Making metalic text in Photoshop

Making metalic text in Photoshop
by Matthew Allen
MXF Entertainment
updated: 2/12/00

	First, make a new image and type the text you want with the text tool. Make the text grey (168, 168, 168).
	Right click on the text layer, render it, and add the Bevel and Emboss effect. Use these settings: Highlight and Shadow Opacity: 80% Style: Inner Bevel Angle: 120 Depth: 10 Blur: 1 Not much yet...
	Now is the important part: make a new black layer, go to the Filters menu, and add a Noise->Add Noise filter. Use these settings: Amount: 55 Distribution: Uniform Monochromatic: checked Click Ctrl-F to add it again. Next, add the Blur->Motion Blur filter. Angle: 80 Distance: 10 Now change the layer Mode to Overlay.
	Next, have at it with the Dodge and Burn tools with a medium sized brush with opacity at 10-15%.
	Add a little brownish looking rusty stuff with the Airbrush at 8% opacity and a medium brush. If you do too much, just use the Sponge tool set on Desaturate at about 20% opacity. I also Blurred it twice and Sharpened it once to antialias it.
	Now, add some dents. Make the dark part with the Burn tool with a 1 pixel brush and 30% opacity and the light parts with a Dodge tool and the same settings.
	I added the bottom part as an afterthought. I just made a selection with the Marquee tool and filled it with grey. The I made some text, rendered the layer, did an Inner Bevel, and Merged it with the MXF layer. Then I Dodged, Burned, and Airbrushed it to make look like the MXF. I also did a lot of Desaturating.

This image was done using the same technique as the one above. I just spent a little more time on it. I would have used it, but I didn't have each of the steps as a seperate image.

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Date this article was posted to GameDev.net: 7/5/2000
(Note that this date does not necessarily correspond to the date the article was written)

See Also:
General Art