46 Comments
Scanline Text
August 12, 2008I thought I’d write a tutorial aimed more at beginners, teaching you how to achieve the all important glowing effect which people can’t seem to get enough of. Here we will create a style I’ve named ‘Scanline Text’ which is basically text which glows like bright scanlines, with a smart reflection as well. Read on to learn out how to create this amazing yet simple effect with this easy to follow tutorial.
Tutorial Files
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Introduction
Glowing effects are everywhere, I even wrote another tutorial on getting the effect which you could combine with this one. I wanted to write this as most of my tutorials are aimed towards intermediate or advanced Photoshop users whereas this is purely beginner but I’m sure You’ll all learn something from it. This is my first tutorial to adopt User Images so make sure you upload the result you get once you’ve finished.
Step 1
Create a new document with dimensions; 1×20px, this will the document we create our scanline pattern in. Go Edit>Preferences>Grid then set the grid to every 1px with 1 subdivision. Create a new layer then hide the background layer. Select the rectangle tool and change the foreground color to white. Now draw a 1×2px rectangle in the middle of the document like in the image below. Go Edit>Define Pattern and save this as a pattern. You can now close this document.
Step 2
Create a new document with dimensions; 1000×1000px then select the gradient tool and open the gradient editor. Use a gradient going from a dark color to black, I used a dark purple. With the gradient set at radial, drag from the middle of the document outwards.
Step 3
Use the text tool to type something in the middle of the document in white. Now go Window>Character then change the settings to suit, for example I used Times New Roman, 300pt and tracking of 100. It should now look similar to the image shown below. Now create a new layer then hit Alt+Backspace to fill it with the foreground color; it doesn’t matter what this is. Ctrl+click on the text layer to make a selection around the text, with the new layer we just created still active click the layer mask button in the layers panel. Now hide the text layer then select the layer mask you just added and go Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur and use a value of 10px. Set the fill opacity of this layer to 0%.
Step 4
Right click on this layer and select blending options, us the settings shown below to add a pattern overlay using the pattern you created earlier.
Step 5
You can now alter the opacity of this layer to suit you but I always end up going back and changing settings like this later on so don’t worry if it doesn’t match mine exactly.
Step 6
Create some more text like shown in the image below, here I used an even larger value for the tracking because I find that serif fonts in uppercase look better when the characters are spaced out. Again make them white.
Step 7
Right click on this text layer and select blending options then add an inner shadow and outer glow with the settings shown below. If you used a color other than purple for the background you may want to use colors with a different hue for both of these for example; cyan for a blue background. Things like this can easily be changed later on anyway.
Step 8
Put both of the these visible layers within a new layer group then duplicate this group.
Step 9
With the new layer group selected, go Edit>Transform>Flip Vertical then hit V to select the move tool then move it down so it starts to look like a reflection.
Step 10
With the reflection layer group still selected click the layer mask button then with the mask selected use the gradient tool to draw a gradient going from black to white, from the bottom of the reflection to the top of it. If you did this correctly, your image should resemble the one shown below.
Step 11
Create a new layer then hit D to reset the colors then go Filter>Render>Clouds.
Step 12
Hit Ctrl+T to enter free transform mode then squash the image down vertically then goe Edit>Transform>Perspective and move the handle at one of the bottom corners outwards. Next go Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur and use a value of 10px.
Step 13
Change the opacity of this layer to 10%.
Step 14
Create a new layer, select the brush tool and using a soft brush, make some brightly colored strokes like shown in the image below.
Step 15
Add a Gaussian blur to this layer with a value of 100px then change the opacity of this layer to 50%.
Step 16
Now just change the blend mode to color. I went back and tweaked a few settings to do with color and opacity mainly and below is my final result.
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August 13th, 2008
Lori:
This is a great tutorial for any skill level in Photoshop. Simple and concise instructions, with a beautiful result. Thanks!
August 13th, 2008
Ross:
Thanks Lori glad you like it:)
August 14th, 2008
Jay:
Great instructions for a beginner’s use!
August 14th, 2008
nitos:
that was amazing!, hope you continue with tutorials like this! :P
August 15th, 2008
Tom Ross:
Nice tutorial Ross. Personally I’d make the clouds in the final result a little less obvious, but apart from that good job :).
