How to Make a Rock 3D Text Effect With Photoshop Layer Styles

Final product image — What You'll Be Creating

Learn how to create fake 3D text effects in this beginner's tutorial. You will learn how to create cool Photoshop text effects using Photoshop layer styles. Photoshop styles work with any font and are the best option when creating Photoshop type effects. The fake 3D can be used with any layer style and will make Photoshop letters more prominent and cool.

At the end of this tutorial, I will link to more tutorials for Photoshop text effects that can be combined with this one, so you will learn how to create cool text effects in Photoshop with styles and actions.

The text effect you will learn today was inspired by Concrete and Rock Styles. Eight Photoshop styles that work with any font or shape.

This pack is also available in Super Bundle Styles 2, which includes 66 text effects in total.

Concrete and rock styles promotion image — Concrete and Rock Styles

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used during this tutorial:

* The items marked with an asterisk are inside the zip file attached to this tutorial, edited and ready for use in this tutorial.

How to Create the Text Effect

Step 1

Download the zip file attached to this tutorial and extract it to any folder you want. Then open rockBackgroung.jpg with Photoshop.

Step 2

Now pick the Horizontal Type Tool (T) and set the text size to 190 pt and font to Titan One. Then write ROCK and place the text on the shelf.

Step 3

Now we are going to install the rock pattern. The original image is a little blurry, too big, and not seamless. So I edited it and fixed all that. The edited pattern is inside the zip file attached to this tutorial. To install it, go to Edit > Presets > Preset Manager and select Patterns for the Preset Type. Then click on Load and install the rockPattern-Tutorial file.

After that, double-click on the text layer to open the Layer Style panel. Then add a Pattern Overlay with these settings:

Blend Mode: Normal
Opacity: 100%
Pattern: rockPattern-Tutorial
Scale: 50%
Link with Layer: On

Step 4

Let's make this text less flat by applying a soft light to it. Add a Gradient Overlay with these settings:

Blend Mode: Soft Light
Dither: Off
Opacity: 100%
Reverse: Off
Style: Linear
Align with Layer: On
Angle: 90º
Scale: 100%

Then click on the gradient bar and edit it with these colors:

First stop Color: #414141 Position: 0%
Second stop Color: #c3c3c3 Position: 100%

Step 5

Now we are going to add a very soft border to the text. So add an Inner Glow with these settings:

Blend Mode: Color Dodge
Opacity: 33%
Noise: 0%
Color: #fffbec
Technique: Softer
Source: Edge
Choke: 0%
Size: 9 px
Contour: Linear
Anti-aliased: Off
Range: 50%
Jitter: 0%

Step 6

To help with the 3D text effect, we are going to add more depth with a subtle Inner Shadow:

Blend Mode: Multiply
Opacity: 54%
Use Global Light: Off
Angle: -45º
Distance: 2 px
Choke: 49%
Size: 1 px
Contour: Linear
Anti-aliased: Off
Noise: 0%

Step 7

Now add a Drop Shadow with these settings:

Blend Mode: Normal
Color: #0c0c0c
Opacity: 100%
Use Global Light: Off
Angle: 154º
Distance: 2 px
Spread: 100%
Size: 2 px
Contour: Linear
Anti-aliased: Off
Noise: 0%
Layer Knocks Out Drop Shadow: On

Step 8

The next effect will make the text look as if it has an uneven surface. It is very subtle, but combined with the second layer style it will look amazing. So add a Bevel & Emboss with these settings:

Style: Inner Bevel
Technique: Smooth
Depth: 368%
Direction: Up
Size: 46 px
Soften: 0 px
Use Global Light: Off
Angle: 97º
Altitude: 48º
Anti-aliased: Off
Highlight Mode: Color Dodge Color: #ffffff Opacity: 14%
Shadow Mode: Linear Burn Color: #000000 Opacity: 1%

Click on the Gloss Contour and edit it with these settings:

First point Input 0% Output 58% Corner: Off
Second point Input 37% Output 7% Corner: Off
Third point Input 78% Output 97% Corner: Off
Fourth point Input 100% Output 77% Corner: Off

After that, click on Save and name it Rock Contour. We are going to use that later.

This is how the text effect should look by now:

Step 9

Now press OK on the Layer Style panel. Then select the text layer on the Layers panel and press Control-J to duplicate the layer. After that, right-click on the text copy and choose Clear layer style.

Step 10

Double-click on the text copy to open the Layer Style panel. Then add an Inner Glow with these settings:

Blend Mode: Color Dodge
Opacity: 100%
Noise: 0%
Color: #535353
Technique: Softer
Source: Center
Choke: 36%
Size: 27 px
Contour: Linear
Anti-aliased: Off
Range: 50%
Jitter: 0%

This will add a highlight at the center of the text. It looks great and will make all the difference to the final text effect.

Step 11

Let's make the text a little darker while keeping the sharpness of the original texture.

Add a Gradient Overlay with these settings:

Blend Mode: Soft Light
Dither: Off
Opacity: 100%
Reverse: Off
Align with Layer: On
Style: Linear
Angle: 90º
Scale: 100%

The Soft Light on the Blend mode is perfect for keeping the sharpness of the texture.

Then click on the gradient bar and edit it with these settings:

First stop Color: #636363 Position: 0%
Second stop Color: #3f3f3f Position: 100%

Step 12

Now add an Inner Shadow with these settings:

Blend Mode: Multiply
Color: #000000
Opacity: 60%
Use Global Light: Off
Angle: -45º
Distance: 3 px
Choke: 64%
Size: 3 px
Contour: Linear
Anti-aliased: Off
Noise: 0%

Step 13

Now, to complement the first Bevel & Emboss, we are going to add it one more time with these settings:

Style: Inner Bevel
Technique: Smooth
Depth: 368%
Direction: Up
Size: 62 px
Soften: 0 px
Use Global Light: Off
Angle: 97º
Altitude: 48º
Gloss Contour: Rock Contour (The one we created before)
Anti-aliased: Off
Highlight Mode: Color Dodge Color: #ffffff Opacity: 25%
Shadow Mode: Linear Burn Color: #000000 Opacity: 4%

Step 14

Now add a Drop Shadow with these settings:

Blend Mode: Normal
Color: #0d0d0d
Opacity: 100%
Use Global Light: Off
Angle: 145º
Distance: 7 px
Spread: 0%
Size: 3 px
Contour: Linear
Anti-aliased: Off
Noise: 0%
Layer Knocks Out Drop Shadow: 0%

After that, click OK to finish the text effect.

Congratulations, You Did It!

Today, you learned how to create fake 3D text effects. We used a rock texture and two layer styles combined. These techniques are the basics if you want to start learning how to create your own Photoshop text effects. Don't forget to save the text effect, so you can use it later.

Make sure to check the original Concrete and Rock Styles.

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