Photoshop Project: Bling! (2017)

  • Create a new blank image. The size will vary depending on the the length of your text. Set the background contents to black. I’m using a 600 x 400 image so that it will fit on the page, but yours will probably be larger.
  • Select the type tool. Choose a thick font and set the text color to white.
  • Type your word, and make it large enough to nearly fill the image.
  • Select the Gradient tool.
  • Ctrl-click (on a Mac, command click) your text layer. The area of your text will be selected.
  • Select the new layer icon (the square with the folded corner) at the bottom of the layer tray.
  • Set your foreground color to black and background color to white.
  • Set the gradient to fade from the foreground to the background.
  • Fill the selected area so it fades from black at the top to white at the bottom, like this:
  • With the fill layer still selected, go to Filter>Render>Lighting Effects.
  • Adjust the size and color of the spotlight so that your image looks something like this:

    These are the settings I used, but yours will be different. Make sure the light is coming from the top right corner, and that  the spot surrounds your text.Set the top color to:
    R: 255
    G: 252
    B: 235

    Set the bottom color (colorize) to:
    R: 242
    G: 242
    B: 182

    Your image should look something like this:

  • Select Image > Adjustments > Curves.
  • Choose settings close to these. Add control points by clicking and dragging. Use the background grid to help you see where to place the ponts:
  • Your image will now look something like this: 
  • Select Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation
  • Use these settings:
  • Your image should look something like this:
  • Choose Select>Modify>Contract.
  • The more you contract, the wider the “gold” edge will be on your bling. I contracted by six pixels.
  • Create a new layer. Name it “Diamonds.”
  • Select Edit>Fill. Use these settings:
    You’ll get something like this:
  • Select Filter>Noise>Add Noise. Use these settings:
  • Press Alt-Ctrl-F (on a Mac command-F). This is just a quick way to repeat the filter effect two more times. Your text will look like this:
  • Press Ctrl-D (on a mac command-d) to deselect everything.
  • Double-click the diamonds layer on the layer palette to open the layer styles menu.
  • Select stroke. Use these settings: 
  • Select Bevel & Emboss. Use these settings:
    Your bling is done!