Hot Hammered Text

For this effect, you’re going to be learning lots of cool techniques which you can use to create many more dazzling effects.

Don’t get scared of the terminology here. I’ll use the terms, you’ll do the work, and you’ll learn all you need to know for now about the terms.

A. We’re first going to create Hammered Text.

  1. We’ll start by typing your text onto your canvas:

  • File > New. File > Save as… and save your file.
  • Make a new Layer.
  • Choose your Type Tool and type what you want onto your canvas. This effect is best for big blocky letters, so choose your font accordingly. Mine is Berlin Sans FB Demi in 400 pt. Color doesn’t matter at this time.

2. Let’s make your Texture Channel.

  • In the Layers Palette, Ctrl-click your Type Layer to load the type as a Selection.
  • Click the tab labeled Channels. It’s stacked right next to your Layers Palette.
  • Create a new Channel, by clicking the New Channel icon at the bottom of the Palette. You’ll see your selection dancing around on the black background. Notice that PS gave your new channel the name Alpha 1.
  • Type D to get the Default colors. In Channels, white is the default foreground color.
  • Alt-Backspace to fill your selection with white. Ctrl-D to Deselect. Ctrl-S to Save.
  • Duplicate this Channel, by dragging it in the Channels Palette to the New Channel icon.
  • Double-click this channel in the palette and rename it “Texture.” Now we’ll make the texture!
  • Filter > Noise > Add Noise. Gaussian is good and I used about 25%.
  • Filter > Pixelate > Crystallize. I used a Cell Size of 15.
  • Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. I used 3.
  • Let’s trim this up. Ctrl-click Alpha 1 in the palette. Now Ctrl-Shift-I to invert the selection. And hit your Delete key. Ctrl-D to Deselect. Your result should look something like mine at the left, and your palette should look like this.

3. Shine a light on it!

  • Go back to your Layers Palette, make a new layer, and fill it with gray. I used #888888.
  • Save your file at this point.
  • Now is when things get really cool. Filter > Render > Lighting Effects. And you get the world’s largest dialog box.
  • Over to the right, you see Texture. Click that, and choose your Texture Channel.
  • Adjust the lighting, play around a bit, and, once you like this effect, hit OK at the top of this box.

4. Finish it up.

  • In your Layers Palette, you can delete your Type layer at this point. Or just turn off the visibility eye for that layer.
  • Shift-Ctrl-D to reselect your last selection. This should be the inversion of your text, that is, the background.
  • Hit Delete. Ctrl-D to Deselect.
  • Now give yourself a Layer Effect or two, and you have Hammered Text!

B. But we want it to be HOT, too!

  1. Select the black parts of your lettering. Use a Magic Wand with Tolerance set to 5%, contiguous off and click some of the black.
  2. Make a New Layer and fill the selection with a glowing hot red. Mine is #FF3C08.
  3. Not quite real yet. Blur the red a bit. Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and adjust it till you like the look.
  4. Trim it up. Ctrl-click the textured type layer and Ctrl-Shift-I to invert it. Delete.
  5. Et Voilà!