Close Menu
PSD VaultPSD Vault
  • VIP Area
  • Photoshop Basics
  • Photo Effect
  • Text Effect
  • Premium Tuts
  • Resources
  • Drawing
  • Inspiration
  • Web Graphics
  • Abstract
  • Freebies
  • Advertise
  • Get in Touch
  • About PSD Vault
Facebook Instagram Pinterest YouTube TikTok
Facebook Instagram Pinterest YouTube TikTok RSS
PSD VaultPSD Vault
  • VIP Area
    • Sign Up
    • Log In
  • Photoshop Basics
  • AI
  • Photoshop Error Fixes
  • Video Tutorial
  • Photo Effect
  • Text Effect
  • Premium Tuts
  • Drawing
  • Opinion
PSD VaultPSD Vault
Home»Text Effect»Design a Horror Style Text Effect with Dirt and Splatter Texture in Photoshop
Text Effect

Design a Horror Style Text Effect with Dirt and Splatter Texture in Photoshop

By James QuJuly 12, 20095 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

In this tutorial, I will show you the processes I used in creating this horror style text effect with Dirt and Splatter Texture in Photoshop. I’ve got the inspiration from the game “Prototype” title typography and decided to have a bit experiment with it myself.

Along the way, we will be using a lot of layer blending options, image adjustments, selection techniques, custom brushsets painting and filter effects. This is an intermediate level tutorial and beginners may find it a bit tricky to complete, but why not have a try :)

Here is  a preview of the final effect for this tutorial: (click to enlarge)

horror-text-effect-flatten-2

PSD File Download

You can download the PSD File for this tutorial via the VIP Members Area for only $6.95/Month (or less)! You will not only get this PSD File, but also 70+ other PSD Files + Extra Goodies + Exclusive Photoshop tutorial there. Signup now and get exclusive :) Find out more about the VIP Members Areas

Let’s get started!

To complete this tutorial, you will need the following stocks:

Font

Dirty Spray Brushset

Stroke and Splatter

Step 1

Create a new document sized 1200 * 800 px (in fact size doesn’t really matter here, choose one you feel comfortable with), use White as background colour.

In order to maxmise the effect, the choice of font is quite important here. For me I tend to use a Bold, Clean Font from at the start, simply because they are easy to manipulate and stylise. So go head and use the font we have just downloaded and type some text onto the canvas: (Hint: you can use Ctrl + T free transform tool to adjust the size of the text)

1 type

Step 2

On this text layer, apply the following layer blending options:

General Blending

2 general

Drop Shadow

2 drop sha

Inner Shadow

2 Inner Shadow

Bevel and Emboss

2 bevel and emboss

Contour

2 contour

Gradient Overlay

2 gra overlay

Stroke

2 stroke

and you will have the following effect:

2 effect

Step 3

Load the selection of the text layer by holding down the Ctrl key and left click the thumbnail image of the text layer on the layer palette:

3 load

Hit Ctrl + Alt + R and bring up the Refine Edge Tool, apply the following settings:

3 refine edge

and your selection will become like this:

3 after ref

Step 4

Maintaining the selection, create a new layer on top of the text layer and name it “Dirt Spray”, load the Dirt Spray brushset into Photoshop, and use the different brushes in this set, paint on the new layer.

You will see because we have the selection enable, the dirt appears within the selection:

4 paint

and here is the effect I have after a bit painting with the dirt brush:

4 after pai

Step 5

Now we can add some background textures to make the effect a bit richer. Load the “Stroke and Splatter” brushset into Photoshop, create a new layer called “texture” just above the background layer, select the brushes from this set to paint over the new layer: (I chose the red colour)

5 paint

Also you can use the splatter brushset for additional effect.

