Turn your text to Ice blocks using Photoshop

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 1

First, let us setup our ICY background. Once you create a new document create a nice light color gradient background with white and light blue colors. Alternatively, you can also paste in some a real snowy type background scene. In our example, we opted for a snowy background to reinforce the ice theme.

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 2

Now, use the text tool to type in your title text. Use a gray color (#d8d8d8) for your font color. For the font style, it is all up to you of course, but it is better to use the thickest fonts you can use for your theme so as to see the iced effect properly. Remember to take the other fonts you used in, say, your catalogs or flyers, into consideration as well. You still want the overall typography mix in your design to go well together and not for the title to be detached from the overall design. Then position your title appropriately in your graphic.

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 3

Now, look for your text layer in the layers panel. Reduce the Fill Value to 0-30% depending on how transparent you want your ice to be. For our purposes, we have set it to 30%.

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 4

Next, double click on our text layer to bring up its layer options. In the Window that opens, first tick off the Drop Shadow checkbox. Adjust the values as noted below for the drop shadow effect.

• Blend Mode: Multiply, Color: Blue #2457a2
• Distance: 7px
• Size: 7px
• Rest to default

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 5

Tick off the “Inner Shadow” option and then set these values here as well.

• Blend Mode: Multiply, Color: #a5bfec
• Distance: 0px
• Size: 40px
• Quality-> Contour: Half-Round

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 6

Click on the “Outer Glow” option as well. Then set the following values.

• Opacity: 100%
• Noise: 20%
• Color: #c6d9ff
• Range: 100%
• Rest should be default

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 7

Next on the layer styles list should be the Inner Glow effect. Click on its checkbox and apply these values.

• Opacity: 35%
• Noise: 100%
• Color: WHITE #ffffff
• Source: Center
• Size: 23
• Contour:  Cone-Inverted

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 8

Then, click on Bevel and Emboss. Apply all the settings as described below.

• Technique: Chisel Soft
• Size: 20
• Gloss Contour: Cove Deep, Anti-Aliased
• Highlight Mode: Screen, #eef9ff , 100%
• Shadow Mode: Multiply, #b1b1b1 , 50%

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 9

Also click on “Contour”. Use Log as the contour and click on anti-aliasing.

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 10

Then, click on Texture and then apply the Ant Farm pattern with a +7% depth.

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 11

Finally, click on the Color Overlay option and then use the following settings.

• Blend Mode: Pin Light
• Color: Light Blue (#aec5ed)
• Opacity: 70%

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 12

Once you press okay, you will see our basic ice effect appear.

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 13

Now, we will add more random type ice effects on the text to make it look more natural. First create a new layer by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+N. Then reduce the fill of this new layer to 0%.

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 14

Next, double click on this layer to access the layer styles. First click on “Bevel and Emboss” and apply these settings.

• Technique: Chisel Hard
• Size: 20
• Gloss Contour: Rolling Stone Descending
• Highlight Mode: Screen, # Aebfe0, 100%
• Shadow Mode: Multiply, #b1b1b1, 50%

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 15

Then click on Contour, choose “half round” and tick on the anti-aliased box.

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 16

Also, click on the texture button. Hunt and use “metal landscape” as the pattern and then set the scale to 130% and the depth to +10.

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 17

Now, with our new layer still selected, change the foreground color to #e9e3d8. Then use a splatter brush by  clicking on the brush tool and then right clicking on the canvass to choose among the different brushes.

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 18

Using the brush, just pain some random blotches over your text. This gives extra cracks and solid areas to our ice text effect. Just be creative with your placement.

Photoshop Text Tutorial: Step 19

Finally, add some sparkles to the ice. Create a new layer by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+N. Then use a white colored starburst brush to add a couple of sparkle effects.

Final Image

After that, you should already have a nice looking Iced Text style.