How to Create an Ornate Gold Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop

In this tutorial I will show you how to create an ornate gold text effect in Adobe Photoshop CC. And as a bonus, you will learn how to create seamless textures.

I know that many readers of Envato Tuts+ are from Indonesia, so I decided to create this tutorial using an Indonesian word. "Mulia" means "noble" in Indonesian, and I think that it works very well with the text effect that we are going to create.

This text effect is part of Epic Metallic Styles 3. The complete pack has 15 different text effects and works with shapes and text.

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used in this tutorial:

• Titania font
  
• pattern and gradient inside the zip file attached to this tutorial (optional)

1. How to Create the Ornamental Pattern

Step 1

Create a new 2000 x 2000 px 300 dpi document and name it Ornamental Pattern.

Step 2

Press Shift-Backspace to open the Fill panel. Choose Color... and set the color to #1a1515.

Step 3

Pick the Brush Tool (B) with these settings:

• Brush: Hard Round
• Size: 35
• Hardness: 100%
• Mode: Normal
• Opacity: 100%
• Flow: 100%
• Smoothing: 100% (only available in Adobe Photoshop CC)
  

Step 4

Press Control-Shift-N to create a new layer. Name it Brush and click on OK.
Then go to Window > Brush Settings and use these settings:

• Brush: Hard Round
• Size: 35 px
• Roundness: 100%
• Hardness: 100%
• Spacing: 1%

Step 5

Now starts the relaxing part (at least for me). With the Brush Tool selected, choose a color that you like and start drawing some abstract curves.

The secret here is to maintain a constant speed with the mouse, and try to maintain the same space between the lines. But it's OK if you make some lines closer or farther than others; sometimes it looks better this way.

Please do not touch the borders of the document while drawing; we will deal with that later. Don't worry if you have shaky hands, because the 100% of smoothness on the Brush Tool will help you with that.

Step 6

Continue drawing the lines. If you don´t like the result, press Control-Z and try again. Take your time!

Sometimes you will have to draw some branches. Remember to start the branch precisely from the middle of the previous line, so that your drawing will look smooth and natural.

Step 7

This is what I came up with. You can try to copy, but I don't recommend that you do that. It's important that you create your own pattern if you want to learn how to do it.

Step 8

Now we're going to make this pattern seamless using the Offset filter. This filter can move the corners of the document to the center, making it a lot easier for you to complete the texture in a seamless way.

Go to Filter > Other > Offset... and use these settings:

• Horizontal: +956
• Vertical: +949
• Wrap Around: Checked

Step 9

With the same brush settings that we used before, continue drawing more lines and filling the empty spaces. Remember to not touch the border of the document.

In the next image, you can see how I did it. I changed the color to red, so you can see the new lines.

Step 10

Now turn off the visibility of the background layer, and then go to Edit > Define Pattern and click OK.

Step 11

Now activate the visibility of the background layer again. After that, press Control-R to activate the rulers in Photoshop. Then click on the rulers and drag four margins to the borders of the document.

Step 12

Go to Image > Canvas Size and use the following settings:

• Width: 2665 px
• Height: 2665 px
• Relative: Unchecked
• Anchor: Center
• Canvas extension color: Other
• Color: #1a1515

Step 13

Select the Brush layer and press Shift-Backspace to open the Fill panel. Then choose the following settings:

• Contents: Color...
• Color: #262626 (any color will do)
• Mode: Normal
• Opacity: 100%
• Preserve Transparency: Unchecked

Step 14

With the Brush layer still selected, set its Fill to 0%. After that, go to Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options and add a Pattern Overlay with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Normal
• Opacity: 100%
• Pattern: Ornamental Pattern.psd (The one we just saved)
• Scale: 100%
• Link with Layer: Checked
  

... and click OK.

Note that we have a seamless texture inside the margins, so no matter where you move the pattern overlay, it will always be seamless.