August 16th, 2008
shinebabu.r:
nice ya …i got some more idea
August 17th, 2008
Alen:
Nice tutorial. It is featured on my site:
http://psdnewsbox.com/2008/08/17/tutorial-of-the-week-2/
August 21st, 2008
Ryan G:
Thank you so much for this.
August 22nd, 2008
Ross:
Thanks for the comments guys, I’ll try and make a few more tutorials like this soon.
August 26th, 2008
40 Dark and Futuristic Photoshop Effects - PSDTUTS:
[...] 6. Scan-line text [...]
August 27th, 2008
John:
Hey I only have one problem. The first step says “Go Edit>Preferences>Grid” but there is no “Preferences” option in my edit menu…. Using Photoshop CS3. Screenshot of my Edit menu. Either I’m Dyslexic or it isn’t there.
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/2330/picture1ww5.png
August 27th, 2008
Ross:
John,
This is one of the few differences between the Mac version and the PC version; on a Mac you will find the preferences under the Photoshop menu instead of the Edit menu. I’ll remember to mention that in the future.
August 29th, 2008
25 Brilliant Glow Effects | Learning Resources for Adobe Photoshop:
[...] Ross:John, This is one of the few differences between the Mac ve… [...]
August 29th, 2008
Useful blog » Blog Archive » 40 Dark and Futuristic Photoshop Effects:
[...] 6. Scan-line text [...]
August 31st, 2008
Kalapi:
Amazing Tutorial!!! Thanks a ton!!
September 1st, 2008
40 Futuristic Photoshop Effects by PSDtuts « Guiwells’s Blog:
[...] 6. Scan-line text [...]
September 6th, 2008
Cloud No9:
Simple yet so impressive!
One question though: At Step 3 “Ctrl+click on the text layer to make a selection around the text, with the new layer we just created still active click the layer mask button in the layers panel. Now hide the text layer then select the layer mask you just added and go Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur and use a value of 10px. Set the fill opacity of this layer to 0%.” When adding the layer mask I get my layer linked with a mask layer. Then when I hide the text layer all options in the Filter menu become inactive and thus cannot add blur effects. What am I doing wrong? I use CS3.
Given this opportunity I want to share with you the fact that I had to set my grids at 2 so that Photoshop wouldn’t show a grid with 2/3 of pixel. It sounds weird but this is what I experienced when set it as described.
Thnx in advance! I’d really appreciated your reply.
Cloud No9
September 6th, 2008
Ross:
Cloud No9,
If I’m picking you up right then I think what you’ve done is tried to add the filter to the text layer, in step three I said to create a new layer then Ctrl+click the text layer then go back and select the new layer as this is the layer you want to add a mask to. So you don’t want to hide this layer even though it has text on it you want to hide the original text layer. Hope that helps and let me know it works:)
September 8th, 2008
Aric:
I’m also having some problems with step 3. can you maybe be a bit clearer on the instructions?
“Ctrl+click on the text layer to make a selection around the text, with the new layer we just created still active click the layer mask button in the layers panel.” when I try and follow the instructions past this point it gets confusing because when I ctrl click (as with most things) it selects both layers and then doesn’t allow a mask to be created. when I try and mask either layer, and set the pattern, instead of applying the pattern to the text, it applies it to the entire image, and the result is white horizontal stripes abrasively covering the document. For some reason i just can’t seem to realize what I’m doing wrong. (quite a bit of photoshop xp, but I have been without it for about 2 years.)
September 10th, 2008
jorisx:
a faster way to create a scan line text (which is also editable)
- create your text
- set the fill to 0
- create a smart object from the text layer
- apply the smart filter gaussian blur (10px)
- apply the pattern overlay layer effect (your scan line pattern)
voila :-)
and you are still able to edit everything from text to blur
;-)
September 10th, 2008
jorisx:
just one more thing.
wait with setting the fill of the text layer to zerro after you aply the blur, other wise the blur can’t be set …
- create your text
- create a smart object from the text layer
- apply the smart filter “gaussian blur” (10px)
- open your smart object (double click on the layer)
- set the fill of the text to 0
- close the smart layer (you will be asked to save the changes)
- apply the “pattern overlay” layer effect (your scan line pattern)
September 11th, 2008
Gustavo:
I’m quite amazed by your skills, talent and your ability to teach with simple and easy to follow instructions.
Thank you for taking the time to post this tutorial.
Good job!
P.S. How do you come up with these ideas? That’s the part I’m having a hard time figuring out!
