Using layer styles is a great way to get some nice looking effects with text. This tutorial will show you two ways you can use layer styles as well as some other simple steps to spice up your text or logo.

Bold Text

Step 1a

Lets open up a document, any size will work. I’m using 620px x 300px. Now lets pick a dark red background color.

Step 2a

Now create a new layer with apple + shift + n and let get a lighter red color.

Step 3a

Now we are going to create a gradient. Click on the gradient tool and make sure you are using a the radial setting. Create a small gradient in the middle of the document. Now using apple + t, we are going to stretch the gradient out past the document and move it up, as shown below. This will be the background for our image.

Step 4a

Now lets put in some text. For this I’m using ITC Franklin Gothic Heavy, all caps. I’ve found that a bold font with all caps will work best for this text. Use your foreground color as the color for the text.

Step 5a

Lets go into our layer styles and lets first do our shadow. Change the settings to something like they are below. If you have a different sized document your settings are going to be different, if so, adjust so it looks like the image below.

Step 6a

Now go into the layer styles again and this time we are going to go into the stroke options. Set your stroke options up like below. Again, if you are doing this in another document, make it look like the image below.

Step 7a

Finally go back into your layer styles and change your gradient overlay and bevel and emboss to the settings below, adjusting for different document sizes.

Step 8a

Now lets give the text a shadow on the ground in front of it. First create a new layer, now get your square marquee tool, click and drag a box in front of the text and fill it with black.

Step 9a

Now go to filter>blur>Gaussian blur. Change your settings like I have them. If you have a different sized document, make it look like I have below.

Step 10a

Stretch the blurred box you just made so it goes past the text both the sides and move it up some.

Final

This is how your text should look. Now lets move on to the next.

Chiseled Text

Step 1b

Repeat steps 1a-3a

Step 2b

Lets create some text, the font I’m using is Museo Sans 500, which you can download for free. Grab a yellow-orange color for the font.

Step 3b

Go into your layer styles and lets go to the bevel and emboss settings. Create a bevel with thses settings.

Step 4b

Now go into the gradient overlay settings of the layer styles. Choose these settings.

Step 5b

Finally go into the drop shadow settings of the layer styles and change your settings to something like I have below.

Final

You should end up with something like this.

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