In this lesson we will learn how to create the original “slit” text effect! This effect is ideal for postcards, posters and flyers.
To complete this tutorial, you must have a basic knowledge of Photoshop, such as adjustment layers and layer masks.
Source materials:
- Forest
- Flowers
- Deer
Note: The author used paid materials. In the archive you will find an alternative version of free images for the lesson.
1. Create a background
Create a new working document of 1626 × 1080 px and a resolution of 72 ppi in Photoshop. Open the image of the forest and drag it into our document. Change its size and position the entire width of our canvas: Editing (Edit) – Transform (Transform) – Scaling (Scale).
Above the forest layer, create a new adjustment layer. Color search (Color Lookup) and select a style “Soft heat” (Soft Warming). Create a second Adjustment Layer Color search (Color Lookup) and set it to “Fall Colors” (FallColors.Look) with an opacity of 50%.
Translator’s Note: Correction layer Color search (Color Lookup) is available in Photoshop CS6 and higher. If you do not have such a function, you can skip this step.
Above these two adjustment layers create a new layer. Layer (Layer) – New layer (New Layer) (Ctrl + Shift + N) and set the blending mode Screen (Screen).
Using a large, round, soft pale yellow brush (# fff1c2), paint over the left side of the forest to increase the light.
Create another new layer Layer (Layer) – New layer (New Layer) and set the blending mode Soft light (Soft Light).
Using the same brush, select black and paint in dark parts of the forest to enhance the shadows.
Group all the layers together in a group, and name it “Forest.”
Translator’s Note: Using a light yellow brush, set the brush opacity to about 18%, and for a black brush – 30%. To place the layers in a group, click the sign at the bottom of the “Create a new group” layer panel, drag the desired layers into the group that appears.
2. Add text
In this step, we will create the text. Above the “Forest” group, create a new layer. Layer (Layer) – New layer (New Layer) (Ctrl + Shift + N) select tool Rectangle selection
(Rectangular Marquee), on the right side of the canvas, create a square shape and fill it with white. Using the tool Horizontal text
(Text), create an inscription.
Hold down Ctrl, select the text layer and click on the layer window with the left mouse button to select text. Go back to the layer with the white rectangle, and then add a layer mask to it.
Click on the layer mask and click Ctrl + I, to invert the layer mask. Our letters turned out as if “cut out” in a white rectangle, and now you can delete the source text.
Open the photos of the flowers and place them above the labeled layer. Place the stalks of flowers over the slots in the letters.
Now create the effect of germination of flowers right through the letters. To do this, hold down the key Ctrl, left-click on the mask of the layer with the letters on the white rectangle. We have a running dotted selection. Go to the mask layer with flowers and hard brush, black paint over the area of the stem, which should be hidden.
Create a new group “Flowers” and drag layers with colors there. Apply to the layer group “Flowers”, adjustment layer: menu Layer (Layer) – New adjustment layer (New Adjustment Layer) – Hue / saturation (Hue / Saturation), and reduce saturation to -14. And one more adjustment layer: menu Layer (Layer) – New adjustment layer (New Adjustment Layer) –Brightness / Contrast (Brightness / Contrast), and set the brightness to +5, -21 contrast.
Now, give the illusion of volume of flowers. Above a layer with a white rectangle, but, under a layer with flowers, create a new layer: Layer (Layer) – New layer (New Layer) (Ctrl + Shift + N) using a soft black brush, with by pushing (Flow) 10%, draw light shadows under the flowers.
Create a new group, name it “Text” and move a layer with a rectangle and a shadow into it.
3. Add leaves
Add green plants to our composition and emphasize the depth of the image.
Once again we use the images of flowers, beautifully place them under the “Text” group, change the size and hide the white background, as in step 2.
Open the image of the fern, if necessary, carefully separate it from the background, and transfer to our image, under the group text. Position it behind the left upper corner of the white rectangle so that the twisted tips peep out.
For the fern layer, create the Adjustment layer: menu Layer (Layer) – New adjustment layer (New Adjustment Layer) – Adjustment Layer Brightness / Contrast (Brightness / Contrast), and set the brightness to +20, contrast -48
Open the remaining images of flowers and place them under the text group, clearing the background and resizing.
Create a new group of “Plants” and place all the layers with plants under the white rectangles in this group.
4. Add a deer
Add a deer figure to our work. Open the image, carefully cut out the deer and transfer it to our canvas, above all other layers.
Draw a shadow on the figure of a deer – create a new layer above the layer with the deer: Layer (Layer) – New layer (New Layer) (Ctrl + Shift + N), set the layer mode to – Multiplication (Multiply), using a soft round brush, color (# 181513), draw a shadow on the lower part of the body.
Create another layer: Layer (Layer) – New layer (New Layer) (Ctrl + Shift + N) with mode Overlap (Overlay). Using white soft round brush to create highlights and black for shadows, we will add more contrast and light. Focus on the horns, eyes and edges of the fur.
Translator’s Note: Do not forget when creating layers for image correction with a deer, put a tick “Use the previous layer to create a clipping mask”, and set the transparency of the brush to about 30%.
Now create a layer to give the effect of sunlight. Create another layer: Layer (Layer) – New layer (New Layer) (Ctrl + Shift + N), with mode Soft light (Soft Light). Using a soft round brush of light yellow color (# fff0b0), paint over the horns, back and top of the deer head.
And the last adjustment layer for the layer with the Stag, we need to lower the brightness: menu Layer (Layer) – New adjustment layer (New Adjustment Layer) – Brightness / Contrast (Brightness / Contrast), and set the brightness to -30.
Now we will create a new group “Deer” and place all the layers with a deer in it, incl. corrective.
5. Final color correction
It is time to work on the final stage. We will correct the common colors in our work. The layers created at this stage should be above all other layers.
Increase contrast: menu Layer (Layer) – New adjustment layer (New Adjustment Layer) –Brightness / Contrast (Brightness / Contrast), and set the contrast to +30.
Create a new Adjustment Layer Color search (Color Lookup) and select “Soft Heat” style. Create a second layer Color search (Color Lookup) and set it to “Amber”, with 20% opacity.
Create a new layer – Layer (Layer) – New layer (New Layer) (Ctrl + Shift + N) and set the blending mode Soft light (Soft Light), paint over with a large soft brush in the upper left corner, and black in the lower right. Opacity (Opacity) layer about 56%.
And the final touch is to create a gradient map adjustment layer: menu Layer (Layer) – New adjustment layer (New Adjustment Layer) – Gradient map (Gradient Map) Black to white gradient, 33% layer opacity.
Well, here we are finished! I wish you all success!