Step 15

Now right-click the Brush layer and choose Rasterize layer. Then go to Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options and add a Color Overlay with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Normal
• Color: #ff8400
• Opacity: 100%

Step 16

Add a Bevel & Emboss with these settings:

• Style: Inner Bevel
• Technique: Smooth
• Depth: 1000%
• Direction: Up
• Size: 16 px
• Soften:0 px
• Shading Angle: 20°
• Shading Altitude: 26°
• Use Global Light: Off
• Anti-aliased:On
• Highlight Mode: Lighter Color
• Highlight Mode Color: #ffd179
• Highlight Mode Opacity: 66%
• Shadow Mode: Darken
• Shadow Mode Color: #1c1505
• Shadow Mode Opacity: 100%
  

Click on the thumbnail of the Gloss Contour to edit it with the following settings:

• Point 1: Input: 0% Output: 100% Corner: Off
• Point 2: Input: 13% Output: 29% Corner: Off
• Point 3:Input: 38% Output: 45% Corner: Off
• Point 4: Input: 44% Output: 76% Corner: Off
• Point 5:Input: 76% Output: 100% Corner: Off
• Point 6: Input: 87% Output: 1% Corner: Off
• Point 7: Input: 100% Output: 0% Corner: Off
  

After that, click OK.

Step 17

Activate the Contour option of Bevel & Emboss with these settings:

• Contour: Rolling Slope - Descending
• Anti-aliased: On
• Range: 74%

Step 18

Add an Outer Glow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Darken
• Opacity: 74%
• Noise: 0%
• Color: #000000
• Technique: Softer
• Spread: 0%
• Size: 59%
• Contour: Linear
• Anti-aliased: On
• Range: 48%
• Jitter: 0%

After that, click OK to close the Layer Style panel.

Step 19

Now hold down the Control key and click on both layers (Brush and Background) to select them. Then right-click on any layer and select Convert to Smart Object.

Step 20

Go to Filter > Filter Gallery and add a Plastic Wrap effect with these settings:

• Highlight Strength: 4
• Detail: 1
• Smoothness: 9

Step 21

Now pick the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M) and select a small square.

Step 22

Right-Click on that selected square and select Transform Selection. Then scale up the selection to match the margins that we previously created. It has to be perfectly aligned with the margins.

Step 23

Now pick the Crop Tool (C) and press Enter twice to crop the image. Then go to Edit > Define Pattern and name it Ornamental Pattern Final.

You can close the document after doing that.

Note that we first expanded the document size, and then we contracted it again. That was necessary because we don't want the layer style being cut by the borders of the document.

2. How to Create the Secondary Pattern (Optional)

You can install the optional pattern (it is inside the zip file) and skip to "3. How to Create the Text Effect" if you don't want to learn how to create the secondary pattern. The secondary pattern is a radial metallic texture that goes on the top of the ornamental pattern. This texture is optional on the final text effect too.

Step 1

Create a new 980 x 1696 px 300 dpi document with a red background #d11212 and name it Radial Pattern. Then pick the Ellipse Tool (U) and set it to Shape mode.

Step 2

With the Ellipse Tool selected, click on the middle of the document and create a 980 x 980 px ellipse.

Step 3

Press Control-A to select the entire document, and then pick the Move Tool (V) and click on Align Horizontal and Vertical Centers. This will place the ellipse exactly in the center of the document.

Step 4

Turn off the visibility of the Ellipse layer and create a new layer called Noise. After that, press Control-Backspace and fill this layer with the color #797979. This color will help us when we start moving the radial shapes. We don't want to see any red in the final texture.

Step 5

Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise and use these settings:

• Amount: 400 %
• Distribution: Gaussian
• Monochromatic: On

Step 6

Go to Filter > Blur > Radial Blur and use these settings:

• Amount: 100
• Blur Method: Spin
• Quality: Best

Step 7

Press Alt-Control-F to apply the same radial blur again. Then Control-Click on the thumbnail of the Ellipse layer to create a selection. After that, press Control-C and Control-V to create a new layer, name this layer Radial, and convert it to a Smart Object. After that, you can delete the noise layer.

