Create a Rock Text Effect using Photoshop CS5

Learn how to use built-in layer styles to create a nice rock text effect. We will take a black text, add a texture to it, and apply different layer styles to obtain a real rock look lettering in just few easy steps.

STEP ONE:

Open Photoshop CS5 and create a New Document (New > File). Give it a size of 600px by 300px.

Select the Type Tool (T) and type out any word. I typed the word ROCK using a font called Stencil Std of 200pt.

Go to Layer > Rasterize > Type to rasterize your text layer.

STEP TWO:
Go online and download a rock texture.

I downloaded the following smooth rock texture from www.cgtextures.com:

Save the texture in your computer, go back to your Photoshop CS5 file and go to File > Place. Notice that a New Layer was created for your texture.

Reposition your rock texture over the entire text.

Select the Move Tool (V) and click Apply.

STEP THREE:
Hide the “texture” layer by clicking its eye icon (). Go back to the layer with the word, in my case the “ROCK” layer, and select the Magic Wand Tool (W) and select the entire word like shown below:

Note: Press the Shift key to select multiple shapes.

Go back to the “texture” layer and make it visible by clicking the box where the eye icon was. As you can see, our selection is on this layer; let’s invert it by going to Select > Inverse.

Before editing the texture we need to rasterize it; go to Image > Rasterize > Smart Object.

Now that our texture is editable press the Delete key to erase the selected area.

You should obtain the following:

Press (Mac: Command + D / PC: Control + D) to deselect it.

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STEP FOUR:

Double-click the “texture” layer to open the Layer Style dialog box.

Select the Bevel and Emboss option and enter the following settings:

DON’T click OK.

Now select the Contour (below Bevel and Emboss) option and enter 0 for its Range:

DON’T click OK.

To conclude with this step, select the Drop Shadow and Inner Shadow options and leave their settings as they appear.

Click OK.

Final result:

As you learned, this text effect was a result of Layer Styles options. The main text is a selection of a texture; the combination of Layer Styles is what makes this text spectacular and unique. Experiment with more textures to create more awesome text effects. Have fun!