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Number Candles Text Effect – Part 2

This is Part 2 of the tutorial. Part 1 went through the details of creating the background, the basic candle shape, the flames, and some basic lighting.

In this part, the cupcake will be added, with some more shading and lighting effects, and applying a simple action to the final result.

The Final Result

Tutorial Details

  • Software Used : Photoshop
  • Version : CS6 Extended
  • Time : 0:30 – 0:45

Resources

Step 16

Open the happy birthday cupcake image, then pick the Magnetic Lasso Tool. In the Options bar, set the Width to 10, the Contrast to 10%, and the Frequency to 57.

Click anywhere on the cupcake’s edge, then start dragging the selection, staying as close as possible to the shape you’re selecting. Also, make sure that the movement is not very fast, just slow enough for the points to be added precisely.

You can click once to add a point where needed if it wasn’t added automatically, then continue dragging.

You can as well press the Backspace key to get rid of any unwanted points, one at a time.

Number Candles Text Effect step 16

Make sure to exclude the candle and the white parts. When you get back to the starting point, the tool will have a small circle next to it, indicating that if you click here, a selection will be created.

Number Candles Text Effect step 16

Once you have the selection, go to Select > Refine Edge.

Number Candles Text Effect step 16

This will open up a small window, where you can enhance the selection. Choose the On Black View option. Change the Radius to 1.5, the Smooth to 5, and the Shift Edge to -50. Then click OK.

Number Candles Text Effect step 16

Go to Edit > Copy, then open the Candles document.

Step 17

Go to Edit > Paste, then place the cupcake image layer below the Candles group.

Number Candles Text Effect step 17

Go to Edit > Free Transform (Ctrl/Cmd + T), then resize the cupcake down. You can press and hold the Shift key while resizing to constrain the proportions.

Stop whenever you like the cupcake’s size, then hit the Enter\Return key to accept the changes and get out of the Free Transform Mode.

Number Candles Text Effect step 17

Next, we’re going to adjust the coloring of the cupcake. So go to Image > Adjustments > Selective Color.

From the Colors menu, choose Reds, then change the Black value to 5.

Number Candles Text Effect step 17

Do the same for the Neutrals.

Number Candles Text Effect step 17

And for the Blacks as well, then click OK.

Number Candles Text Effect step 17

Go to Image > Adjustments > Color Balance. Make sure that the Midtones option is selected at the bottom, then change the Color Levels to 30, -6, and -20.

Number Candles Text Effect step 17

Step 18

Duplicate the cupcake layer then make it invisible by clicking the eye icon next to it. This will keep the original cupcake image available if needed anytime later on.

Pick the Blur Tool, choose a soft round brush, and set the Strength to 50% in the Options bar. Reduce the brush Size to a value around 35 px, then blur the cupcake’s sides. Just the very edges where it seems to blend with the background.

Number Candles Text Effect step 18

Duplicate the cupcake layer once more, then move the copy on top of the Candles group.

Number Candles Text Effect step 18

Click the Add layer mask icon down the Layers panel to add a mask.

Number Candles Text Effect step 18

Pick the Brush Tool, and choose a hard round brush. Set the Foreground color to Black, then start painting over the unwanted parts of the cupcake in order to delete them.

Make sure to follow the original image’s edges when deleting, so that the result doesn’t look unnatural.

To un-erase any parts, set the Foreground color to White, then paint them back in. This is where the layer mask comes in handy.

Just always make sure to click the layer mask before erasing or painting back any parts.

Number Candles Text Effect step 18

Once you’re done erasing the unwanted parts, click the layer’s thumbnail. Then, pick the Dodge Tool, choose a 3 px round soft brush, set the Range to Shadows, and the Exposure to 100%.

Click and drag the Dodge Tool brush over the new edges to make them a bit brighter. Don’t go over the same part more than once, to avoid any extra bright or orangy results.

Number Candles Text Effect step 18

Step 19

Ctrl/Cmd + click the Candle layer’s thumbnail to create a selection.

Number Candles Text Effect step 19

Pick the Gradient Tool, set the Foreground color to #f8e2c3, choose the Foreground to Transparent gradient fill, and click the Linear Gradient icon.

Create a new layer on top of the Candle copy layer and call it Gradient Light. Click and drag inside the selection, following the cupcake lighting diagonally from left to right, bottom to top.

Number Candles Text Effect step 19

Change the Gradient Light layer’s Blend Mode to Overlay, and its Opacity to 65%. Then go to Select > Deselect to get rid of the selection.

Number Candles Text Effect step 19

Ctrl/Cmd + click the Candle Extrusion layer’s thumbnail to create a selection. Set the Foreground color to #998675. Create a new layer on top of the White Dots layer and call it Grunge, then change its Blend Mode to Multiply.

Use one of the Rust ‘n Grunge pack brushes to add a subtle grungy effect near the candles’ base.

Number Candles Text Effect step 19

This will cover the base with very subtle chocolate traces.

