Glass Text
The photoshop tutorial tells how to create the effect of image refraction (glass text effect) using Photoshop 7.
Step 1.
Open the initial image. Press ‘T’ to turn the Horizontal Type Tool on, set the text colour as white and type the necessary text. Note that one can get the best effect while using Extra, Heavy, and Bold patterns, i.e. bold patterns. We used Garamond Narrow font (Bold Italic) in our article.
Step 2.
Select ‘Image’ > ‘Duplicate’. Press ‘D’ and ‘Alt+Backspace’ to fill the image layer with black. Select ‘Layer’ > ‘Flatten Image’. Apply ‘Filter’ > ‘Blur’ > ‘Gaussian Blur’ with Radius equal to 5 pixels. Save the obtained image as ‘map.psd’. Press ‘Ctrl+W’ to close the file.
Step 3.
Open the image we started with. Make the text layer invisible. Create the copy of the layer with an initial image using ‘Create New Layer’ menu. Apply ‘Filter’ > ‘Distort’ > ‘Displace’ (with both values of ‘Scale’ equal to 20%) to the new layer. Leave other parameters as is - they do not effect the result. Press ‘Ok’and select the ‘map.psd’ file (the file we have just created). Then press ‘Ok’ again.
Step 4.
Press ‘Ctrl’ and holding the key click the text layer in ‘Layers’ Window. Select ‘Layer’ > ‘Add Layer Mask’ > ‘Reveal Selection’.
Step 5.
Select ‘Layer’ > ‘Layer Style’ and set the values of four layer styles according to pictures below.
Step 6.
To brighten the text select ‘Layer’ > ‘New Adjustment Layer’ > ‘Levels’. Check ‘Group With Previous Layer’ box and press ‘Ok’. In the “Levels’ Window set the value of the middle value of ‘Input Levels’ parameter equal to ‘2′ and press ‘Ok. You will have a glass text effect similar to this:
