Design a Super Sleek Text Effect with Water Drop Texture

Posted on May 26th, 2009 under Text Effects, it has 49 Comments and 41,128 Views so far.

In this tutorial, I will show you the steps I took to create the Super Sleek, eye-catching text effect with Water Drop Texture. This effect is simple but effective, and would be suitable for any water/rainy/ocean themed designs you’re creating.

Along the way, we will be using Photoshop techniques such as make selections, layer blending effects, image adjustment tools and a bit of masking. This is a beginner level tutorial and the steps are really easy to follow, have a try!

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

Alternative Version: (click to enlarge)

Ok let’s get started!

To Complete this tutorial, you will need the following stock:

Font

Water Drop Texture – By eRiQ

Step 1

Firstly we can prepare some nice background for us to work on. Create a new document sized 1920 * 1080px with white colour background. On the background layer, use the Gradient Tool (G) to fill it with the followings:

1-grad1

Duplicate this background layer once, hit Ctrl + T and resize the duplicated layer as shown below:

2-resize

In between the duplicated layer and the background layer, create a new layer call “Light bottom” and grab a big soft round brush with white colour (I chose 1600px, 0% hardness, 55% opacity), do a single-click on this newly-created layer on the position shown below:

3-light

Then on top of all previous layers, create a new layer called “light top” and use the same brushset for the “light bottom” layer, do a single-click to the following position as shown below:

1-light-2

You will have the following effect:

1-effect2

Step 2

Use the font we just downloaded, type some texts onto the document, resize (Ctrl + T) and position it in the centre of the canvas:

2-text-position

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

Drop Shadow

2-drop-sha

Outer Glow

2-out-glow

Gradient Overlay

2-grad-overlay

And you will have the following effect so far:

2-effect3

Step 3

Load the water drop texture into Photoshop. Go back to our text document and load the selection of the text layer by using the following method:

1. Move your mouse over the thumbnail image of the text layer in the layer pallette: (You will notice your mouse cursor change into a hand)

3-mouse-over

2. Hold down the Ctrl key (the cursor will change into a hand + rectangular marquee) and left-click the thumbnail image of the text layer. You will see now the text layer is selected:

3-select

Once the text layer is selected, grab the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M), move your mouse over the selection until you see the cursor changes into the following shape:

3-rect-tool

Left-click and hold, drag the selection over the water drop texture:

3-drag

Hit Ctrl + Alt + R and bring up the refine edge tool, apply the following settings:

3-refine-edge

Press Ctrl + C to copy the selected portion from the water drop texture, go back to our text document and Ctrl + V to paste the texture on top of the text layer:

(Important: please maintain this selection on the water drop image, we will use it again in the next step)

3-effect-12

Name this layer as “water drop texture 1″ and change its blending mode to “Overlay”, you will have the following effect:

3-effect4

Step 4

To add a bit variety for the water drops, simply go back to the water drop texture image, move the selection to a different portion:

4-move

Again we copy and paste the selection back to our text document, name the newly-created layer as “water drop texture 2″, change the blending mode to “overlay”.

You will have the following effect:

4-effect-3

Optional: you can add more water drops to the text by repeating the above steps.

Here is what I have after adding another two layers of water drop textures:

4-effect-4

Step 5

To make the actual text stand out a bit more, simply duplicate the text layer once and drag the duplicated layer upon the top. Reduce the opacity of this duplicated text layer to around 70%.

You will have the following effect:

5-effect4

Add a new Levels adjustment layer by going to Layer > New adjustment Layer > Levels and apply the following settings:

5-curves1

Add the following mask to the Levels adjustment layer:

5-mask

And you will have the this final effect:

5-effect-24

Ok that’s it for this tutorial! You can of course add some of your own texture or filter effect and see what the end results are! Remember to always keep your own creativity!

Here is my final image for this tutorial: (I simply black and white the image and add some of my own colours) – Click to enlarge:

Hope you enjoy this tutorial, drop me a comment if you have any question, I will try my best to help you out.

Cheers and have a nice day!

Like this post? Share it around!

49 Comments

joyoge designers' bookmark Says:
looks really nice, I like this text effect. thanks..
Roger Says:
Awesome! Abduzeedo has changed layout! Oh, wait….
Giggss Says:
OMG looks really good, but I didn’t like the gradient overlay ;)
Devlin Says:
Very cool effect. I like the trick in step one to make a slick web 2.0 background in a very simple way. Thanks!
FreelancerCrowd Says:
Looks cool, atrough a bit strange when it’s just around the text
PB Says:
looks really nice, I like this text effect. thanks..
James Says:
@FreelancerCrowd: yeah it’s a bit empty on the outside. My initial though is to make a beginner level tut without too many steps, so I just concentrate on the text surroundings.
James Says:
@Devlin: thank you! glad you find it useful!
James Says:
@Giggss: yeah I show the gradient overlay purely for tutorial purpose, you can of course skip this step :)
Artiom Says:
WoooW! amazing! thanks =D =D =D ill try do it right now
DEAR Says:
hey Guy! It’s wonderful and excellent tutorial. I really love it. Thank you so much. but I have some problem on step5. that I don’t know How can I go……. Add the following mask to the Levels adjustment layer.
Thank you!!
psaddict Says:
look great.

Added to http://www.psaddict.com
Johnson Koh Says:
Interesting effect. Great work!
shravani Says:
very good
excellent
thank u
James Says:
@DEAR: with step 5, I basically use a big soft brush (0% hardness) and did a single click on the centre of the layer mask.

Hope this helps :)
Kyle Says:
hey, so I’m having trouble with like the last couple steps, i don’t understand the levels and then the layer mask and really don’t understand how you added colors to the water and made it white all the way around could you please help me
amber Says:
great tutorial i’m sure you’ve heard that a thousand times thank you for the detailed instructions. always love it when the colors used are specified
kk4527 Says:
good
3rbfilez.com Says:
this is wonderful tutorial .. i read it 3 times and get a fantastic results and sure i put a
copy of this lesson on my site here

http//www.3rbfilez.com
gamul Says:
wuah. ..
good tutorial you also, you would like to link tuker with me and become a partner comment?
lucas Says:
looks awesom!!

how did u get that final effect with the white background and colors???? i tryed but i have no idea
Dillon Says:
I love the tutorial, but couldn’t figure out the last step you added with the colors. Could you help me out?

- Dillon
Helena Says:
Very smart! Love it, thank you!
Kaplang Says:
really cool effects, I love the colourful one :)
yarenay Says:
I could not do. I need to work hard
2hands10fingers Says:
Love this tutorial.
Egypt Freelancer and web design in egypt Says:
cool
jailani Says:
cool cool effect
Carl Says:
Very cool effect, nice work. How did you add the color?