Step 8

Control-Click on the thumbnail of the Radial layer to create another selection, and then click on the Add vector mask icon.

Step 9

With the Radial layer selected, go to Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options to open the Layer Style panel. Then add a Color Overlay with these settings:

Step 10

Now add a Gradient Overlay with these settings.

• Blend Mode: Color Dodge
• Dither: Off
• Opacity: 87%
• Gradient: Radial gradient (inside the zip file attached to this tutorial)
• Reverse: Off
• Style: Angle
• Align with Layer: On
• Angle: -90°
• Scale: 100%

To install the gradient file, click on the drop-down menu of the Gradient option, and then click on the little gear icon in the top-right corner and choose Load Gradients...

Step 11

Add a Bevel & Emboss with these settings:

• Style: Inner Bevel
• Technique: Smooth
• Depth: 834%
• Direction: Up
• Size: 250 px
• Soften: 16 px
• Use Global Light: Off
• Angle: 73°
• Altitude: 37°
• Anti-aliased: On
• Highlight Mode: Color Dodge
• Highlight Opacity: 25%
• Highlight Color: #ffffff
• Shadow Mode: Multiply
• Shadow Opacity: 34%
• Shadow Color: #000000
  

Click on the thumbnail of the Gloss Contour to edit it with the following settings:

• Point 1:Input: 0% Output: 0% Corner: Off
• Point 2: Input: 15% Output: 89% Corner: Off
• Point 3: Input: 22% Output: 24% Corner: Off
• Point 4: Input: 33% Output: 99% Corner: Off
• Point 5: Input: 58% Output: 37% Corner: Off
• Point 6: Input: 100% Output: 53% Corner: Off

Step 12

Activate the Contour option of the Bevel & Emboss and use these settings:

• Contour: Rolling Slope - Descending
• Anti-Aliased: On
• Range: 56%
  

Then click OK to close the Layer Style panel.

Step 13

Go to Image > Adjustments > Curves to add a curve filter with these settings:

• Show Amount of: Light (0-255)
• Channel: RGB
  
• Point 1: Input: 0% Output: 0%
• Point 2: Input: 56% Output: 43%
• Point 3: Input: 181% Output: 167%
• Point 4: Input: 255% Output: 183%

Step 14

Go to Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen to add a sharpen filter. Then Right-click on the Radial layer and transform it into a Smart Object again.

Step 15

Create four copies of the Radial layer and place one copy in each corner of the document, aligning the center of the ellipses with the corners of the document.

Step 16

Select the first Radial layer and create four more copies, and then move these copies to the back of the original Radial layer. You can change the colors of the layer and group them to make it easier for you to identify the layers.

Step 17

Click on the rulers and drag two margins to the center of the document. Place one copy of the Radial layer on each edge of the document, aligning the center of the ellipses with the margins and the edges of the document. (The small circles in the next image represent the center of the ellipses).

Step 18

Go to Edit > Define Pattern and name it Radial Pattern. After that, you can save and close the document.

3. How to Create the Text Effect

Step 1

Create a new 2160 x 1025 px 300 dpi document with a dark blue background #132125. I'm going to name it Mulia, but you can choose any name you want.

Step 2

Double-click on the Background layer to unlock it. Then pick the Brush Tool (B) with the Soft Round brush and set its size to 2173 px and color to #365861.

Step 3

With the Brush Tool selected, click on the center of the document. Then go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise to apply a noise effect with these settings:

• Amount: 1%
• Distribution: Gaussian
• Monochromatic: On

Step 4

Go to Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options and add a Pattern overlay with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Luminosity
• Opacity: 5%
• Pattern: Ornamental Pattern Final
• Scale: 10%
• Link with Layer: On

Step 5

Convert the layer to Smart Object, and then go to Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen. After that, go to Window > Adjustments and add a new Gradient Map layer.

Step 6

Double-click on the thumbnail of the Gradient Map layer to open the Properties panel. Then click on the gradient bar to open the Gradient Editor.