Number Candles Text Effect step 19

Create one more layer below the Light 1 layer, call it Gradient Shadow, and change its Blend Mode to Multiply.

Keep the Gradient Tool‘s previous Settings, but change the Foreground color to #c8bbac. Then click and drag from the bottom to a point slightly below the top of the selection.

Number Candles Text Effect step 19

This will add even more shadow. Go to Select > Deselect to remove the selection.

Number Candles Text Effect step 19

Step 20

Double click the original cupcake layer to apply the following simple Layer Style:

– Inner Shadow

  • Color : #5e2811
  • Opacity : 100%
  • Distance : 0
Number Candles Text Effect step 20

– Gradient Overlay

  • Blend Mode : Multiply
  • Scale : 150%
  • Choose the Black to White gradient
Number Candles Text Effect step 20

Right click the original cupcake layer, choose Copy Layer Style, then right click the cupcake copy layer, and choose Paste Layer Style.

This will darken the cupcake gradually from top to bottom.

Number Candles Text Effect step 20

Step 21

Create a new layer on top of the cupcake copy layer, call it Cupcake Shadow, and change its Blend Mode to Multiply. Pick the Brush Tool and set the Foreground color to #a1a1a1.

Number Candles Text Effect step 21

Go to Layer > Create Clipping Mask, so that the changes affect the cupcake only. Then, using a soft round, quite big, brush, click once to darken the cupcake’s sides some more.

Number Candles Text Effect step 21

This should emphasize the center of the cupcake and the candles.

Number Candles Text Effect step 21

Step 22

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

Number Candles Text Effect step 22

Choose Midtones from the Tone drop down menu, and set the values to 20, -6, -15. Then choose Highlights, and change the last value to -6.

Number Candles Text Effect step 22

Pick a big soft round brush, set the Foreground color to #fff7e5, Create a new layer on top of all layers, call it Highlight, change its Blend Mode to Overlay, then add some light spots where needed.

Number Candles Text Effect step 22

Double click the cupcake copy layer, then change the Inner Shadow effect’s Opacity to 60%, or any other value you think suits the scene at this stage.

Number Candles Text Effect step 22

This will make the cupcake a bit brighter. Continue adding any finishing touches where necessary. And that should be it for the cupcake part.

Number Candles Text Effect step 22

Step 23

Create a new layer on top of all layers and call it Radial Gradient. Set the Foreground color to #a67c52, pick the Gradient Tool, choose the Foreground color to Transparent fill, click the Radial Gradient icon, and check the Reverse box in the Options bar.

Number Candles Text Effect step 23

Click and drag from the center of the canvas to one of the corners.

Number Candles Text Effect step 23

This will be used to darken the corners.

Number Candles Text Effect step 23

Change the Radial Gradient layer’s Blend Mode to Multiply, and its Opacity to 60%.

Number Candles Text Effect step 23

Step 24

Select all the layers except for the Radial Gradient layer (click the Background layer, then press the Shift key, and click the Highlight layer). Duplicate the selected layers, then go to Layer > Merge Layers.

With the merged layer still selected, go to Filter > Convert for Smart Filters, and click OK.

Number Candles Text Effect step 24

Go to Filter > Render > Lighting Effects. Choose the Point Light from the drop down menu, and place the center of the light between the flames near the top of the candles (by clicking and dragging the point in the center).

Then, change the other values as below. You can also go ahead and try your own values if you like.

Number Candles Text Effect step 24

Scale the light down by clicking and dragging the circle’s perimeter inwards. (Place the mouse over the perimeter, and when it turns yellow, click and drag).

Number Candles Text Effect step 24

Click OK to check out the result.

Number Candles Text Effect step 24

Because of the Convert for Smart Filters step, you can expand the filters list (by clicking the arrow to the right of the layer), then double click the filter’s name to modify its Settings if you want to.

Number Candles Text Effect step 24

Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise, and use the Settings below:

Number Candles Text Effect step 24

Step 25

Create a new 500 x 500 px document, and load the JJ’s Holiday Special Gift Actions by jaejunggim.atn file from the JJ’s Holiday Special Gift 2011 by jaejunggim pack.

Open the Actions panel (Window > Actions), then click the Precious Memories by jaejunggim action’s name, and click the Play selection icon down the panel.

Number Candles Text Effect step 25

This will apply the action, and put all of its layers in a group.

Number Candles Text Effect step 25

Select the group, then go to Layer > Duplicate Group, and choose the name of the original candles document from the Document drop down menu, then click OK.

Number Candles Text Effect step 25

Go back to the original candles document, and make sure that the action’s group is on top of all layers.

Number Candles Text Effect step 25

Change the group’s Opacity to 45%.

Number Candles Text Effect step 25

Happy Birthday text here is created using the font Yellowtail, the font Size 9 pt, and the color #c57c55.

Number Candles Text Effect step 25

And your Birthday number candles card is ready! Hope you enjoyed the tutorial as much as I enjoyed writing it, and hope you found it helpful as well.


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