DIY Embossing Text

Use embossed text to showcase a masterpiece, document or greeting card.

Achieve the same look you've seen embossed text on greeting cards, logos or Web pages and to your own printed materials or online publications. Embossing gives you a three-dimensional effect. Image editors such as Photoshop, Fireworks and Paint Shop Pro are equipped with layer effects that you can apply to text and graphics. Saving the file as a transparent GIF or PNG lets you apply the text seamlessly to other pages.

Things You'll Need

• Photoshop, Fireworks or Paint Shop Pro

Instructions

Photoshop

1. Select "File" and "New" or press "Ctrl" and "N." Enter a height and width of "500" in the "New" dialog box. Select a white background and click "OK."

2. Click the "Type" tool in the Tools panel and go to the "Type" options palette. Click the "Font Family" drop-down menu and select a font for your text. Enter a size into the Font Size box. Click the "Text Color" button. This opens the Color Palette dialog box. Pick white or light-gray for the text color and click "OK."

3. Click on the canvas and type your text.

4. Select "Window" and "Layer" or press "F7" to display the Layers palette.

5. Click the "Add a new layer style" button at the bottom of the Layers palette. Select "Bevel and Emboss" from the pop-up menu. The Layer Style dialog box opens to the Bevel and Emboss tab.

6. Change the Style option to Emboss under Structure. Change the Technique drop-down option to Chisel Soft. Set the Opacity level to 60 percent and click "OK."

7. Click "Image" and "Trim" to open the Trim dialog box. Click the "Top Left Pixel Color" option and check mark "Top," "Bottom," "Left" and "Right" under Trim Away" Click "OK" to remove any unused areas from the canvas.

8. Go to the Layers palette and click the "Eye" icon for Background to hide the background layer.

9. Click "File" and "Save." Name the file "emboss" in the Save As dialog box. Accept the default file format. Click "Save."

10. Click "File" and "Save As" to reopen the Save As dialog box. Change the Format drop-down list to "CompuServe GIF (*.GIF)" and click "Save." Click "OK" twice in the boxes that pop-up.

Fireworks

1. Select "File" and "New" or press "Ctrl" and "N" to open the New Document dialog box. Enter a height and width of 500 pixels. Select a transparent background and click "OK."

2. Click the "Text" tool in the Tools panel and go to the Properties inspector at the bottom of the page. Select a font and size for the text. Click the "Color" box and choose white or light gray for the text color.

3. Click on the canvas and type your text.

4. Press the "Esc" key and return to the Properties inspector. Click the "Filters" button. Select "Bevel and Emboss" and "Insert Emboss" from the pop-up. Click the "Opacity" box and set it to 60 percent.

5. Click "Edit" and "Crop Document" to remove any unused areas from the canvas.

6. Click "File" and "Save" to open the "Save As" dialog box. Name the file "emboss" and accept the PNG file extension. Click "Save."

Paint Shop Pro

1. Select "File" and "New" or press "Ctrl" and "N" to open the New Image dialog box. Enter a height and width of 500 pixels. Add a check mark by Transparent and click "OK."

2. Click the "Text" tool in the Tools panel and go to the Text options bar. Select a font from the Font Family drop-down list. Enter the size of the text you want to create into the Font Size box. Go to the Materials palette on the right and select light gray or white from the color options.

3. Click on the canvas and type your text. Return to the Tool Options palette and click on the button that has a check mark on it. It applies the text to your page.

4. Go to the Layers palette and double-click the layer containing your text. The Layer Properties dialog box opens.

5. Click the "Layers Style" tab and add a check mark by Emboss. A preview of the embossed text displays at the top of the dialog box. Click "OK" to accept the effect.

6. Click the "Selection" tool in the Tools panel. Use your mouse to draw a selection around the text on your page. Click "Image" and "Crop to Selection" to remove the unused areas from the canvas.

7. Click "File" and "Save" to open the "Save As" dialog box. Name the file "emboss" and accept the default file format. Click "Save."

8. Click "File" and "Save" to reopen the "Save As" dialog box. Change the Save As Type option to "PNG Portable Network Graphics (*.png)" and click "Save." Click "Yes" at the warning to merge the saved file.

References

• Adobe Help: Layer Style Options
• Adobe Help: Apply a Style
• Corel Product: Using Layer Styles