Photoshop Tutorial: 3D Shadow Effect

Kotik · Last edited by Kotik on Thu Nov 09, 2006 3:48 pm; edited 3 times in total

3D Test shadow
Written by: Mike

In this tutorial you will learn to make a 3D shadow effect all by yourself. No filters! Let’s give it a go:

Start off by having an image which gives you the feeling it has a depth. You are most welcome to use the image I used.

http://www.devppl.com/users/kotik/3D-Shadow/start1.jpg

Now it’s time to add some text into the picture we just took. Make sure it neither is too small nor too big for the picture. The font you choose is up to your taste. But I would suggest not using a graffiti type font because it’s not easy to connect the shadow to the text itself very neatly. Do this in a new layer (Ctrl + N)

There… Now it’s time to duplicate the layer with the text (Right click > Duplicate Layer). Name it shadow so you don’t confuse it with the other layer of text. After that, place the shadow layer bellow the other layer of text. Look at the picture bellow:

Now its time to bring forward the skills of the shadowing. Select the shadow layer then flip the layer vertically (Edit > Transform > Flip vertically). And place the flipped layer right underneath the text on the picture (Ctrl + Click). Look at the picture bellow:

The first thing we do now is to rasterize the layer. (Layer > Rasterize > Layer). Now it’s time to stretch the shadow layer downwards by pressing Ctrl + T and stretching the layer border downwards. Look at the picture bellow:

Not much of a shadow effect yet, huh? Don’t worry, its coming. While still having the shadow layer selected transform the layer Perspectively. (Edit > Transform > Perspective). Now stretch the bottom side anchors sidewards expanding the bottom of the layer giving it a bit of a 3D look. If needed select the upper-side anchors and stretch them inwards to make connect the letters properly to our original text (in my case Mike). Your work should look like this so far:

Now change the opacity of the shadow layer to 32% (located in the layer window). Viola! Now we have a shadow effect! Don’t you think? There is an optional tweak you can do to make it more realistic. Go into the blending options of the Mike (main text) layer and add some Outer shadow to the layer. It will give an effect which looks like a light source from behind the text layer. You can also add a light-to-transparent Gradient to the shadow layer giving it a very realistic shadowy effect.

Now we are done with the tutorial and you should have a result like the picture bellow.

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