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How to Create a Hot Concrete Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop

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Read Time: 4 min
Final product imageFinal product imageFinal product image
What You'll Be Creating

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create a hot concrete text effect using two layers to get a central vanishing point in Adobe Photoshop. Let's get started!

Tutorial Assets:

The following assets were used during the production of this tutorial.

1. Creating the Background

Step 1

Install the pattern file named concrete01.pat by double clicking it.

Step 2

Create a New document (File > New). Set Width to 600 px and Height to 500 px. Resolution must be 72 ppi.

Create a new documentCreate a new documentCreate a new document

Step 3

Select the background and duplicate it (go to Layer > Duplicate Layer > OK). Rename the new layer as Background Pattern.

Layer Background PatternLayer Background PatternLayer Background Pattern

Step 4

To add the texture, go to Layer and open the Layer Style window. Select the Pattern Overlay box, choose concrete01.pat from the list, and then press OK

Pattern OverlayPattern OverlayPattern Overlay

Background PatternBackground PatternBackground Pattern

Step 5

Go to Color Overlay inside the Layer Style panel and apply the following settings.

Color OverlayColor OverlayColor Overlay

Dark Background PatternDark Background PatternDark Background Pattern

Step 6

Now we are going to add the shining red light to create the hot reflected effect in the background. Go to Layer Style > Bevel & Emboss and set these values:

Red Bevel  EmbossRed Bevel  EmbossRed Bevel  Emboss


2. Creating the Text

Step 1

Type the word Saint or some text of your choice using the Stonecross font. Set the Font Size to 130 pt, Leading to Auto and Tracking to 20 pt. For best quality, change the anti-aliasing mode to Sharp. Rename the layer ‘SAINT a’.

Step 2

Duplicate the text and rename the new layer ‘SAINT b’ as shown below. Hide the ‘SAINT b’ layer to work more comfortably, because we are not going to use this layer yet.

Duplicate the text layerDuplicate the text layerDuplicate the text layer

Step 3

Using the Move Tool, select the two text layers and the background layer, and then click the align commands Align Horizontal Center and Align Vertical Center on the top menu to center it.

Plain text WIPPlain text WIPPlain text WIP

3. Styling the Main Layer

Step 1

Select the SAINT a layer and go to Layer > Layer Style > Pattern Overlay. Click on the Pattern box, choose concrete01 from the list (we are using the same background pattern), and set the Scale to 50%. Now it looks just a little more like real concrete. 

Text Pattern OverlayText Pattern OverlayText Pattern Overlay

Text Pattern OverlayText Pattern OverlayText Pattern Overlay

Step 2

To get the beveled look, go to the Layer Style window and modify the settings of Bevel & Emboss and Contour as shown below.

You’ll need to create two custom contour curves to get the volume effect. Follow the images carefully and use the values shown in the right column.

Bevel and EmbossBevel and EmbossBevel and Emboss
Contour of Bevel and EmbossContour of Bevel and EmbossContour of Bevel and Emboss
Beveled textBeveled textBeveled text

Step 3

To light up the letters we are going to use a gradient base. Select Gradient Overlay from the Layer Style window and set the values as shown below.

Tip: To create a new point in the gradient you have to click under the gradient bar. Clicking each one of the color stops allows you to modify Location and Color.

Gradient Overlay to light on the lettersGradient Overlay to light on the lettersGradient Overlay to light on the letters
Hot ConcreteHot ConcreteHot Concrete

Step 4

Go to Layer Style > Satin and use the following settings to brighten up the text.
The Contour is a default curve named Cove – Deep.

Brighten up the text by SatinBrighten up the text by SatinBrighten up the text by Satin
Brighten up the textBrighten up the textBrighten up the text

Step 5

Now we’re going to improve the effect by adding a shiny glow. Go to Layer Style > Inner Glow and set the following values.

Shiny glow with Inner GlowShiny glow with Inner GlowShiny glow with Inner Glow
Concrete even more hotConcrete even more hotConcrete even more hot

Step  6

We need to add some shadows to separate the text from the background. Go to Layer Style > Outer Glow and use the settings shown below. 

Some shadowsSome shadowsSome shadows
Outer Glow as a shadowOuter Glow as a shadowOuter Glow as a shadow

4. Styling the Second Layer

Step 1

Now we’re going to work with the second layer named ‘SAINT b’, so make sure you turn it on! In this step we have to achieve a perspective with a central vanishing point. Go to the Character window and change the Horizontally Scale value to 97% as shown below.

The second layerThe second layerThe second layer

Step 2

Go to Layer > Layer Style > Pattern Overlay and select the concrete01 pattern from the box to match both layers' texture. Set the Scale to 50%.

Pattern OverlayPattern OverlayPattern Overlay

Second layer now with patternSecond layer now with patternSecond layer now with pattern

Step 3

To get the burning edges color you have to go to Layer Style and modify Color Overlay using the following values.

Turn red the second layerTurn red the second layerTurn red the second layer
3D look3D look3D look

Step 4

Select Stroke from the Layer Style window, and set the Position as Outside and Fill Type as Color, with the value shown below.

Add some color strokeAdd some color strokeAdd some color stroke
Shiny strokeShiny strokeShiny stroke

Step 5

We are going to add some shadows to separate the text from the background. Go to Layer Style > Drop Shadow and use the values shown in the image below.

Separate the text from the backgroundSeparate the text from the backgroundSeparate the text from the background
Close to the endClose to the endClose to the end

Step  6

In this final step we are going to emphasize the hot edges by adding Outer Glow. Go to Layer Style > Outer Glow and modify the following settings. The Contour is a default curve named Cone.

Hot edgesHot edgesHot edges
Final stepFinal stepFinal step

Great Job, You’re Done!

In this tutorial I showed you how to create a hot concrete text effect using a real texture and two layers to achieve a central vanishing point.

I hope that you enjoyed this tutorial and can use what you’ve learned for your own projects. Please feel free to comment and show me your results.

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