September 11th, 2008
Ross:
Gustavo,
Thanks for the comment, glad you like these tutorials. For me the hardest part is coming up with the idea, once I’ve got the idea I find it easy to transfer it to Photoshop (something that comes with practice). With a lot of my tutorials I use other peoples work as inspiration or sometimes even try to mimic an effect that someone else has created. The reason for this is because it’s often too time consuming to think up an original idea and make a tutorial on it; especially when I’m writing a tutorial every couple of days, it means I can get more tutorials out if I’m not spending ages thinking up my own ideas.
September 12th, 2008
MaNshY:
Awesome man, I love this tutorial easy steps and good one .
Keep it up man, see ya
September 12th, 2008
Craig:
Can’t get it to work…the scan line pattern does nothing. The Pshop built-in patterns work…dunno what I did wrong, I followed the instructions exactly. : - (
September 17th, 2008
Photoshop Tutorials at Blackstone Media Blog:
[...] Blending Two Images Tutorial Harsh Lighting Tutorial Rounded Edges Tutorial Light Beam Tutorial Scanline Text Luminescent Lines 3d Pixel Stretch Effects Stunning 3D Effects Eeiry Eye Photo Manipulation Liquid [...]
September 18th, 2008
Andie:
This is a great tutorial! I found it very easy to follow, and I am a beginner. I am happy with the result I got. Thanks!
September 19th, 2008
Martin Poku Otabil:
I wish to no more about PHOTOSHOP and EFFECTS.
Can you send me some tutorials book on Photoshop and all about the programmer.
September 19th, 2008
PhotoShop » Blog Archive » 40 Dark and Futuristic Photoshop Effects:
[...] 6. Scan-line text [...]
September 20th, 2008
50+ Great Photoshop Text Effect Tutorials, Part II | Photoshop Tutorial:
[...] Scanline Text [...]
September 25th, 2008
AllTuts:
Scanline Text Effect…
Here we will create a style named ‘Scanline Text’ which is basically text which glows like bright scanlines, with a smart reflection as well.
……
September 25th, 2008
Webclave.com » Blog Archive » 40 Futuristic Photoshop Effects by PSDtuts:
[...] 6. Scan-line text [...]
September 28th, 2008
50 nuovi Effetti di Testo per Adobe Photoshop | Giuseppe D'Alessio Live Blog - Tecnologia, società e vita in un sorso...:
[...] Scanline Text [...]
October 11th, 2008
SITA SHARMA:
Dear Sir I really appreciate with your creativity, i have done all things but i m just getting confuse that step four like masking the layer & using the purple gradient with radial can u please explain me briefly thanks & rgds
October 11th, 2008
50+ tutorials per creare testi d’effetto in photoshop | Lordmarin:
[...] Scanline Text [...]
November 5th, 2008
51 Photoshop Text Effect Tutorials | Tips For Web Users:
[...] Scanline Text [...]
November 15th, 2008
solo sexo:
Here is much work done, obviously. Good site
November 17th, 2008
Daniel Leon:
Hey, good tutorial, realy cool effect.
But i cant get it right. I’ve made the pattern, and I have done everything exactly as you describe. but the pattern wont work. the text is all white.
can you please help me with this?
November 27th, 2008
Every Great Photoshop Lighting Tutorial Ever! (Part 2 of 3) - psdfan.com -:
[...] 49. Scanline Text [...]
December 1st, 2008
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[...] 15. Scanline Text [...]
December 3rd, 2008
Every Great Photoshop Lighting Tutorial Ever (all 75 of them) - psdfan.com -:
[...] 49. Scanline Text [...]
December 3rd, 2008
Lee:
Great tutorial. Thanks.
December 4th, 2008
godfather74:
thanks for this great tutorial!
December 8th, 2008
Photo Lighting Effects | design | Faze One Studio:
[...] 49. Scanline Text [...]
December 11th, 2008
trolley:
Hi, I love this tutorial but I’m afraid I’m stuck right at the beginning - making the pattern. I’ve made the 1×2 rectangle but when I go to the edit menu the “Define Pattern” option is greyed out. I’m using CS4 on a mac. Any help would be appreciated.
December 12th, 2008
Josh:
nice tutorial… one problem that im having is that everything is good until i go to add the pattern to the text, it doesn’t make any difference. (unless i choose a different pattern)