Step 7

You can use any color that you like here, but I'm going to make a red background. These squares with small triangles pointing to the gradient bar are called Stops. You can create new Stops by clicking just below the gradient bar. Create a new gradient with these settings:

• Stop 1:Location: 0% Color: #020007
• Stop 2:Location: 66% Color: #c61717
• Stop 3:Location: 100% Color: #ffdbdb

Step 8

Pick the Horizontal Type Tool (T) and set the size of the text to 160 pt. Then choose the font Titania and write your text.

Step 9

Double-click on the text layer to open the Layer Style panel (don't click on the name or thumbnail of the layer). Add a Pattern Overlay with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Normal
• Opacity: 100%
• Pattern: Ornamental Pattern Final
• Scale: 50%
• Link with Layer: On
  

Tip: If you have the Pattern Overlay selected on the Layers panel, you can click on the text and drag to move the texture to a better position.

Step 10

Add a Bevel & Emboss with these settings:

• Style: Stroke Emboss
• Technique: Smooth
• Depth: 100%
• Direction: Up
• Size: 24 px
• Soften: 0 px
• Use Global Light: On
• Shading Angle: 90°
• Altitude: 30°
• Anti-Aliased: Off
• Highlight Mode: Screen
• Highlight Mode Color: #ffffff
• Highlight Mode Opacity: 50%
• Shadow Mode: Multiply
• Shadow Mode Color: #000000
• Shadow Mode Opacity: 50%
  

Click on the Gloss Contour and create a new contour with these settings:

• Point 1: Input: 0% Output: 0% Corner: On
• Point 2: Input: 46% Output: 69% Corner: On
• Point 3: Input: 50% Output: 0% Corner: On
• Point 4: Input: 94% Output: 73% Corner: On
• Point 5: Input: 100% Output: 0% Corner: On

Step 11

Add a Stroke with these settings:

• Size: 28 px
• Position: Center
• Blend Mode: Normal
• Opacity: 100%
• Overprint: Off
• Fill Type: Pattern
• Pattern: Ornamental Pattern Final
• Scale: 25%
• Link with Layer: On

Step 12

Add an Inner Shadow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Color Dodge
• Color: #ffffff
• Opacity: 96%
• Use Global Light: Off
• Angle: 0°
• Distance: 18 px
• Choke: 28 %
• Size: 6 px
• Contour: Choose Linear, then move the second point to Input 100% and output 71 %
• Anti-Aliased: Off
• Noise: 0%

Step 13

Add an Inner Glow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Darken
• Opacity: 69%
• Noise: 0%
• Color: #000000
• Technique: Precise
• Source: Edge
• Choke: 66%
• Size: 21 px
• Contour: Linear
• Anti-aliased: On
• Range: 55%
• Jitter: 0%

Step 14

Add a Drop Shadow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Normal
• Color: #000000
• Opacity: 57%
• Use Global Light: Off
• Angle: 0°
• Distance: 27 px
• Spread: 33%
• Size: 16 px
• Contour: Linear
• Anti-aliased: Off
• Noise: 0%
• Layer Knocks Out Drop Shadow: On
  

After that, click OK.

Step 15

Create a copy of the text layer and name it Mulia TOP, and then right-click on it and choose Clear Layer Style.

Step 16 (Optional)

This step adds a very subtle effect to the text, and sometimes the text looks better without it.

Double click on the Mulia TOP layer to open the Layer Style panel. Then add a Pattern Overlay with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Overlay
• Opacity: 100%
• Pattern: Radial Pattern (you can move this texture just like the first one)
• Scale: 25%
• Link with Layer: On

Step 17

Add a Bevel & Emboss with these settings:

• Style: Inner Bevel
• Technique: Smooth
• Depth: 240 %
• Direction: Up
• Size: 68 px
• Soften: 0 px
• Use Global Light: Off
• Shading Angle: 90°
• Altitude: 37°
• Anti-aliased: On
• Highlight Mode: Lighter Color
• Highlight Color: #ffdb95
• Highlight Opacity: 7%
• Shadow Mode: Darken
• Shadow Color: #000000
• Shadow Opacity: 26%
  

