Electric Text - by Spacific Designs.com

ELECTRIC TEXT

Let's add some High Voltage to some Type.

1.) Create a New file, 800 X 600 pixels at 225 ppi. Press D on the keyboard to set the Foreground color to black. Now, press Alt+Backspace to fill the Background layer with black.

2.) Press X on the keyboard to switch the Foreground color to white. Select the Horizontal Type tool

and type your text. The font used is Still Time Regular 36pt Smooth. Select the Move tool

and Click+Drag on text to center.

3.) Next, Go to Edit > Free Transform (Ctrl+T). In the W box (located at top of program) enter 250 and text will expand appropriately.

4.) Double-Click inside Transform bounding box to apply transformation.

5.) Go to Window > Styles to open the Styles palette (if not visible). In the Styles palette, locate the style named Electric Glow

and click on it to apply effects. Go to Step 6.

(Alternately, you may apply settings manually by following Step 5a below.)

5a.) Go to Layer > Layer Style > Outer Glow... and the Layer Style palette will open. Click the color well and when the Color-Picker appears, enter #00FFFF at the bottom input box and click OK to close. Follow settings below, then click the OK button to close the Layer Style palette.

6.) Select the Horizontal Brush tool , then carry the brush over the work area and Right-Click to open the Brush-Picker. Click the triangle at the top right corner and a pop-out menu will appear. Select KS Lightning Brushes. A message box will appear, just click OK and the correct library will load. I have included a large assortment of 66 brushes to add electricity to your text.

TIP: You can Click+Drag the right bottom corner down and to the right to expand the Brush-Picker to enable viewing of all brushes when large libraries are present. This eliminates the need to use the scroll bar. Pretty cool hey?

Create a New layer each time you select a new brush by clicking on the Create a new layer button

at the bottom of the Layers palette. This will allow you to manipulate each bolt separately. Click on a brush to select and add the first bolt by clicking once on the work area. The idea is to just stamp the effect into the image. Use the Move tool

now and position in a good place.

7.) Continue to add New layers and use different brushes. Use Ctrl+T to bring up the Free Transform bounding box to rotate bolts as needed as you work. Place the curser at the outside corner of the box then click and drag to rotate. TIP: You can also use this box like the Move tool by just clicking inside and dragging to a new location! Press Enter on the keyboard each time you are finished with manipulation.

8.) When you are finished with the brushes, you should have an image similar to this... which is a finished image on it's own. Ten layers were created for all the brush work.

9.) Now, let's carry this image further and add some color into the bolts! In the Layers palette, click on the First bolt layer and drag to the Create a new layer button

to duplicate layer. Repeat process on All brush layers. Now, in the Tool palette, click the Foreground color well and when the Color-Picker appears, enter #00FFFF at the bottom input box then click OK to close.

10.) Press Ctrl+Click on the Top layer in the layers palette. This will create a selection on the brush copy. Press Shift+F5 and click OK to create a fill. (Be sure Foreground is selected and Opacity is 100% when the pop-up appears). Repeat procedure for all copy layers. Press Ctrl+D to Deselect Selection.

At first glance...the blue will be a bit strong. We want some blue cast but not too much to take away from the image.

11.) Select the Eraser tool and carry the brush over the work area, then Right-Click to bring up the Brush-Picker. Click the triangle at the top right corner and a pop-out menu will appear. Select Reset Brushes . A message box will appear, just click OK and the correct library will load. Select a Soft Round brush about 65px. Set Opacity in options bar (Located at top of program) to about 50% and start to erase color to any Copy layer selected. You can turn Off an Eye icon to any layer to find out which bolt you will be working with. Turn back On prior to erasing. Work from the center of text outward.

Continue erasing on Copy layers until you are pleased with the results. Press D on the keyboard to set Foreground color to black. Now press X to switch Foreground color to white. Add a few small light bursts into the mix using Soft Round brushes to finish text.

Text is now finished. Click here to compare your work.

Below is another variation using only white.