Create Futuristic Laser-Etched Text in Photoshop

I thought it would be interesting to have the NewEvolution logo being laser-ecthed into some type of stone-like material. This is what I came up with, and today I would like to share with everyone how I created this idea in Adobe Photoshop CS4. This is a quick tutorial for beginners that will use Layer Styles and the Rectangle Tool. Please keep in mind that this is not a finished design, I'm just trying to demonstrate simpler methods of creation.

 

Step #1 - Setting Up the File

This project will use the recommended dimensions for the new Twitter header image. I also added guidelines in the source file so that you can get an idea of how the image will look on Facebook and Google+. Let's get started. Open Photoshop > File > New... > change settings > click OK. Remember to save and back up your work as you go.

 

Step #2 - Changing the Background Color

Let's change that white background to dark red. Go to the Layers panel, double click the Background layer, click OK. This will unlock the layer so that we can now apply effects to it. Next, double click that same layer again, check the Color Overlay option, click the white box (Set color of overlay), and change the color from white to dark red (#621929). You can rename the layer back to Background. Naming layers is very useful.

 

Step #3 - Adding the Text

For this tutorial, I'm using the NewEvolution logo. For custom text, use the Character panel to write out the text that you would like to use. Be sure to make it white (#FFFFFF). Now let's make that text look pressed down, or etched. We're also going to add a glow effect to represent the heat from the freshly used laser. Go to the Layers panel, select the layer for the text, double click, and check the boxes for both Outer Glow (#ff416b) and Bevel and Emboss.

 

Step #4 - Creating Some Texture

Now download this free texture. Open up the textured image as a new Photoshop file, then copy and paste the texture into our current file. This is done to keep the image at full size. Next, go to the Layers panel, highlight that texture layer, and change opacity to 20%.

 

Step #5 - Adding the Smoke

Download this free smoke image. Just like the texture, open up the smoke image as a new Photoshop file, then copy and paste the smoke into our current file. Now we need to change it from black to white. Go to the Layers panel, highlight the smoke image layer, then add a color overlay of white (#FFFFFF). Then, right click (or use two fingers) on that layer, choose the Duplicate Layer... option twice, so that there is a total of three smoke layers. Next, under Edit, use the Free Transform and Transform tools to play around with the smoke sizes and positions. I chose to make the smoke in a spiral like format. Seems more interesting.

 

Step #6 - A Little Burn Spot

On the Tools panel, use the Rectangle Tool to make a box. Next, click the box with a line around it on the Layers panel to remove the outline. On the same layer, click the other box to change the color to pink (#ff416b). Now place this rectangle where you want the laser beam to be hitting the text. Use the Free Transform tool to change the size.

 

Step #7 - Making a Laser Beam

We're almost done! On the Tools panel again, use the Rectangle Tool to make a box. The size and proportions are not important. Now click the box with a line around it on the Layers panel to remove the outline. Also change the color of the box to light teal (#e6fcfa). Next, add an Outer Glow (#3e8a86) and Inner Glow (#3e8a86) to the layer. Lastly, go to Edit, then Transform, then Distort. Move the four corners of the box around to play with the size and angle of the laser beam. Done.

 

Wrapping It Up

I hope that you enjoyed this tutorial while getting a good idea of the design process. Now you can try with different colors, text, textures and images. Hopefully these techniques will help you in future design projects! Here are the free source files.

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