Click on the Gloss Contour and edit the contour with these settings:

• Point 1: Input: 0% Output: 9% Corner: Off
• Point 2: Input: 35% Output: 25% Corner: Off
• Point 3: Input: 52% Output: 23% Corner: Off
• Point 4: Input: 60% Output: 97% Corner: Off
• Point 5: Input: 100% Output: 0% Corner: Off

Step 18

Add a Stroke with these settings:

• Size: 24 px
• Position: Center
• Blend Mode: Normal
• Opacity: 0%
• Overprint: Off
• Fill Type: Any type
• Color: Any color
  

This Stroke effect is here just to show the Stroke from the first layer; that's why the Fill type and Color don't matter. Note that the Opacity is set to 0%.

Step 19

Add an Outer Glow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Normal
• Opacity: 100%
• Noise: 0%
• Color:#1a1a1d
• Technique: Softer
• Spread: 90%
• Size: 14 px
• Contour: Linear
• Anti-aliased: On
• Range: 100%
• Jitter: 0%

Step 20

Add a Drop Shadow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Normal
• Color: #0c0b0c
• Opacity: 100%
• Use Global Light: Off
• Angle: 0°
• Distance: 8 px
• Spread: 100%
• Size: 14 px
• Contour: Linear
• Anti-aliased: Off
• Noise: 0%
• Layer Knocks Out Drop Shadow: On
  

After that, click on OK.

Step 21

We're almost done; it just needs a few tweaks. Select both text layers and convert them to one Smart Object. Then press Control-T and resize it to 55%.

Step 22

Go to Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen. Then Double-click on the text layer to open the Layer Style panel. Add a Drop Shadow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Normal
• Color:#000000
• Opacity: 23%
• Use Global Light: Off
• Angle: -1%
• Distance: 21%
• Spread: 8 %
• Size: 6 px
• Contour: Linear
• Anti-aliased: Off
• Noise: 0%
• Layer Knocks Out Drop Shadow: On

Step 23

Create a new layer and set its mode to Screen. Then pick the Brush Tool (B) and select the Soft Round brush with a size of 473 px.

Select the color #120202 and start clicking on the text to add some lights to it. The small circles in the next image represent where I clicked.

Step 24

Create another layer and leave the layer mode as normal. Then change the brush size to 213 px and color to #170c00.

Start clicking on the text to add more lights (it will look ugly, but don't worry).

Step 25

Change the Fill of the second light layer to 0%. Then Double-Click on the layer to open the Layer Style panel and add a Color Overlay with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Screen
• Color: #390300
• Opacity: 41%
  

After that, click on OK. 

You just learned two ways to add a simple light effect to the image. The first option is faster, and the second one gives you more control over the effect.

Step 26

Now we need to add a shadow to the bottom of the text. Create a new layer and name it Simple Shadow, and then move this layer on the layer panel and place it below the text. 

After that, pick the Ellipse Tool (U) and set the color to black #000000. Then click below the start of the first letter and drag the mouse to the end of the last letter, drawing a very elongated oval shape below the text.

Step 27

Convert the Simple Shadow layer to a Smart Object. Then go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and add a blur with 6.4 px. After that, change the layer Opacity to 55%.

And We're Done!

In this tutorial, you learned how to create seamless textures using the Offset filter. You also learned that increasing the size of the document can help you when you want to add continuity to the layer style effect, avoiding layer styles being "ended" by the borders. You also learned how to use textures with layer styles and complement that with another layer.

If you completed the second part of this tutorial, you may have noticed how good smart objects are for performance. You can try to repeat those steps using groups instead of smart objects, and you'll see that your computer will soon become slow.

Remember that this text effect is completely editable.

This one uses the Radial pattern as the stroke:

To change the text color, I recommend opening the text smart object and adding some Color Overlays or Gradient Map layers with Layer Masks.

I hope that you've learned something useful with this tutorial!