How to Create 3D Volcano Text Effect in Photoshop

In this tutorial, you will learn to how to create 3D volcano text effect in Photoshop. We will render 3D text in Photoshop using its initiative 3D tools, then apply a volcanic texture over the 3D text to form the final effect.

This is an intermediate level tutorial and prior knowledge of Photoshop layers, image adjustments, masks are required.

Note: The Photoshop tutorial is done in Photoshop CC – therefore some screenshot may have slighting different layout as in the earlier version. Some brushes are exclusive to Photoshop CS6 or above.

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

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

Lava Stock 1

Lava Stock 2

3D Text Render

Step 1

Create a new document sized 1440px * 740px with black background. Load the Lava Stock 1 image into Photoshop and select the centre portion:

Copy and paste the selection to our document, place it at the bottom and slightly rotate it clockwise:

Use the “Perspective” option in free transform tool to stretch the bottom of the image to give it some perspective:

Use a soft eraser to fade the following parts of the layer:

Apply the following image adjustments to this layer:

Black & White

Layer mask on the above black and white adjustment layer to reveal the lava portion:

Levels

and here is the effect so far:

Use a smoke/cloud brush or the cloud filter, add some smoke effect around the ground:

Step 2

Load the 3D text render into Photoshop and place it above the ground:

Remove the shadow of the letter using a soft eraser.

Use a crack brush as eraser, add some cracks to the letter. Also apply some soft eraser effect around the letter – this creates depths when we apply the texture later:

Make a selection of the letter:

Move the selection to the Lava Stock 1 image, select the following portion:

Copy and paste the selection to cover the letter, change its layer blend mode to “Multiply”:

Duplicate this layer once and change the layer blend mode to “Soft Light”:

and here is the effect so far:

Step 3

Load the “lava stock 2” image into Photoshop and select the following portion of the lava flow:

Copy and paste the selection to our document, remove the rock parts off the lava with a soft eraser, then attach it to the text as shown below:

Duplicate this lava flow layer a few more times, attach them to the text as shown below. Vary their sizes and angle as you see fit:

Use a particle brush to add some small flying particles around the text

Step 4

We’re almost done! For final touches, we can flatten the image and duplicate the background layer, apply the following “Accented Edges” setting to the duplicated layer:

Add the following layer mask to this filtered layer:

This filter gives the texts a more rusted, dark look:

I further added some warm colours to the texts, and this is my final result:

Please feel free to experiment your own colour scheme, and see what results they bring you.

That’s it for this tutorial! Hope you enjoy it and find it useful! If you have any questions about the steps, please contact me or leave a comment below. I will try my best to answer them.

Till next time, have a great day!