Play with words and colors using the immense possibilities given by Photoshop. Here today we will learn to add rainbow effect to plain text with Photoshop CS6.
Step1: Turn the foreground color black
Let’s start by creating a new document pressing Ctrl+N. To create the rainbow text, we need to make the foreground color black.
The final result will give an image with white particles which gives the illusion of stars. To get that effect to create a new layer by pressing Ctrl+Shift+N and Photoshop will create a new layer with the default name Layer1.
After creating the Layer1, press D to change the foreground to color to black. Now select the Layer1 in the layer panel and press alt+backspace to fill the canvas with black color.
To give the black canvas the “starry effect”, I will add noise to it. It will take just a few seconds, go to Filter>Noise>Add Noise and now set the distribution to Gaussian and make it 10%. After selecting the Monochromatic option press OK.
Step2: Adjust the levels
After completing the step1, you will realize that the distribution is uneven. We can adjust it by using “levels”. Go to the layer panel and select add adjustment layer preceding with selecting the levels option.
Now follow the image below to adjust the levels.
Step3: Type the text
Now after adjusting the level lets add the text to the canvas. For this select the type tool of Photoshop by pressing T or selecting the icon from the toolbox on the left. You are free to choose the font and size of the text.
After typing the text, we need to resize and reposition it. Press V or select the move tool from the toolbox to do the same.
Step4: Add the wind effect
Before adding the wind effect make sure that the text layer is selected in the layer panel. Now follow the directions below.
Filter>Stylize>Wind
A dialogue box will appear on the screen like this.
Press OK after rechecking the font and spelling of the text because later it will not be possible to make changes in the text.
After selecting the following options as shown above move ahead for the next step.
Repeat the same as the previous step but this time select the direction as “from the left” and press OK.
Repeat the wind filter 2 or more times pressing Ctrl+F (Windows)/ cmd+F (Mac).
To apply the wind effect at the upward and downward position of the text; we need to rotate the canvas at 90 degrees. To rotate the image at 90 degrees, I will go to the Options bar at the top and select Image>Image rotation>90degrees. This will turn the image upside down.
Now again I will press Ctrl+F at least 4 times to get a wind effect in the upward and downward movement.
Step5: Give the rainbow effect
I will create a new layer to give a rainbow effect to the text. As I will press Ctrl+Shift+N, a new layer will appear on the layer panel by the default name Layer2. Now I will select the Gradient tool from the left panel or will press G.
After selecting the gradient tool, I will choose the Spectrum mode and linear style.
As you will select the style and color mode, change the blending mode of Layer2 into Overlay.
Step6: Add the layer mask
As you add the rainbow effect to the text, now press Ctrl/Command and select the text layer in the layer panel. This will select the entire pixels of the text written.
After selecting the entire pixels, add a layer mask to Layer2 to dissolve the color from the star effect on the canvas.
To remove the extra lines appearing on the canvas; you can use an eraser by pressing E.
Step7: Adjust the hue and saturation
As you complete the previous step with ease, now select layer2 from the layer panel and add an adjustment layer to it. As the list appears, choose “Vibrance”.
Adjust the Vibrance and saturation at the value of 100, and add the clipping mask to the layer.
Adjust the hue and saturation by again selecting the add adjustment layer, and fix the value of saturation at +64. Lastly, change the blending mode from hue and saturation to color dodge.
Step8: Final Step
Select the text tool again and write the same text as written earlier. Choose a font color darker than the shade used in the previous text. Resize and reposition it above the text.
Now go to filter>blur>Gaussian blur and lighten the intensity of the text below to give it a highlighting effect. After giving a soft look to the background text, make a copy of Layer3 by pressing Ctrl+J.
Select the new text layer and click on the adjustment layer to select the gradient style. Change the angle to 40 degrees and select the linear style.
After this select the spectrum mode and create a clipping mask to get the desired result.
The rainbow text will appear like this as you complete the steps.
