This is a very simple tutorial that will show you how to use
Photoshop’s Layer Styles, an awesome tip for creating 3D-like shadow,
and a splatter brush, to create a bright Arcade-inspired text effect.
Final Image
Note: Original tutorial published on Photoshopstar.com some years ago. Tutorial was updated and now republished.
Tutorial Details
Program: Adobe Photoshop CS6 (CS3+ versions will work as well)
Create a new 900 × 690 px document, place the “Black-Purple Grunge
texture” image on top of the Background layer, then go to Image >
Adjustments > Desaturate.
Go to Edit > Transform > Rotate 90° CW to make the texture
extend horizontally instead of vertically. Move the texture around if
needed until you like how it looks.
Go to Image > Adjustments > Levels, and change the Gamma value to 0.90 to darken up the texture a little bit.
Step 2
Create the text using the font “Age”, the font Size 182 pt, and the color #b0cc00.
Double click the text layer to apply the following Layer Style: – Stroke
Size : 5
Position : Inside
Color : #b0cc00 (Same text color)
– Inner Shadow
Blend Mode : Normal
Color : #ffffff
Opacity : 90%
Distance : 9
Size : 0
– Gradient Overlay
Blend Mode : Color Dodge
Opacity : 45%
Scale : 150%
This will style the main text.
Step 3
Duplicate the text layer then drag the copy below the original.
Step 4
Go to Edit > Free Transform, the hit the Down Arrow Key Once, and
the Right Arrow Key once, to move the copy text 1 px downwards and 1 px
to the right. Hit Enter/Return to accept the changes.
Press the Alt + Ctrl + Shift + T or Option + Cmd + Shift + T keys a
couple of times to duplicate the layer and the transformation until you
like the depth of the 3D shadow. Here, the layer is duplicated 14 times
to create a total of 15 copy layers.
Step 5
Click the last copy layer, then press and hold the Shift key, and
click the first copy layer to select all the copy layers you created. Go
to Layer > Merge Layers, to merge all the copies in one layer, and
rename it to “3D Shadow”.
Double click the “3D Shadow” layer to apply a Color Overlay effect, using the color #000000.
If you think Black is too dark, you can definitely use any other color you prefer.
Step 6
Duplicate the original text layer, then make it invisible by clicking
the eye icon next to it. Then select the duplicated layer, and go to
Layer > Rasterize > Layer Style.
If you’re using a < CS6 version, then group the duplicated layer
(Layer > Group Layers), then merge the group (Layer > Merge
Group).
Click the “Add vector mask” icon down the Layers panel to add a mask
to the rasterized layer. This will make sure that the changes will not
be applied directly to the layer, so the mask thumbnail should be always
selected before erasing anything.
Pick the Eraser Tool, and choose any of the “Monster Splatter Brush
Set” brushes. Change the brush size to one you like (around 350 – 550
px), make sure that the mask thumbnail is selected, then click around
the letters to erase some parts as shown below.
You can undo any parts you don’t like, try different brushes and sizes, or even use any splatter/grunge brushes of your choice.
And We’re Done!
Hope you enjoyed this really simple tutorial and found it useful. Please feel free to leave your comments below.
Recommended minimum hardware requirements for Windows Vista
The following list describes the recommended minimum
hardware requirements for basic functionality of the different editions of
Windows Vista. Actual hardware requirements will vary, depending on system
configuration and on the programs and the features that you install. If you
install Windows Vista over a network, additional hard disk space may be
required.
Windows Vista Home Basic
800-megahertz (MHz)
32-bit (x86) processor or 800-MHz 64-bit (x64) processor
512 megabytes (MB) of
system memory Note On system configurations that use system memory as graphics
memory, at least 448 MB of system memory must be available to the
operating system after some memory is allocated for graphics.
DirectX 9-class
graphics card
32 MB of graphics
memory
20-gigabyte (GB) hard
disk that has 15 GB of free hard disk space
Internal or external
DVD drive
Internet access
capability
Audio output
capability
1) Shall we begin? (Image 1.1)
After configuring the system for booting from a CD/DVD, the Windows Setup
screen appears.
At this point, Setup is loading the driver files it needs to continue with
installation.
2) Progress Bar: (Image 1.2)
The next screen is a more graphical progress bar indicating Windows Vista is
still working in the background.
3) Option Selections: (Image 1.3)
The first options you will come across are selections for Language, Time and
currency format, and Keyboard layout.
