Create Simple 3D text

Create a new photoshop document

1 Open up Photoshop, create a new document that is 700px by 200px, with a background color of #424F60

Creating the Text

2 Select the horizontal type tool, use the settings below

Giving the text perspective

3 In order to create good looking 3D you need to give the text some perspective, right click the layer and select rasterize. Go to Edit > Transform > Perspective drag the bottom left tranform box left


4 Select the Move tool (V). Drag the bottom middle transform box inwards

Creating the 3D

5 Duplicate the text layer. Select the Original duplicate. Open the Hue and saturation Dialouge box (CTRL+U), use the settings below

6 Select the move tool (V). Move the layer 1px downwards. Duplicate the layer and repeat the step. After a few duplicates you should begin to notice a nice looking 3D effect

7 Here’s what I ended up with

8 Open the channel mixer dialouge box Image > Adjustments > Channel Mixer. Use the settings below


9 Select the layer. Open the Hue and saturation Dialouge box (CTRL+U), use the settings below


10 Duplicate the layer. Open the Hue and saturation Dialogue box (CTRL+U), use the settings below

11 Select the layer place it behind the green version. Select the move tool (V) and move the layer down too you get a similar size to the green area

12 I repeated steps 10-11 changing the settings slightly until I ended up with a nice brown color

Creating Main shadow

13 Duplicate the white text layer place it behind all layers on the canvas. Open the Hue and saturation Dialogue box (CTRL+U), use the settings below

14 We will no blur the layer. Go to Filters > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Use the settings below

Giving the 3D shadow

15 To create the 3D you will need to use the rectangular marquee tool (M) and the liner gradient tool (G) with a black transparent gradient. Use the rectangular selection tool and gradient tool together we will get all the hard corners done first, here is a example




16 Merge the three 3D layer together. select the magic wand tool (M) click the outside of the 3d area so the selection is on the outside, go back to the 3D shadow layer and delete the gradient overhangs

17 We will now add shadows to the rounded 3d areas, to do this we use the reflected gradient tool (G)




18 Select the magic wand tool (M) click the outside of the 3d area so the selection is on the outside, go back to the 3D shadow layer and delete the gradient overhangs. Lower both sets of shadows opacity to you get the shadow to your liking

Giving the white text shadows

19 Create a new layer. Place it in front of all other layers on the canvas. Select the linear gradient tool (G) and drag a black (#000000) gradient from the left to the right

20 Select the magic wand tool (W) select the outside of the text and the inner areas of the P, D, B and A then hit delete on the gradient layer created in step 19

21 With the selection still active move the selection upwards 2px hit delete

22 Lower the opacity to 25% and your done

You have now completed the tutorial