12
ADD INNER GLOW AND STROKE
With the Layer Style menu still open for the
ice text layer, select Inner Glow and adjust the
settings until it give the ice text a subtle highlight.
Finally select Stroke in the Layer Style menu. Change
the Position to Inside, the Blend Mode to Hard Light
and the Fill Type to Gradient. This should sharpen the
edges of the ice text to give it a sleeker and more
defined appearance. Adjust the size and opacity
settings for the Stroke as necessary.11
BEVEL AND EMBOSS
Select the ice text layer and double-click on
it in the Layers panel. In the Layer Style panel, select
Bevel & Emboss and select Inner Bevel in the Style
drop-down menu and Chisel Hard in the Technique
drop-down menu. Set the highlight colour to a white
and the shadow colour to black. This will start to
soften and blend out the harsh contrasts in the ice
texture. Play with the Soften and Size settings to give
the ice text some soft shading.13
MERGE LAYERS
Select all the layers apart from the
magma background and merge them together.
This should give you a layer that contains the blue
ice text and mist on a black background. Unhide
the magma background layer and set the blending
option for the ice text layer to Screen. Your ice text
and mist should now be sitting on top of the
magma background layer. If the ice text looks faint,
copy the layer and change the opacity to get the
brightness that you want.10
INTRODUCE MIST AND CONDENSATION
Create a new layer and use a Soft Round
brush (B) or a cloud brush (available for free from
the internet) on a very low opacity setting to paint
areas of mist and condensation around the letters.
Vary the brush’s opacity setting and make sure
that the mist does not affect the legibility of the
text. Use the Eraser (E) on a Soft Round brush
setting to softly delete the edges of the mist so
that it fades into the background.09
ADJUST THE COLOUR
To give the ice text a chilling blue hue, a Curves adjustment layer is required. Click on the
circular icon at the bottom of the Layers panel and select Curves. Alter the Red, Green and Blue settings
individually by selecting the respective headings in the drop-down menu. Use the suggested values in
the screenshot as a basis.FROZEN FRACTALS
CREATE ICY TEXT(^001) A searing hot magma background was BACKGROUND
created, which is currently hidden. This layer will be revealed in a few steps’ time
002 ICE The basis of the ice text was created TEXT
using a mixture of clipping masks andadjustment layers
(^003) Mist will be added and the ice letters MORE EMBELLISHMENTS
will be given some depth by enhancing the shadows and highlights
001
Creating fire and ice
effects in Photoshop
can sometimes feel like the
003 end of the world
002