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Creating Swirly Typography In Photoshop

Posted on 16. Apr, 2009 by Shawn in Featured, How-To, Photoshop

Here is a super simple way to create swirly typography using Photoshop. You could use this for website logos, desktop backgrounds or wherever you see fit. Before you get started you will need the FREE Swirls Brushes created by :Coby 17, about 7 minutes of your free time and a large dose of caffeine. Lets get started.

1. Create a new document in Photoshop, I used 1680 X 1050. Duplicate the Background layer and fill it in with black (this step isn’t necessary but makes seeing the text easier).

2. Pick a font that you would like to incorporate in your logo. I used MS Reference Sans Serif in this tutorial. After typing the text, right click on the text layer and select blending options. Choose the Blue, Red, Yellow gradient and change the angle to 0 degrees.

3. Create a new layer and click the brush tool to access the brushes that you downloaded earlier. You may need to click Window and check mark Brushes to see the brushes window.

4. Now is the part where you can get creative. In this step, try to use swirls that work well with each letter. As you can see with the letter “b” I choose a swirl that took advantage of the curve in the top rounded part of the letter. On your newly created layer, take your eyedropper tool and grab the color from the first letter of your text so that the swirl will match this color. Now choose a good swirl that works with the letter and place it near or on top of the letter. Hit Ctrl+T to enter free transform and rotate and change the size until the swirl rolls off of the letter smoothly.

NOTE: This picture appears blurry only because I am zoomed in pretty close in Photoshop. This makes placing the swirls a bit easier.

5. Continue placing swirls on each letter making sure to place each on its own layer and grabbing the color of the letter before choosing the swirl. Play around with the swirls to make them fit neatly with each letter. You may want to go bigger with the swirls in the center of the text and then smaller on the outsides.

6. Once satisfied with the placing and color of the swirls, select all of the swirl layers, including the text layer. You can do this by holding Ctrl while clicking each one. Once they have all been highlighted, right-click and choose Merge Layers to place everything onto one layer.

Rename the new layer “Text”

7. Now, lets add some texture behind the swirly text. In Google images search for “Old Paper” in extra large pictures. You should get plenty of options. Choose one with a lot of bends and cracks in it and save to your computer.

8. Create a new layer and place the downloaded “old paper” on the layer. Hit Ctrl+T to resize until it fits over the entire canvas. Drag the Paper layer underneath the Text layer.

9. With the Paper layer highlighted choose Filter>Filter Gallery. Select the “Sumi-e” filter located within Brush Strokes. Click OK.

10. Now we want to darken the texture (Paper layer). Click Opacity above the layers and change it to 7. You can see the difference it makes in the before after below.

100% Opacity

7% Opacity

11. One more step. Right-click on the text layer and choose Blending Options. Choose Drop Shadow and use Color Burn for the blend mode. Change the Opacity to 75%, the angle to -60 and the distance and size to 5px. Click OK. This step will help to make the Text and Swirls stand out a bit more and create separation from the Texture layer.

You’re final image should appear similar to this, of course with your own text and personal touch.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that it helped to get some creative juices flowing in someone out there.

Related posts:

1. How To Create A 3D Logo In Photoshop
2. How To Make A Polka Dot Pattern In Photoshop
3. Photoshop: Create a Glossy Web 2.0 Button
4. Photoshop: Design A Clean Glossy Button
5. How To Make Reflective Mirror Image Text Using Photoshop

Tags: Photoshop