Now we can add some more decorations onto the text. I decided to add some curvy lines . To do this, create a new layer called “lines” and grab the Pen Tool, create the following working path on this “lines” layer:

5 path

And right0-click and choose the “Stroke Path” option, as shown below:

5 stroke path

Then select the option “Brush” and tick the “Simulate Pressure” option (Make sure set the brush size to 16px, with 100% hardness). Use the Free Transform Tool (Ctrl + T) and free transform it as shown below:

5 free trans

Duplicate this “lines” layer a few times, on each duplicated layer, free tranform it to different sizes. Here is what I have after the duplication and free transformation:

5 after duplicate

Optional: You can further enhance this effect by duplicating some more layers of the “lines” layer, and drag them on top of the text layer. Here is what I have after moving them above the text layer:

5 after move

Step 6

To create some uneven light effect, we can add a new layer on top of all previous layer, grab a soft round brush (I chose 150px) and select the White colour, do some single-clicks on the spot you would like to highlight:

6 high

Change the layer blending mode to “Overlay” and you will have the following effect:

6 effect

I further added some more background textures by using the splatter brushsets and here is what I have after the paintings:

6 final

Step 7

For some final adjustments, I decided to flatten the image (make sure before you do so, save a copy of the non-flattened one first), and duplicate the background layer once and desaturate the duplicated layer, go to filter > sharpen > smart sharpen and apply the following settings:

6 sharpen

And add a new layer on top of the duplicated layer, grab a big soft brush and paint some colour onto it:

7 paint

Change the layer blending mode to “Color” and you will have the following effect

horror-text-effect-flatten

Add the following two adjustment layers on top of all previous layers by going into “Layer > Adjustment Layer >…”:

Curves

7 curves

Colour Balance

7 col bal

and you will have the following final effect: (click to enlarge)

horror-text-effect-flatten-2

That’s it for this tutorial! Hope you enjoy it drop me a comment if you have any question, I will try my best to help you out.

Cheers and have a nice day!

dirt effect horror intermediate splatter text texture
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
James Qu
  • Website

James is a seasoned Photoshop expert with over 25 years of experience, mastering the software since its 5.0 version. As the driving force behind PSD Vault, he authors the majority of its in-depth tutorials and insightful articles.

Related Posts

Create Colourful Fiery Portrait in Photoshop

May 7, 2025

Making 80’s Style Chrome Text Effect In Photoshop

April 9, 2025

How to Create a Stunning Liquify Filter Typography Effect in Photoshop

February 15, 2025

48 Comments

  1. Awais on July 12, 2009 11:57 PM

    this was amzing text style
    v v v v v v v v v nice Effect
    i am a great fan of your site its to good
    i want to submit a tutorial how can i do that i need your reply

  2. Johnson Koh on July 15, 2009 1:27 PM

    Very cool James. U r good in this!

  3. anieng on July 15, 2009 9:03 PM

    nice,,
    thx ^^

  4. James on July 15, 2009 10:50 PM

    @Johnson: thanks buddy!

  5. joyoge designers' bookmark on July 16, 2009 12:22 AM

    nice text effect, thanks for the tut..

  6. WOW on July 16, 2009 7:50 AM

    wow dude this is awsome

  7. Abdurrahman on July 22, 2009 7:29 AM

    Nice effect, I did this effect and very to be was beautiful, thank you

  8. Jaax on July 23, 2009 2:35 AM

    Hey mate, i was wondering if you could get in touch, i really need some help with some stuff about this cool style :)

  9. Jaax on July 23, 2009 5:18 AM

    I was wondering if i could have an image made up for me, exactly like this one, but with the text saying “Emerge” because im only running version 7.0 and i can’t get the same kind of effects to it. =/

  10. Flex developer on July 23, 2009 11:57 PM

    Your site is very good. There are useful information and most importantly, for sharing great. Thank you ….

  11. ElectronicPastry on July 30, 2009 6:13 AM

    What version of PS are you running, James? I’m not sure if it makes much a difference with the issue I’m having or not. I’m using CS3 Extended, and I’ve followed the blending options for the text at the very beginning of the tut exactly, and I keep ending up with a darker, terrible looking text. I hope you can help out. If you want, I’ll use the same settings again and show you what I end up with.