Make your selections by using the pull down menus and press the Next
button.
4) Install Now: (Image 1.4)
Here we have the option of repairing a previous installation or
"Install Now."
Highlight the "Install Now" button to continue to the next screen.
5) Please Wait: (Image 1.5)
Windows Vista is working in the background. This may take several minutes
depending on the system.
6) Product Key: (Image 2.1)
This screen is where you enter your product key or "CD Key" as it
is sometimes called.
An option also exists to automatically activate Vista upon first coming
online. I uncheck this box to ensure everything is running smoothly before
activating and having issues later on. 30 days is the standard amount of time
before activation is required, though some products (such as MSDN
subscriptions) have 60 days or more.
After entering your product key, press the Next button.
7) License Agreement: (Image 2.2)
Here we see the License Agreement you must accept before continuing.
After reading the agreement, check the box next to "I accept the
license terms".
8) Option Selections: (Image 2.3)
Here we would be able to choose an "Upgrade" install (if running
setup from a previous version of Windows, such as XP) or a "Custom"
(clean) install.
Select the whole box containing "Custom (advanced)" to continue to
the next screen.
9) Hard Drives: (Image 2.4)
This is where you can select which hard drive/partition to install Vista on.
Since this system only has one hard drive, only one place Vista can go.
Advanced options are shown in the next screen shot.
This is also where you would install drivers for your RAID/ACPI controller
by using the "Load Driver" option. After the installation of the
RAID/ACPI drivers, your hard drives should appear as shown tot he right.
If no additional drivers are needed, select the Next
button.
10) Advanced Options: (Image 2.5)
The advanced options allow creation of multiple partitions and the option of
formatting existing partitions.
After finishing your particular partition configuration that you desire,
select the Next button.
11) Installing...: (Image 3.1)
Here is where Vista installs major components of the OS. This process can
take 10 to 60 minutes depending on the system.
12) Reboot: (Image 3.2)
Here we see the system needing to reboot to continue installation tasks.
You can hit the Restart Now button or just allow the reboot
to happen automatically after several seconds.
13) First Time: (Image 3.3)
Here we see a "..." progress as Vista tries to start for the first
time. This process may take several minutes before going to the next screen.
14) Completing Installation: (Image 3.4)
Vista continues to install at this screen. Depending on system, another
reboot or two may happen before the next screen is displayed.
15) Account Creation: (Image 3.5)
Here is where we create the first user account for the system and select an
icon to be displayed on the login screen. Ensure you password your account.
After finishing entering your information and icon selection, select the Next
button.
16) PC Name: (Image 4.1)
Here is where we can name the system for networking purposes. By default, it
uses the account name entered in the previous step and adds "-PC" to
it. We can also select a background for the desktop.
After making your selection, select the Next button.
17) Updates: (Image 4.2)
Here we can configure Windows Update with several options. I suggest
"Use recommended options" or the top option for most PC users.
18) Time Settings: (Image 4.3)
Here is where you can set the time and daylight savings time options.
After configuring your time zone, clock settings and date, select the Next
button.
19) Network Configuration: (Image 4.4)
Vista now asks our network configuration by asking "Home, Work or
Public Place."
Descriptions are expanded on screen so I will no go into them here.
Make your selection to continue to the next screen.
20) Thanks!: (Image 4.5)
On this screen, we are thanked by Bill G. for installing Windows Vista.
After you are done being thanked, select the Next button.
21) PC Performance: (Image 5.1)
Vista now checks the system performance to automatically configure a few
options. This may take several minutes while the system does this and it will
only do it this one time.
22) Login: (Image 5.2)
We are finally greeted with the login screen, however, there is still more
configuration to come.
Enter in your password that you used previously during the install process
and hit ENTER or the little blue arrow to login.
23) Desktop Setup: (Image 5.3)
Your account profile starts being created here starting with your personal
desktop configuration. More happens on the next screen. This process will also
take several minutes, but only happen once.
24) Account Profile: (Image 5.4)
Vista now sets up profile configurations for Internet Explorer, Windows
Media Player as well as a few more Windows applications. This could take
several more minutes but we are almost there!
25) Welcome Screen: (Image 5.5)
Vista is installed!
On this screen, we are presented with our system configuration as well as
several different options.
I hope you enjoyed this install guide and I thank you for reading!
