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Making metalic text in Photoshop

----- By Matthew Allen | Published Jul 05 2000 04:36 PM in Visual Arts


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).

Attached Image: metal_1.jpg


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...

Attached Image: metal_2.jpg

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.

Attached Image: metal_3.jpg

Next, have at it with the Dodge and Burn tools with a medium sized brush with opacity at 10-15%.

Attached Image: metal_4.jpg

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.

Attached Image: metal_5.jpg

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.

Attached Image: metal_6.jpg

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.

Attached Image: metal_mxf.jpg

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 separate image.

Attached Image: metal_mxf_good.jpg


Compare Revision Date Title Editor
2 Jun 11 2011 04:55 AM Gaiiden
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