Instructions on How to Make Neon Text That Glows in Photoshop
A blazing neon text effect is one of the few design effects that captures attention. Immediately imparting a contemporary and lively vibe to any design is the dazzling light, electrifying color, and dramatic depth that it has. Photoshop has all of the tools that are necessary to make text shine with convincing realism, and it may be used for a variety of purposes, including the creation of a nightclub poster, a future title, or a simulation of digital signs.
Step-by-step instructions on how to create a glowing neon text effect are provided in this article. These instructions cover everything from selecting the appropriate font to fine-tuning the glow, color, and backdrop lighting to get a magnificent end result.
1. Assembling the Canvas in Position
When you first open Photoshop, you should create a new document. When it comes to most projects, a size of 1920 × 1080 pixels is ideal; however, you have the option to choose bigger proportions for printing purposes.
Change the color of the backdrop to either black or a very dark tone. The greatest way for neon light to stand out is when it is contrasted with darkness, which allows its glow to diffuse organically across the surrounding area.
It is important to ensure that your document is in RGB Color Mode since neon effects are dependent on the depiction of bright colors, which CMYK cannot mimic as successfully.
2. Identifying the Appropriate Font to Use
The font is the material that serves as the basis for excellent neon writing. Fonts that are rounded, thick, and have smooth edges replicate genuine neon tubing the best. Avoid using typefaces that are too thin or serifs since they make the glow seem less realistic.
Here are some fantastic options to consider:
- The Montserrat
- Luminous tubes
- The Nexa Bold
- The Neue Bebas
After you have picked the text you want to enter, use the enter Tool (T) and make sure that the color you choose is a vibrant and saturated one, such as cyan, magenta, or electric blue. Using this as the foundation for your glow will be the result.
3. Changing Ordinary Text into a Smart Object
Convert your text layer to a Smart Object by right-clicking on it and selecting the Convert to Smart Object option. This should be done before you apply any effects.
The flexibility and non-destructive nature of your workflow is enhanced by the fact that you are able to make adjustments to the glow effects at a later time without permanently affecting the original text.
4. Adding the Glow of the Inner Self
To access the Layer Style panel, double-click the text layer you want to modify. Take a look at Inner Glow and adjust it to the approximate parameters that are shown below:
- Mix Mode: Screen Blending
- About sixty to seventy-five percent opaqueness
- Colour: a shade that is lighter than your base colour
- Resolution: 5–10 pixels
Because of this, the text is given a lighted inner edge, which is a simulation of the way that actual neon tubes radiate light from the center outward.
5. The Art of Creating an Outer Glow
After that, make sure that the Outer Glow option is turned on in the Layer Style window. This is what gives neon writing its distinctive feeling. Make adjustments to the following:
- Screen or Linear Dodge (Add) constitutes the Blend Mode.
- Total opacity: 70–100%
- Either the same color as your text or a slightly lighter shade
- 10–20% of the total
- Dimensions: forty to eighty pixels
Play around with these parameters until you find that the light is properly balanced. It is more natural to have a glow that is softer and wider than one that is extremely crisp.
6. Reproducing the Glow in Order to Add Depth
Repeating your text layer using the shortcuts Ctrl + J or Cmd + J and renaming it “Outer Glow 2” will cause the level of realism to increase.
To reduce the opacity to around forty percent, open the Layer Style tab once again and make a little adjustment in both the Size and Spread settings. Because of this secondary glow, the light seems to be emanating through the haze of the atmosphere rather than being flat against the backdrop. This gives the impression that the light is radiating.
7. Including a Background Environment in the Process
What makes a glow effect seem the most convincing is when it interacts with the environment around it. It is possible to replicate the way neon reflects on neighboring surfaces by including minor ambient illumination.
Make a new layer below your text and use a big, soft round brush with a low opacity of ten to twenty percent to apply the same neon hue in a gentle brushstroke. To create the illusion of light dispersion, use it around the base or the wall area behind the information.
If your design has a wall with a texture, you may get a more realistic appearance by blending this layer using the Overlay or Soft Light option.
8. Improving the image using a Gaussian blur
Repeat the process of duplicating your basic text layer, do rasterization on it, and then add the Gaussian Blur filter (about 25–40 pixels). Adjust the blend mode of this layer so that it is either Screen or Linear Dodge (Add).
The halo effect that surrounds the text is accentuated by this fuzzy glow, which results in the creation of that unmistakable neon atmosphere in which light seems to extend into the darkness that is now there.
9. Introducing a Color Variation That Is Realistic
Genuine neon signs almost never produce a single hue; rather, they flicker and change their tone in a subtle way. Adding a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer on top of your text and making a modest adjustment to the hue or saturation (with a range of ±5 points) will allow you to accomplish this effect.
Additionally, you have the option to duplicate the glow layer, alter its color by using Color Overlay, and then lower the opacity to between 10 and 15 percent. Authenticity may be added to the light by combining subtle tones of colors that are comparable.
10. Establishing a Flicker Effect
In the event that you are designing for animation or digital signs, you may imitate a flicker by making many copies of the glow layer with slightly variable degrees of opacity and intensity.
The uneven rhythm of actual neon lights may be reproduced by toggling between them or animating opacity in Photoshop’s Timeline. This is a small yet compelling element that can be used for motion graphics.
11: Improving Shadows and Reflections in the Images
If you want your neon writing to have the appearance of being in a real environment, you should put some soft reflections or shadows on the surfaces that are around it.
Make a new layer underneath the text and use a brush with a low opacity to paint a deeper hue around the base so that it is not too noticeable. It seems from this that the light source, which is your neon text, is lighting a portion of a wall or an item that is located close.
If the text you are working with is positioned on a reflective surface, you should duplicate it, flip it vertically, and then apply a Gradient Mask to make the reflection fade away in a natural way.
The final color grading and finishing touches are as follows:
- You can finish off the look by adding an adjustment layer on top of your composition that is either a Color Lookup or a Gradient Map overlay. Choose a tone that is dramatic, such as a cold magenta highlight or a slight contrast between blue and orange.
- The brightness and contrast should be adjusted to perfection so the light seems unified and vibrant. The next step is to gently sharpen the text by using the Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask command. This will improve the clarity of the edges without reducing the softness of the glow.
Creating Light That Has a Living Quality
In Photoshop, the process of creating luminous neon lettering does not include the use of filters or shortcuts; rather, it involves the sculpting of light with precision and mood. Each modification, from the illumination on the inside to the reflection in the backdrop, adds to the overall credible outcome.
If you want your neon effect to seem professional, it should have a sense of life, as if light is really pulsating through invisible glass tubes. Your text will exude that electrifying charge that captivates both the eye and the imagination if you strike a precise balance between the tone, color, and glow of the text.
mainly due to the fact that in digital design, it is not enough to just make text visible; it is also necessary to make it sparkle.