Create a Cartoon-Style Graffiti Text Effect in Photoshop

 
Learn how to create graffiti text from scratch in Photoshop! This tutorial will show you how to use layer styles and finish the effect with a vector-style brick background.

Preview of Final Results

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Download the PSD

Graffiti Text.zip | 16.32 MB
Download from Website

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Graffiti text effect tutorial

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Resources

• Star Brushes – QBrushes

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Step 1- Create a New Document

Create a new 1000×500 pixels document. You can do this by going to File > New.

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Step 2

With the background layer selected, use the Paint Bucket tool to fill the layer with #D0CFCF.

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Step 3 – Text

Now for the text create a new layer, you can go online and find a font that would best fit your design or for my tutorial I created a rough sketch of how I wanted my text to look and scanned it into my computer. Next, grab your pen tool and make one of the letters. I used the word “Graffiti”.

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Step 4

Make a selection from the work path (right-click>Make selection) fill it with any color for now

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Step 5

Rename this layer. In my case I named this layer “G”. Duplicate this layer, place this layer underneath the regular layer. Double click this “G Copy” layer so that it brings up the Layer style box and change the color.

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Step 6

Then move the “G copy” layer upward 5px by using your arrow keys and also move it 8 or 9 pixels to the right.

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Step 7

On the original “G” layer add these layer styles, lets start with the Inner Shadow

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Step 8

This is how it should look so far. Go to your “G copy” layer, once you have selected this layer go to Layer>Layer Style>Create Layer. Now select your Burn tool and darken in some areas. Once you have finished that take your Dodge tool and highlight certain parts. Note: The green circle is where I used the Burn tool, the red circle is where I used the Dodge Tool.

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Step 9

While the “G copy” layer is still selected add a Drop Shadow.

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Step 10

Create a new layer and on the “G copy” layer make a selection of it and add a Stroke. Edit>Stroke, place this stroke layer beneath the “G copy” layer.

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Step 11

Create a New Layer and rename it “Squares”, grab your selection tool and make some squares fill it with #8cb809

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Step 12

Now we will add the highlight, create a new layer and with your pen tool create the place for the highlighted area. Fill it with #FFFFFF

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Step 13

Erase the unnecessary areas. To do this make a marquee selection of the original “G” and “G Copy” layer (while holding the ctrl+alt key, select the box next to the layer’s name) Select>Inverse, then delete while the highlight layer is still selected.

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Step 14

Change this layer to ‘Soft Light’ and add this layer style (Layer > Layer Style > Inner Shadow).

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Step 15

Repeat these same steps for the rest of your letters

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Step 16 Cloud

Create a New layer and rename it “cloud”. Place this layer beneath the letter layers. Grab your brush tool and use different sizes of circles to create the cloud. I used the color #e40480. Once finished duplicate this layer

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Step 17

Add these layer styles to the original layer (Layer > Layer Style > Bevel and Emboss).

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Step 18

This is how yours should look.

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Step 19

Create a new layer above the cloud layer and with a #FFFFFF soft round brush place some highlights around the cloud. Make sure the opacity on the brush is very low.

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Step 20

Go to your “Cloud copy” layer and place it underneath the original cloud layer and change the opacity of this layer to 27%. Also maneuver this layer a bit so that the shadow shows.

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Step 21

Create a new layer for the inner cloud grab a hard round brush of different sizes and create a cloud. I used the color #8cb809

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Step 22

Add these layer styles to this layer

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Step 23

Create a new layer and add some shine to this cloud layer with a small soft round brush. I used the smudge tool also to stretch out highlights

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Step 24

Now I will show you how to create the background. First Create a New Document

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Step 25

Grab your rounded rectanlge tool and make a rectangle. The color I’m using is #8cb809 Radius: 21px

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Step 26

Add a Stroke in the layer style panel

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Step 27

Make multiple duplicates of the brick. Note: Make sure to overlap the bricks so that there is no white background showing.

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Step 28

Create a new layer above the bricks and with a 60px #000000 soft round brush apply shadow to the bricks. Change this layer’s Opacity to 27%.

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Step 29

Go to Edit>Define Pattern and name it bricks, click ok. Go back to your graffiti document. Create a New Layer underneath your cloud layers. Fill this layer with #FFFFFF. Change this layer Fill to 0%. Add these layer styles

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Step 30

Create a new layer and randomly add highlights to the bricks. I used a soft round brush and the smudge tool to smooth it out.

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Step 31

Now for the light streaks. Create a New layer above your text and grab your pen tool. Prior to making your light streaks set your brush tool to 87px.

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Step 32

Once you have created the light streak with the pen tool, right-click the path>Stroke Path (make sure that the ‘Stimulate Pressure’ box is checked)

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Step 33

Add a Outer Glow

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Step 34

Create another light streak

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Step 35

Create a new layer and add some stars from the brushes you downloaded earlier.

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Final Results

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Download the PSD

Graffiti Text.zip | 16.32 MB
Download from Website