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Robotic Text Effect

Introduction:

In this tutorial, we'll learn to create a mechanical or robotic looking text effect to use in your various graphic design projects. This text effect is especially useful when designing interfaces for websites and you want to add a cool looking text to go with the futuristic interface design.

Step-By-Step:

1. Open a new document in Photoshop. Choose an appropriate size for your text.
2. Select the Type tool and type out your text onto a new layer.

3. Choose the Magic Wand tool. Click the white area outside the text.
4. Goto Select > Inverse.
5. Goto Select > Modify > Expand. Choose a small pixel amount. For this tutorial, we used 2 pixels.

6. Create a new layer. Name it "Robot Panels".
7. Select the Paint Bucket tool and fill in the selection with grey.

8. Open the Layer Properties for the "Robot Panels" layer.
9. Change the "Inner Shadow" properties to the following:

10. Change the "Bevel and Emboss" properties to the following:

11. You should now have the 3d panels overlapping the text layer below.

12. Select the Eraser tool. Choose a small brush size. Begin erasing sections of the panel to reveal the underlying text.

13. Work your way through the text, erasing sections of the "Robot Panels" layer.

13. Now to create the wires. Create a new layer. Name it "Wires".
14. Select the Brush tool. Change the size to a small brush size number.
15. Select the Pen Tool.
16. Create a path for the wires.

15. Select the Direct Selection Tool and right click the Path you created for the wires.
16. Choose "Stroke Path" from the pop-up menu.
17. From Strok Path pop-up, unclick "Simulate Pressure" and make sure Brush is selected from dropdown. Click OK.

18. Open the Layer Properties for the "Wires" layer.
19. Change the "Bevel and Emboss" properties to the following:

20. You should now have some 3D looking wires.

21. Finally, we'll create the robotic green lighting effects. Create a new layer and name it "Lighting".
22. Select a bright color for your lighting. I chose green for this tutorial.
23. Create a selection and fill it with green.

24. Open the Layer Properties for the "Lighting" layer.
25. Change the "Drop Shadow" properties to the following:

26. Change the "Stroke" properties to the following:

27. You can now select the Brush tool and begin painting areas of the panels to add lighting effects similar to what I have done below:

28. When you are done, you should now have your Robotic looking text effect!