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Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect

This tutorial will explain how to bake make a delicious gingerbread cookies inspired text effect, using layer styles, some filters, and a couple of other simple elements. Ready?

The Final Result

Tutorial Details

  • Software Used : Photoshop
  • Version : CS6 Extended
  • Time : 0:45 – 1:15

Resources

edit: The pack above is no longer available, as the associated account has been deleted. Below is an alternative pack that you can use.

Step 1

Create a new 1152 x 864 px document. Place the Seamless tablecloth texture image on top of the Background layer, then resize it so that it fits within the document.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 1

Double click the texture layer to apply the following Layer Style:

– Color Overlay

  • Color : #b17c67
  • Blend Mode : Multiply
Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 1

– Gradient Overlay

  • Blend Mode : Multiply
  • Style : Radial
  • Scale : 150%
  • Check the Reverse box
  • Click the Gradient box to create the gradient
Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 1

The gradient uses two colors: #723434 to the left and #787878 to the right. The Opacity value of the stop to the right is 0%.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 1

This will darken the image.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 1

Step 2

Create the text in the color #9a6c40 using the font Sniglet. The font Size is 273 pt and the text is better written in All Caps.

If the text doesn’t fit within the document, hit Enter/Return to add the remaining letters in a new line. We’ll be moving the letters closer later.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 2

Double click the text layer to apply the following Layer Style:

– Bevel and Emboss

  • Technique : Chisel Hard
  • Size : 10
  • Check the Anti-aliased box
  • Highlight Mode : Soft Light
  • Color : #d8bfa7
  • Shadow Mode – Color : #3d3d3d
Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 2

– Contour

  • Contour : Half Round
  • Check the Anti-aliased box.
Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 2

– Texture

  • Pattern : Rocky Wall
  • Depth : 150%
  • Check the Invert box

This will create the first part of the cookies’ texture, with an illusion of subtle 3D bumps and cracks.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 2

– Inner Shadow

  • Color : #492d12
  • Distance : 0
  • Size : 13
Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 2

The Drop Shadow effect will be added near the end as some layers will be merged first. For now, this is what you should get:

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 2

Step 3

Ctrl/Cmd + click the text layer’s thumbnail to create a selection.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 3

Create a new layer on top of all layers and call it Texture. Then, set the Foreground color to #c69c6d and the Background color to #603913.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 3

Go to Filter > Render > Clouds. Then go to Select > Deselect to get rid of the selection.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 3

Step 4

Go to Filter > (Filter Gallery) > Sketch > Note Paper. Change the Image Balance to 50, the Graininess to 10, and the Relief to 12.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 4
Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 4

Go to Filter > (Filter Gallery) > Sketch > Reticulation. Change the Density to 4, the Foreground Level to 40, and the Background Level to 0.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 4
Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 4

Change the Texture layer’s Blend Mode to Soft Light and its Opacity to 75%. This will create the second part of the texture adding more details to the cookies.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 4

Go to Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation. Change the Hue to -7 and the Saturation to -45.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 4

Step 5

Ctrl/Cmd + click the text layer’s thumbnail again to create a selection.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 5

Go to Select > Modify > Contract, and type in 15. This will remove 15 px of the selection adding more space on the edges.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 5

Open the Paths panel (Window > Paths). Press and hold the Alt/Option key and click the Make work path from selection icon down the Paths panel.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 5

Set the Tolerance value to 1.0, which will result in a more precise path.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 5

Step 6

Pick the Brush Tool and choose an 8 px hard round brush, then set the Foreground color to #f0f0e7.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 6

Pick the Direct Selection Tool. If there are any parts of the path that you want to modify, you can click the path, then click the anchor points to move them around.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 6

Create a new layer on top of all layers and call it Icing.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 6

Right click the path and choose Stroke Path.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 6

Choose Brush from the Tool drop down menu, and make sure that the Simulate Pressure box is un-checked.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 6

This will stroke the path. Hit Enter/Return to get rid of the work path.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 6

Step 7

Double click the Icing layer to apply the following Layer Style:

– Bevel and Emboss

  • Soften : 5
  • Check the Anti-aliased box
  • Shadow Mode – Color : #8b816c
Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 7

– Drop Shadow

  • Color : #494949
  • Distance : 2
Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 7

You’ll get some nice icing!

