Glossy Web 2.0 Style Text

[CyberSpace]

This tutorial is available as a PDF. Click here to view or download it

 

This tutorial will show you how to make glossy, "web 2.0 style" text.
Plugins needed:

Outline Object by @BoltBait or Outline Object by @pyrochild
Optional Plugins:
Color Balance by @BoltBait or Color Balance+ by @dpy
Drop Shadow by @KrisVDM
HOW TO INSTALL PLUGINS

 

1. First, open () or create () a new image.

 

Create a New Layer () and write some text in whatever color you want.
  Name this layer "Text."

 

2.   Duplicate this layer.
  Call the new one "Gradient Text".

With the "Text" layer selected, go to Adjustments>Brightness/Contrast () and darken the text some.

 

Alternatively, you can use ColorBalance to make the colors match better, and make the text look better in general. (I did; I added more blue)

Then, use a linear () transparency gradient (use the Gradient () tool in Transparency () mode) and drag from the bottom of your text up to the middle. Your image should look something like this:

 

3. Make a New Layer ().

   Call this one "Glow."
Select the "Text" layer, and using the Magic Wand () in Global () mode, click on your text to get it selected.  Set Primary color to white.
Switch back to the "Glow" layer, and using the Ellipse () tool in Draw Filled Shape () mode, draw a white highlight on the top of your text.
  Double click on this layer to open layer properties, then change the opacity to 45, or whatever you prefer.  Deselect (CTRL+D) the selection area.

 

4. Uncheck the "Background" layer to temporarily make it invisible, so you can see how thick the outline will be.
Select the "Text" layer and go to Effects>Outline Object.  Outline your text in white. I chose a width of 5 and transparency of 220.

 

5. Go to Effects>Object>Drop Shadow. Set Y offset and X offset to 0. Set shadow color to R=G=B=92. You can use whatever you want for the shadow size. I recommend a widening radius of 5, a blur radius of 5, and a shadow opacity of 150.

 

Merge () all layers and your image should look something like this:

 

Another example:

 

Please post any questions about this tutorial, results, and advice in this topic.

 

Edited by ReMake

 

[flip]

Nice effect. White outline is effective.

[Curmudgeon]

I think it's been done a few times in the past, but since the legacy tutorials are going bye-bye soon, that's not an issue.

But I also think:

• The glossy layer you add almost completely negates any effect you get from the transparent gradient
  You should tell them to use filled shape :ShapeBoth: for the ellipse, otherwise they'll get just an ellipse :ShapeOutline: instead
  I think you should explain to select the text layer and globally select outside their text, otherwise it won't select inside the letters if needed
  I think the Curves, adjustment to all white and then invert colors was unnecessary...could just turn it to all black and save the extra step
  

just a few ideas...

[CyberSpace]

I think it's been done a few times in the past, but since the legacy tutorials are going bye-bye soon, that's not an issue.

But I also think:

• The glossy layer you add almost completely negates any effect you get from the transparent gradient
  You should tell them to use filled shape :ShapeBoth: for the ellipse, otherwise they'll get just an ellipse :ShapeOutline: instead
  I think you should explain to select the text layer and globally select outside their text, otherwise it won't select inside the letters if needed
  I think the Curves, adjustment to all white and then invert colors was unnecessary...could just turn it to all black and save the extra step
  

just a few ideas...

Yeah, the white ellipse covers up the top part of the gradient. It's pretty much my fault though, because I did not darken the bottom enough in the example. I forgot to add to use a filled ellipse, I'll change that. I wan't thinking...you could just drag to the bottom right and corner to get black...I'll change that.

[Dr. Agon]

Great tutorial! I'll post results later. But yeah, Outline Object is a GREAT plugin for text :wink:

[theonlychad]

well written tutorial, and i think this has been done before but the tutorial wasn't as well written. Good job. I don't do much word art but this will be good for the newbies because they like shiny things.

[Nickardson]

Awesome! I absolutly love it! Heres my go, with a few changes.

