Tutorial Details
- Programs: Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator CS3+
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Estimated Completion Time: 2 Hours
Step 1
Let’s start in Photoshop. Launch the program and create a new document. When creating everything from scratch, it’s always a good idea to make it really big. That way an A2 format can later be chopped up and cropped in any other format desired. We’re going to create a borderless illustration for an A2 and later crop it into an A3. So create a new document with these sizes - W: 42.5cm, H: 59.4cm, 300 dpi, CMYK.
We want the overall shape to form a heart, so draw a heart really quick.
Step 2
Use the guideline to draw in your text with a tablet. Consider this a sketch. If you’re more comfortable doing this on paper, do it and scan it.
Step 3
For this single step, I’m going to switch to Illustrator. I’m more comfortable with ‘ol Illy when it comes to lettering, but it’s entirely doable in Photoshop too. Once you’re done, Copy it (Command/Ctrl + C)
Step 4
Paste it in Photoshop as a Path. (Command/Ctrl + V, select ‘Path’ in pop-up dialog).
Step 5
Select the Brush Tool (B) and change your brush to a 100% soft edged, 10px diameter brush. Grab the Pen Tool (P), right-click and select Stroke Path. In the pop-up dialog, make sure Simulate Pressure is not checked and press OK.
Step 6
Go to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur. Change the direction to a 60 degree angle and strength to 20. Press OK.
Step 7
Reduce the Opacity by approx. 50% and duplicate it. Apply a Layer Mask (Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All) and start to hide away portions with a large, black, soft brush.
Step 8
Grab the Pen Tool and trace your first light streak in Path Mode.
Step 9
Just as you did before, stroke the path with a 10px brush. You need to do this individually in order to keep the appearance realistic. Alternate between 5,10 and 15 px brushes and various levels of Opacity.
Step 10
After you’ve applied it, you need to hide both ends of the line. Use a Layer Mask and draw with black on each end.
Step 11
Use the original lines only as a guide. Start to add thickness to the letters, but preserve a classic typeface look by keeping the top and bottom of the bowls thin, and sides thick.
Step 12
As you progress with the words, try to thicken the left side of each letter. Doing so will preserve the spacing between the letters.
Step 13
Remember to fade out each end of the lines, otherwise they won’t look real.
Step 14
Work your way through the letters until you have reached a similar result.
Step 15
By now, it’s a good idea to nail the colors of the project. Above all other layers, create a Gradient Map Adjustment Layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map) Use these colors: #000000; #54000c; #d69f0a; #fffee9.
Step 16
Leave the Adjustment Layer always on top. Now that we’ve finished the lines, it’s time to add glows. Repeat the path creation process, but this time use a very large size (100-200px) and enable Pressure Simulation. As a color, use a 50% gray (#8c8c8c). Change the Layer Style to ‘Screen’.
Step 17
Cover all the thicker portions of the letters with similar glows.
Step 18
It’s time to add even thicker lines, but with Pressure Simulation enabled and white color. Use lines of varying widths (25-75px).
Step 19
Add thicker, soft white lines all over the letters.
