Neon Text

[Mr GRiM]

Here is a simple technique that will allow you to create neon glowing text that resembles those ever-popular window fixtures. This effect is made purely with Photoshop's Blending Options (a.k.a. Layer Effects in PS 5), so it can be saved as a Layer Style if you wish to save it for quick and easy future use.

For this tutorial you will need text with rounded edges and some sort of background image.

If you would like to follow along with the example used, you can download the file that contains these two items. (Incase you are dying to know, the font used in my example is called Harlow Solid Italic).

When you are all set, select your top text layer in the Layers Palette, right-click it and select Blending Options. Click on the words "Inner Glow" to both fill the check box and select its options menu. Create a glow effect with similar options as the image below. The color gradient you use is completely up to you. Make sure it begins with white on the left and ends with a darker color of your choice. I encourage you to play with the Choke and Size settings which depend a good bit on the your gradient.

Next, select the Outer Glow effect and create a dark radiant effect. For this effect the main settings you will need to adjust to your liking are Opacity, Size, and Range.

Similar to the last two steps, select the Drop Shadow effect. When choosing a color, pick one similar to the color in the middle of your glowing text. The Opacity, Spread, and Size settings should be customized to your pleasing. Also, if you want create a subtle illusion of looking up at your text, you may want to increase the Distance a good bit to around 20 or so.

Click OK to apply your layer effects. Now, it's time to add some dramatic lighting to the background. Click the background layer in the Layers Palette. Go to Filter>Render>Lighting Effects. Click OK to apply your effect.

Presto! You've got yourself some groovy neon text.

Find more tutorials like this @ Spoono