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Chrome
Text
This tutorial will show how to make a Chrome/glassy look alike text using reflection maps in Photoshop. It was inspired by the Chrome tutorial in the Photoshop 4 WOW book but has been re-written and designed with my own techniques and tips. With a little experimentation, you can make various objects using this method such as chrome balls, buttons, interfaces and more. This is an intermediate/Advanced user level tutorial. Important:
If you have unchecked the "Include composited image with
layered files" in the Preferences, this tutorial will not
work. Make sure it's right by going to File>Preferences>Saving
Files and make sure that bottom check box is checked. For the best results, try and make the image as big as possible. The reflection behaves better at a larger scale. My image size was 640 wide by 575 high (72dpi)with a white background using a Script typeface (Balmoral D) at a size of 850points. So my image is much large then shown in this tutorial. |
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![]() Now Select the Type Tool and make some large type on that channel or import a logo from another program on to this channel. Name this new channel "Original". |
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![]() We now need to choose a
reflection map for the text. I’ve found that pictures of sky and
Ocean work really well for this as with the sky, it has a downward
gradient that makes the chrome look nice. Try and choose an image
with detail as well (like trees, beach weeds or rocks). You can
download the reflection map I used if you don’t have one.
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Open the Photo (if not already) to use for the reflective map. Select>All and then Edit>Copy. Now move over to our project image and paste it there, it should make a new layer and look like the left image I have. Make sure the reflective map picture covers your whole image as shown below.
After you have done that, Select All: Select>All. Now Image>Crop to get rid of any outside unwanted data. |
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