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 7

You can go ahead and add some more lines and decorations on the same layer.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 7

If you’re in the mood, create a new layer, call it Color, right click the Icing layer, choose Copy Layer Style, then right click the Color layer and choose Paste Layer Style.

Pick red and green colors, and add some more colored dots or lines to the cookies.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 7

Step 8

Now, group all the layers except for the Background layers (Shift + click the layers, then go to Layer > Group Layers or press Ctrl/Cmd + G).

Duplicate the group then make the original invisible by clicking the eye icon next to it.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 8

Make sure that the copy group is selected then go to Layer > Merge Group to rasterize all of the group’s layers in one layer.

(That’s why we kept a copy of the original group, as the merged layers are not editable).

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 8

Double click the merged layer to apply a Drop Shadow effect:

  • Opacity : 55%
  • Distance : 10
  • Size : 10
Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 8

This will make the cookies even more 3D looking.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 8

Step 9

Pick the Rectangular Marquee Tool, Then create a selection around the first letter.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 9

Press Ctrl/Cmd + J to duplicate the letter in a separate layer. You can rename each layer to the letter it has.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 9

Do the same for the rest of the letters. Don’t forget to select the original merged layer each time before duplicating a new letter.

Once you’re done, make the original layer invisible.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 9

Pick the Move Tool, and check the Auto-Select box in the Options bar, make sure Layer is the option next to that box.

Basically, what this does is it enables you to select the letter by clicking it directly without the need to select its layer. This makes things much easier and faster.

Now click the letters and move them so that they are next to each other and slightly overlapping. You can as well change the order of the layers to bring letters to the front or send them back.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 9

You can also rotate some of the letters (select the letter, go to Edit > Transform > Rotate, rotate the letter, then hit Enter/Return to confirm).

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 9

Step 10

This is optional, but if you want to place your yummy cookies in a nice plate, then set the Foreground color to a light color like #a9977d, and create a new layer on top of all layers called Plate.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 10

Pick the Rounded Rectangle Tool and set the Radius in the Options bar to 10 px. Higher values will create more rounded corners.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 10

Click and drag to create the basic shape.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 10

We’ll adjust the height and width after applying the layer style.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 10

Step 11

Double click the Plate shape layer to apply the following Layer Style:

– Bevel and Emboss

  • Technique : Chisel Hard
  • Size : 51
  • Check the Anti-aliased box
  • Highlight Mode : Soft Light
  • Shadow Mode – Color : #d1c6bc
Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 11

– Contour

  • Contour : Cone
  • Check the Anti-aliased box.
Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 11

– Pattern Overlay

  • Blend Mode : Soft Light
  • Pattern : Choose any of the patterns from the patterns pack provided in the Resources section.
Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 11

– Drop Shadow

  • Distance : 23
  • Size : 21
Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 11

Your plate should look all cool and nice now.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 11

You might get some letters over the edges of the plate. So pick the Direct Selection Tool, click the plate shape once, then click and drag to select the anchor points of the edges you want to move, then, use the keyboard arrow keys to move the edges as needed.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 11

If you want to change the color of the plate then double click its shape layer’s icon and choose a new color. Here, a slightly darker color is chosen #8b6b4b. You can try different patterns as well. Have fun with it.

Gingerbread Cookies Text Effect step 11

Your cookies now are ready to eat … Or be a nice background wallpaper 😉
Hope you enjoyed the tutorial and found it useful.
Feel free to share your cookies with us ^_^


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