 2

Click the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon down the Layers panel and choose Hue/Saturation. Right click the adjustment layer and choose Create Clipping Mask. This will make sure that the adjustment layer affects the Grass layer only.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 2

Change the Saturation value to -15.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 2

Click the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon again and choose Levels, create a Clipping Mask for the Levels layer, then change the Shadows value to 5 and the Gamma value to 0.80.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 2

Step 3

Create the text in All Caps using the font SansSerifExbFLF and the font Size 450 pt.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 3

Ctrl/Cmd + click the text layer’s thumbnail to create a selection, then go to Select > Inverse.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 3

Select the Grass layer then click the Add layer mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel. This will make the dirt show through the grass based on the text selection.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 3

Step 4

Right click the text layer, choose Create Work Path, then make it invisible by clicking the eye icon next to it. Pick the Eraser Tool and open the Brush panel (Window > Brush).

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 4

Choose the Chalk 23 pixels tip, and modify its Settings as shown below:

Brush Tip Shape

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 4

Shape Dynamics

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 4

Set the Foreground color to Black, pick the Direct Selection Tool (A), and select the Grass layer mask. Then, right click the work path and choose Stroke Path. Choose Eraser from the Tool drop down menu and click OK. Then, hit Enter/Return to get rid of the work path.

This will create some jagged edges making the text look more realistic.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 4

Step 5

Ctrl/Cmd + click the Grass layer mask, then go to Select > Inverse.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 5

Select the Background copy layer, then press Ctrl/Cmd + J to duplicate the selection in a new separate layer. Rename that layer to Dirt.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 5

Double click the Dirt layer to apply an Inner Shadow effect.

  • Opacity : 35%
  • Distance : 12
  • Size : 3
Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 5

This will create the first layer of shadow.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 5

Double click the Grass layer to apply a Drop Shadow effect:

  • Blend Mode : Linear Burn
  • Color : #5c5954
  • Opacity : 20%
  • Distance : 3
  • Size : 7
Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 5

This will create the second layer of shadow, giving depth to the text.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 5

Click the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon and choose Color Balance, create a Clipping Mask, then change the Cyan/Red value to -5.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 5

Step 6

Click the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon one last time and choose Gradient Map. Create the gradient using the colors #ab82bc to the left and #fdea72 to the right. Then change the adjustment layer’s Blend Mode to Overlay and its Opacity to 10%.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 6

You can then add some of the butterflies from the Butterfly 02 image, change their color, and apply Drop Shadow effects with different Distance values to each of them.

The color here is modified using the Hue/Saturation (Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation), by changing the Hue value to -15.

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 6

Select all the layers you have, duplicate them, then merge the copy layers (Layer > Merge Layers).

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 6

Go to Filter > Render > Lighting, and modify the settings as shown below:

Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 6
Grass and Dirt Text Effect step 6

And you’re done!

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial and found it helpful 🙂


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