Chrome text in retro style is often used in various design projects. In this tutorial, I will show you how to create a very simple 1950s-style chrome text effect using a pair of layer styles and textures.
OK. Let’s get started!
The final result:
1. Create a Background
Step 1
Create a new document with the following dimensions 600 x 350 px.
Add the original image with the car, to do this, go File – Put embedded (File> Place Embedded) and in the appeared window select the image with the first car. Place this layer on top of the layer with Background (Background layer), apply scaling as needed.
Step 2
Next, go Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur), set Radius (Radius) blur 10.
Step 3
Click icon Create a new adjustment or fill layer (Create new fill or adjustment layer) at the bottom of the layers panel and in the appeared window select the option Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation).
Step 4
In the settings window of this adjustment layer, decrease the value Saturation (Saturation) to -20, and then click Attach to layer (Clip to layer) to convert adjustment layer Hue / Saturation (Hue / Saturation) in clipping mask.
2. Create Text
Step 1
Create text using Dymaxion Script font, font size 150 pt, font color # a4a4a4.
Step 2
Duplicate the text layer. Reduce value Fillings (Fill) to 0 to duplicate the layer, and then duplicate the duplicate layer.
3. Styling the First Text Layer.
Double click on the original text layer to apply the following layer styles:
Step 1
Choose a layer style Stamping (Bevel and Emboss). Set the following settings for this layer style:
- Method (Technique): Tough faceting (Chisel Hard)
- The size (Size): 7
- Circuit Glossy (Gloss Contour): Cone (Cone)
- Tick in the box Smoothing (Anti-aliased)
- Mode backlight (Highlight Mode): Bright shine (Vivid Light)
- Opacity (Opacity) 50%
- Mode the shadows (Shadow Mode) – Multiplication (Multiply) Opacity (Opacity) 50%
Step 2
Choose a layer style Circuit (Contour). Set the following settings for this layer style:
- Circuit (Contour): Inverted cone (Cone — Inverted)
- Tick in the box Smoothing (Anti-aliased)
Step 3
Choose a layer style Shadow (Drop Shadow). Set the following settings for this layer style:
- Opacity (Opacity) 90%
- Bias (Distance): 3
- Swipe (Spread): 0
- The size (Size): 7
So, we created styling for the main text layer.
4. Styling the First Duplicate Layer with Text
Double click on the first duplicate of the text layer to apply the following layer styles:
Step 1
Choose a layer style Stamping (Bevel and Emboss). Set the following settings for this layer style:
- The size (Size): 7
- Circuit Glossy (Gloss Contour): Rounded steps (Rounded Steps)
- Tick in the box Smoothing (Anti-aliased)
- Backlight mode (Highlight Mode): Bright light (Vivid Light)
- Opacity (Opacity) 50%
- Shadow mode (Shadow Mode) – Multiplication (Multiply) Opacity (Opacity) 20%
Step 2
Choose a layer style Circuit (Contour). Set the following settings for this layer style:
- Circuit (Contour): Deep groove (Cove-Deep)
- Tick in the box Smoothing (Anti-aliased)
So, we created styling for the second layer with text.
5. Styling the Second Duplicate Layer with Text
Double-click on the second duplicate text layer to apply the following layer styles:
Step 1
Choose a layer style Stamping (Bevel and Emboss). Set the following settings for this layer style:
- The size (Size): 7
- Circuit Glossy (Gloss Contour): Double ring (Ring double)
- Tick in the box Smoothing (Anti-aliased)
- Backlight mode (Highlight Mode): Bright light (Vivid Light)
- Opacity (Opacity) 70%
- Shadow mode (Shadow Mode) – Multiplication (Multiply) Opacity (Opacity) 20%
Step 2
Choose a layer style Circuit (Contour). Set the following settings for this layer style:
- Circuit (Contour): Cone (Cone)
- Tick in the box Smoothing (Anti-aliased)
Step 3
Choose a layer style Shadow (Drop Shadow). Set the following settings for this layer style:
- Opacity (Opacity) 70%
- Bias (Distance): 3
- Swipe (Spread): 0
- The size (Size): 7
So, we created the styling for the last text layer, reinforcing the details and completing the chrome effect.
6. Add Texture to Text
Step 1
Open the second source image with the car. Move this image to our working paper. Place this car layer on top of all other layers. Name this layer Text Texture (Text Texture). Apply scaling as needed. Now hold down (ctrl) + click on the thumbnail of the text layer to load the active selection.
Step 2
Click icon Add layer mask 
(Add layer mask) at the bottom of the layers panel to remove the texture outside the outline of the active selection.
If you want to move or rotate the texture, you can click the chain link icon between the layer thumbnail and the layer mask thumbnail to turn it off, then click on the layer thumbnail and shift the texture inside the mask.
Step 3
Change the blending mode for the layer Text Texture (Text Texture) on Darkening basics (Color burn) and also reduce Opacity (Opacity) layer up to 30%.
You can using the tool Move 
(Move Tool) move the texture to get the desired result.
The texture will create a beautiful shade and enhance the details, and also make the effect more realistic.
7. Perform Final Color Correction.
Step 1
Click icon Create a new adjustment or fill layer (Create new fill or adjustment layer) at the bottom of the layers panel and in the appeared window select the option Gradient map (Gradient Map).
Step 2
Set the colors of the gradient: purple, green and orange, and also tick the box Dithering (Dither)
Change the blending mode for the adjustment layer. Gradient map (Gradient Map) on Chromaticity (Color) and then reduce Opacity (Opacity) up to 15%.
So we added a vintage feel to the final result.
Congratulations! We have completed the lesson!
In this tutorial, we used the original image to create a simple background for our text. Then we created several layers with text and styled them to get a chrome effect.
Next, we used another source image to add a delicate texture and detail to the chrome text. Finally, we added an adjustment layer. Gradient map (gradient map) to enhance vintage colors.
Hope you enjoyed this tutorial!
The final result:
Job translator:
