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Three Simple Elegant Headers Text Effects

This tutorial will explain three different ways to create very simple yet elegant header-style text effects, using only two Layer Layer Style each time.

The Final Result

Tutorial Details

  • Software Used : Photoshop
  • Version : CS5 Extended
  • Time : 5 min. each

Resources

Effect 1: Drop Shadow and Gradient Overlay

The example used is the current TEXTUTS header. The Background color is #f4f2ed, and the text color is #b95886 but you can use any colors you want.

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 1

If you want to add more than one color to the text, you can use the Type Tool to select the characters you want to add a different color to, then click the color box in the Character panel (Window > Character) to choose the color.

Here, the color used is #b4b362.

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 1
Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 1

To achieve the result in the header, I duplicated the text layer first then changed the colors, so that I had two layers, one with the first color and one with the second color, then, I rasterized both layers, and deleted the second half of the layer on the top.

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 1

Double click the text layer to apply the following Layer Style.

– Drop Shadow

  • Blend Mode : Normal
  • Color : Should be a bit lighter than the Background color. In this case, it is White (because the Background is very light).
  • Opacity : 100%
  • Distance : 2
  • Size : 0

The shadow should look more like a “Stroke” rather than an actual shadow, so it shouldn’t be so far from the text, and it shouldn’t be blurry as well.

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 1

This should create a subtle elegant effect, giving the text some depth.

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 1

You can also go ahead and add a Gradient Overlay:

– Gradient Overlay

  • Blend Mode : Soft Light
  • Opacity : 20%
Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 1

And that’s pretty much it, super easy yet a really cool effect.

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 1

Effect 2: Drop Shadow and Stroke

The example used is the previous TEXTUTS header (which I’ve got a couple of requests to do a tutorial for ๐Ÿ™‚ ). The Background color is #f4f2ed as well, and the text colors are #b95886 and #c8c1b0.

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 2

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

– Drop Shadow

  • Color : Should be a couple of shades darker than the Background color, in this cas it is #bfb8ae.
  • Distance : 2
  • Size : 2
Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 2

– Stroke

  • Size : 1
  • Color : Should be a couple of shades lighter than the Background color, in this case it is #ffffff
Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 2

This effect adds a subtle 3D look to the text.

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 2

Effect 3: Drop Shadow and Inner Shadow

For the last effect, we are going to create a very simple vintage looking poster. So set the Foreground color to #b0b19b and the Background color to #8f9078, then create a Radial Gradient from the center of the document to one of the corners.

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 3

Place the old paper texture image on top of the Background, resize it if needed, and change its Blend Mode to Soft Light.

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 3

Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise, and set the values as shown below:

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 3

Create the text using the color #5d5f42. The font used is Lobster and the Size is 100 px.

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 3

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

– Drop Shadow

  • Blend Mode : Normal
  • Color : Should be a bit lighter than the Background color. In this case, it is #ddd8c2
  • Opacity : 100%
  • Distance : 2
  • Size : 1

(Note that bigger font sizes might need bigger Layer Layer Style’s values.)

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 3

– Inner Shadow

  • Color : #50513b(a darker shade of the text color)
  • Distance : 1
  • Size : 1
Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 3

This adds a very nice depth to the text, making it look like it’s engraved into the Background.

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 3

Add a new layer on top of the text layer, and change its Blend Mode to Multiply. Set the Foreground color to #b1a77e, and use the Brush Pack-Horizontal Dividers to add some nice decorations.

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 3

Again, double click the layer to apply the following Layer Style:

– Drop Shadow

  • Blend Mode : Normal
  • Color : #ddd8c2
  • Opacity : 100%
  • Distance : 2
  • Size : 1

(This is basically the same Drop Shadow applied to the text layer.)

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 3

– Inner Shadow

  • Color : #635b3a(a darker shade of the brush color)
  • Distance : 1
  • Size : 1
Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 3

And that’s it! Look how awesome the effect is!

Simple Elegant Header Text Effect step 3

Hope you found the tutorial useful. If you have any more requests please send them through the contact form.


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