September 06, 2018

How to Make Neon Text in Photoshop

How To Create a Neon Text Effect In Photoshop
In this Text Effects tutorial, we're going to learn how to create a Neon text effect in Photoshop. We will use the Levels Adjustment layer to intensify the background image contrast, the Type Tool to type our text, Free Transform command to scale the type, Layer Style and Layer Mask that all comes with Photoshop. 


Video: How to Make Neon Text in Photoshop.

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1. Open a Background Image
Choose File>Open (or press Ctrl+O) to open up your background image. 
File>Open.
File>Open.

Navigate to the folder that contains your background image file then select the name of the file you want to open. Click Open.
Find your image.
Find your image.

For this Photoshop tutorial, I'll use this image, BrickSmallBrown0091_14, downloaded from CGtextures.
The background image used in this Photoshop tutorial.
The background image used in this neon letters Photoshop tutorial.

2. Duplicate Layer
Duplicate the Background layer by going to Layer>Duplicate layer (or Ctrl+J). 
Layer>Duplicate layer.
Layer>Duplicate layer.

In the Layers panel, a duplicate layer with the default name of Background copy or Layer 1 appears above the Background layer.
Duplicate Layer.
Duplicate Layer.

3. Apply Levels Adjustment
Select the duplicate layer on the Layers panel (in this case the Background copy layer). 
Make sure the duplicate layer is selected.
Make sure the duplicate layer is selected.

Go to Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Levels
Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Levels.
Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Levels.

Click OK when the New Layer dialog box appears. 
New Layer dialog box.
New Layer dialog box.

The Levels controls display on the Properties panel. Darken the shadows by moving the black input shadows slider (the left slider) to the right. 
Darken the shadows.
Darken the shadows.

Darken the Output Highlights by moving the white output highlights slider (the right slider) to the left. 
Darken the Output Highlights.
Darken the Output Highlights.

Click the clipping mask icon to clip the levels adjustment to the layer below it (not all layers below).
Click the clipping mask icon.
Click the clipping mask icon.

4. Type Your Desired Text
Choose the Horizontal Type Tool.
The Horizontal Type Tool.
The Horizontal Type Tool. 

On the Options bar, choose a font family, choose a font style, choose or enter a font size.
Font settings.
Font settings.

Click the Text Color swatch then choose a color via the color picker or Swatches panel then click OK.
Font color.
Font color.

Click in the document to establish an insertion point, then type your desired text.
Type your desired text.
Type your desired text.

To accept the new text, press Ctrl+Enter or click the Commit button on the right end of the Options bar.
Click the Commit button when you’re done.
Click the Commit button when you’re done.

Each time you create a new type with the Horizontal Type tool, it will appear on a new layer.
The new text layer.
The new text layer.

Scale type using Free Transform by going to Edit>Free Transform.
Edit>Free Transform.
Edit>Free Transform.

You can now scale your type as follows:
scale your type
  • Drag a side handle if you want to scale just the height or width of the type. 
  • Drag a corner handle if you want to scale both the height and the width of the type.
  • Shift-drag a corner handle to preserve the original proportions of the characters while scaling them.
  • Click the Commit button on the Options bar to accept the scale transformation.

5. Rasterize Text
Because we want to edit the type layer, we have to convert it to pixels first via the Rasterize Type command. Choose Layer>Rasterize>Type.
Layer>Rasterize>Type.
Layer>Rasterize>Type.

Rasterize the text layer.
Rasterize the text layer.

6. Load Pixels
Create a selection by selecting all the nontransparent areas on the type layer, Right-click on the type layer then choose Load Pixels or just Ctrl+click the type layer.
Ctrl+click the type layer.
Ctrl+click the type layer.

7. Contract Selection
Now go to Select>Modify>Contract.
Select>Modify>Contract.
Select>Modify>Contract.

In the Contract Selection dialog box, set the Contract value by 12 pixels. Click OK.
Contract selection.
Contract selection.

8. Clear Selection
To create a neon text, we will delete the selection. Go to Edit>Clear or just press the Delete key.
Press the Delete key.
Press the Delete key.


Choose Select>Deselect to remove the selection.
Clear selection.
Clear selection.

9. Add Layer Style
Make sure the Text layer on the Layers panel is selected. Go to Layer>Layer Style>Outer Glow to open the Outer Glow Layer Style dialog.
Layer>Layer Style>Outer Glow.
Layer>Layer Style>Outer Glow.


Apply the Inner Glow, Outer Glow and Drop Shadow effects, using the settings shown below:
The Outer Glow setting.
The Outer Glow setting.


The Inner Glow setting.
The Inner Glow setting.


The Drop Shadow setting.
The Drop Shadow setting.

10. Load Pixels
Right-click on the type layer then choose Select Pixels or just Ctrl+click the type layer.
Load pixels.
Load pixels.

11. Expand Selection
Now go to Select>Modify>Expand.
Select>Modify>Expand.
Select>Modify>Expand.

In the Expand Selection dialog box, set the Expand value by 12 pixels. Click OK.
Expand selection.
Expand selection.

12. Refine Selection
Refine the selection by going to Select>Select and Mask.
Select>Select and Mask.
Select>Select and Mask.

In the Select and Mask dialog, Alter the Feather slider to the right. Choose Output to Selection. Click OK.
Refine the selection.
Refine the selection.

13. Create a New Layer
Create a new layer by choosing Layer>New>Layer (or Shift+Ctrl+N). 
Layer>New>Layer.
Layer>New>Layer.

In the New Layer dialog box, leave the default settings and click OK.  
The New Layer dialog box.
The New Layer dialog box.

A layer with the default name of Layer 1 appears on the Layers panel.
A layer with the default name of Layer 1 appears on the Layers panel.
A layer with the default name of Layer 1 appears on the Layers panel.

Drag the new layer right below the type layer.
Drag the new layer right below the type layer.
Drag the new layer right below the type layer.

14. Create Light Reflection on the Wall
Select the new layer on the Layers panel. Now select the Brush Tool, or press B
The Brush Tool.
The Brush Tool.

Choose a soft Brush on the Options bar.
Choose a soft Brush.
Choose a soft Brush.

Choose a Foreground color.
Choose a Foreground color.
Choose a Foreground color.

Apply brush strokes on the selection. 
Apply brush strokes.
Apply brush strokes.

When you're done, you can remove the selection by going to Select>Deselect. Click the drop-down menu located at the top of the Layers panel and then change the layer's blending mode to Color Dodge. 
Change the blending mode.
Change the blending mode.

15. Save Your Document
Choose File>Save (or press Ctrl+S) to save your project file.

In the Save As dialog box, navigate to the folder where you want to store the file.

Type a name in the File Name text box and leave the default Photoshop (*.PSD;*.PDD) format.

Click Save to store the image.

Once you have finished, you will probably also want to use File>Save As (Shift+Ctrl+S) to export the image in a more widely used format, such as JPEG, PNG, TIFF, etc.

And here is the result:
How to create a neon text effect in Photoshop.
How to create a neon text effect in Photoshop.

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