  12. Spetch on July 31, 2009 11:52 AM

    Ye ehm, i’ve got some problems with this one.. I cant get the “Splatter” effect or any other BEHIND the text, it´s growing above it.

    also the Lines with the Pen tool is very very hard for me to do. Maybe you could give me a hint on theese ocne, since i´m not that advanced into photoshop.

    -/Best Regards, SpeTch.!

  13. Zac on August 4, 2009 4:44 AM

    Very well written.

  14. jake santos on August 10, 2009 12:27 AM

    i cant do the step 3..what ps are u using with ds effect..?

    the ctrl+alt+r is not working here in cs2..i dont know y..!

    im not dat to familiar hir in ps ..!

  15. CrimzonLabs on August 12, 2009 7:26 AM

    ElectronicPastry

    Try a White to Light Grey gradient in the blending options.

  16. Algwins on August 25, 2009 3:05 AM

    Yeah, I’m having exacltly the same problem as ElectronicPastry =/. What to do? All your other projects where fine, so why this one? Many thanks for the incoming and awaited answer :)

    (Love your Tut’s, they’re amazing!)

  17. Adam on August 28, 2009 2:47 AM

    Yea the CTRL+ALT+R doesn’t work in CS2, any other way to do this part, I’m new to Photoshop.

  18. ZaN on August 31, 2009 10:37 PM

    cant you give me the PSD of it

  19. jake on September 1, 2009 12:59 AM

    what the hell

  20. Petter on September 5, 2009 3:00 AM

    very god tutorial! this was my result!
    http://bildr.no/view/481411

  21. Moon on September 13, 2009 3:47 AM

    can i use it for a game? loading screen or something

  22. Toro on October 25, 2009 12:08 PM

    Hi, I’ve liked thi tutorial, but how can I do those lines? After drawing a line with a Pen tool, choosing stroke path option with ticked “simulate pressure”, the line is just getting thicker, width is the same at the beginning middle and at the and of the line, not like here. What should I do? Yo

  23. tutorial blog on November 2, 2009 3:29 PM

    thank.

    Good post

  24. Erin S. on November 20, 2009 5:54 AM

    Wow! Thank you so much for this tutorial, it’s complete unlike most tutorials you find online and very thorough, so again, thanks!

  25. Mark on December 21, 2009 4:08 PM

    Your tutorial was good, but is made for people with knowledge of photo shop (lack of explanation in some parts of the tutorial), certainly not for first timers

  26. gradient on December 25, 2009 3:59 PM

    Your gradient style on the font is wrong. The one you have showing is a black gradient but then you show it being white. You made the same mistake in another tutorial as well

  27. Rest on January 26, 2010 6:23 PM

    Why doesnt the Qbrushes work? its 404’ing :l

    I need them

  28. free fontz on May 1, 2010 12:59 AM

    absolutely stunning!

  29. Jules on June 6, 2010 5:08 PM

    Thanks mate. Good one

  30. Kashm1r on August 17, 2010 8:28 AM

    Very much THX !! love this effect !!!

  31. Peter on August 27, 2010 9:22 PM

    Hi there, as many have stated issues with the blending options. There is definitely an error, because the resultin image is terrible. Please check the tutorial, becuase it does NOT work. It is a nice effect, but it’s worth of nothing if we cannot replicate it. Please fix the tutorial, or alternatively send me the .psd file, that I can examine it and update it for you.

    Thank you.

  32. Crayon ^_^ on September 28, 2010 5:14 PM

    I Like Your Design in Text! I realy appreciate, and i love to see more of your works, very inspiartional. thanks a lot

  33. Yusuf on November 8, 2010 9:04 PM

    I’ve try it N it works great . really THX . Keep it up . Show us more .

    If ever smeone need the PSD file just email me on mb2507@live.com.

    Awesome Work !!!!!