[xava100]

here is my try

[skylamer]

awesome

:o

[Zoe]

awsome

[gggtiger]

awesome but whered u get the text for the tutorial?? :?:

[Curmudgeon]

awesome but whered u get the text for the tutorial?? :?:

Using the image from the tutorial and running it through This website

looks like it's Frankfurter font

[dylanlee08]

where did u get that font

?

[Curmudgeon]

where did u get that font

?

awesome but whered u get the text for the tutorial?? :?:

Using the image from the tutorial and running it through This website

looks like it's Frankfurter font

[CyberSpace]

where did u get that font

?

The top one that says "text" is Franks.

[Bryan1998]

The Bottom one That Says John Is Located Here

[snogry]

Nice tut

Here's my result:

[Arave]

Guys im a bit stuck here wif no.2 can anybody help me.wat does it mean by this

2. :DuplicateLayer: Duplicate this layer and make sure your have the top layer selected.

.need the help A.S.A.P

[Curmudgeon]

Guys im a bit stuck here wif no.2 can anybody help me.wat does it mean by this

2. :DuplicateLayer: Duplicate this layer and make sure your have the top layer selected.

.need the help A.S.A.P

like it says...click duplicate layer button :DuplicateLayer: then make sure the top of the two layers is selected, so the layer is highlighted in blue in the layers window

[Jasperr]

Very, very nice tut ! :wink:

[Remii9512]

I think mine turned out AWESOME.

Also, credit to FLIP for the Idea of the background.

[KrisVDM]

:DuplicateLayer: Now, duplicate the text layer.

:Curves: Go to Adjustments>Curves. Make sure you have selected the bottom duplicate layer. With R,G, and B checked, and in RGB mode, drag the point to the bottom right of the box. Your text should now be black (the text will get black around the edges).

:GaussianBlur: Now, go to Effects>Blurs>Gaussian Blur and blur by 10px (or whatever you prefer).

FYI, this step can be simplified significantly with my Drop Shadow effect.

[Ryberg360]

This is a sweet tutorial. I added some effects from Gigabytes tut...I think they work well together!

[flip]

Also, credit to FLIP for the Idea of the background.

Hey that's me!

[allyjb]

3. :AddNewLayer: Make a new layer.

Using the magic wand in global mode, click on your text to get it selected.

:ShapeInterior: Using the ellipse tool (use filled shape mode), draw a white highlight on the top of your text.

:Properties: Double click on your layer to open layer properties, then change the opacity to 45 (or whatever you prefer)

4. Temporarily make your background layer invisible (so you can see how thick the outline is).

Go to Effects>Outline Object. Outline your text in white. I chose a radius of 7 and strength of 5.

:DuplicateLayer: Now, duplicate the text layer.

:Curves: Go to Adjustments>Curves. Make sure you have selected the bottom duplicate layer. With R,G, and B checked, and in RGB mode, drag the point to the bottom right of the box. Your text should now be black (the text will get black around the edges).

:GaussianBlur: Now, go to Effects>Blurs>Gaussian Blur and blur by 10px (or whatever you prefer). Your image should look something like this:

Relative newbie to Paint.net, so hope someone can help me - apologies if I'm being really stupid too. I can manage fine with this tut up the first point above.

Following the tutorial to the letter, it says to create a new layer, and then use the magic wand in global mode to select the text. When I do this, it selects the whole layer rather than just the text. Should I reselect the text layer before doing this? (presumably by highlighting that layer in the layers box).

Presumably the next stage of drawing the ellipse should be on the new layer I created?

When I try step 4, even if selecting the text via reselecting layers above, I use the outline tool, but get no result - it just remains with the thin black outline of the magic wand selection.

Hope someone can help me...as its sending me round the bend not being able to do something which should no doubt be so simple. Hopefully I'm just selecting the wrong layers at the wrong time or something, so if someone could even highlight the layers I should be selecting for each task, that should hopefully help....

Know this forum isn't for questions, but thought better asking here, just in case anyone else is having the same issues....(no doubt will just be me!)

Thanks guys....