  34. Hootbehnam (贝南) on December 2, 2010 3:56 PM

    Its Realy Nice & New kind of typo graphy ;-)
    I Love It… love love love love
    Tanx A Lot…

  35. Niclas on April 12, 2011 12:16 AM

    very nice tut!!!!

    my result:

    http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/7232/serverbanner4.jpg

  36. DR_K1T0 on May 14, 2011 9:25 PM

    Wonderful

  37. Diggler04 on December 11, 2011 1:32 AM

    This tutorial is awesome and easy to understand, love it.  Thanks a lot, I appreciate it.

  38. Web Hosting on February 13, 2012 10:34 PM

    Nice effect! Thanks!

  39. Taupo Accommodation on February 28, 2012 12:29 PM

    Cool paint brush effect :)

  40. Building Inspections Auckland on March 8, 2012 12:14 PM

    You’re really good on this! Nice work :)

  41. Mislav on July 4, 2012 7:27 AM

    Ok, It’s a great tutorial for someone who knows what he’s doing… Most of you don’t get the text right because you use different gradient…just make a lighter gradient and keep opacity of the gradient at 100%…if you can’t get the splatter brush effect behind the text you’re doing something wrong like…#1. you gradient opacity isn’t 100 %….#2 when you created a new layer called texture (step 5) you have to put it under the text and above the Background layer!…I hope it will help you somehow, And nice tut by the way :)

  42. Dannyboy on September 5, 2012 8:07 AM

    I’m new to photoshop and i’ve got the the line point. Sadly my line doesn’t seems to be as good has his. Could anyone help me?

  43. Patrick Dekker on September 25, 2012 8:33 AM

    thanks my result: http://i.imgur.com/wUt66.png

  44. KimJunHong.blogspot.com on September 28, 2012 7:37 PM

    Thanks!! This is what I’ve done: http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo304/kim_junhong/BLOG%20Stuffs/BannerSept2012-stroke.jpg

  45. Becky 'Dinky' Bamforth on March 24, 2013 1:36 AM

    It appears to be the Opacity on the Gradient Overlay that he has not altered. I reduced mine down to 20% and had a damn close result if not the same result as what shows in step 3

  46. Egene on April 12, 2013 8:23 PM

    how do you make that strokes on step 5 (The part where you use the pen tool) I keep getting the round ends instead of like that

  47. PSD Vault on April 16, 2013 8:34 PM

    Hi, you need to tick “Simulate Pressure” before you apply the stroke.

  48. Shak on March 29, 2014 3:23 PM

    Which Brush stroke you have applied on the following step :-

    Then select the option “Brush” and tick the “Simulate Pressure” option (Make sure set the brush size to 16px, with 100% hardness). Use the Free Transform Tool (Ctrl + T) and free transform it as shown below:

    I can’t get the same results

    @PSD Vault Thank you so much

Don't Miss

How to Resize Images Without Losing Quality in Photoshop 2025

May 17, 2025

The Beginner’s Guide to Photoshop AI Masking Tool

May 10, 2025

Curves or Levels: Choosing the Right Tool for Stunning Edits

May 9, 2025

For Beginners

Basics

How to Resize Images Without Losing Quality in Photoshop 2025

By James QuMay 17, 20255 Mins Read

Curves or Levels: Choosing the Right Tool for Stunning Edits

May 9, 2025

Photoshop Clipping Masks – Everything You Need to Know

May 8, 2025

10 Photoshop Blur Gallery Tricks That Will Make Your Photos Look Professional

April 26, 2025

You May Also Like

Photo Effect

Create Colourful Fiery Portrait in Photoshop

By James QuMay 7, 20254 Mins Read
Text Effect

Making 80’s Style Chrome Text Effect In Photoshop

By Mohammad JeprieApril 9, 202511 Mins Read
Text Effect

How to Create a Stunning Liquify Filter Typography Effect in Photoshop

By James QuFebruary 15, 20254 Mins Read
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
  • About Us
  • Get in Touch
  • Advertise
  • VIP Area
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
© 2025 PSD Vault. All Right Reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}