This article teaches you how to create a glitter effect that you can apply to shapes and text with Photoshop.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Creating a New Project
Step 1. Open Photoshop
Double click on this program's icon, represented by the letters "Ps" on a blue background.
Step 2. Click on File
You will see this entry in the upper left corner of Photoshop. Select it to open a drop-down menu.
Step 3. Click on New…
This button is the first one in the menu you just opened. Select it to open a window.
Step 4. Enter a name
Type the title of the project in the text field located at the top of the window.
If necessary, you can change the settings according to your preferences within this window
Step 5. Click OK
You will see this button at the bottom of the window. Select it to close the screen and open the new project.
Part 2 of 4: Creating the Base Level
Step 1. Click on the "New Layer" button
This icon, represented by a rectangle with a bent corner, is located at the bottom of the "Levels" window.
If you don't see the "Layers" window on the right side of Photoshop, click on the tab first Windows at the top of the program, then check the box Levels.
Step 2. Open the "Color" window
Click on Windows at the top of Photoshop, then check the box Color in the drop-down menu.
Step 3. Select a color
Click on one of the colors in the "Color" window on the right side of Photoshop: the chosen hue will be used for the glitter.
Step 4. Swap the foreground color with the background color
Click on the right-angled arrows to the right of the two colored squares located in the lower left part of the window.
- Do this only if the foreground color field shows a color, while the background is white.
- You can also swap the foreground color with the background color by pressing X.
Step 5. Apply the selected color to the background
You can do this by pressing Ctrl + ← Backspace (Windows) or ⌘ Command + Del (Mac). The background color should become the one you selected earlier.
Step 6. Click on Filter
Select this button, located at the top of the Photoshop window, to open a drop-down menu.
Step 7. Select Noise
This item is located in the central part of the menu Filter. Select it to open a new menu.
Step 8. Click Add Noise…
This is one of the options on the menu that just appeared. Select it and a new window will open.
Step 9. Select the intensity of the effect
Click on the "Noise" selector and drag it to the left to reduce the effect or to the right to increase it.
The higher the "Noise" value, the denser the glitter effect will be
Step 10. Check the "Monochrome" box
You will find it at the bottom of the window. Select it to make sure the glitter effect is in the color you chose earlier.
If you prefer multicolored glitter, don't tick this box
Step 11. Click OK
You will see this button at the bottom of the window.
Step 12. Add the "Crystallize" effect
This way, you will make some parts of the glitter layer more pronounced, improving its appearance:
- Click on Filter;
- Select Pixel effect;
- Click on Crystallize …;
- Adjust the "Cell Size" selector between 4 and 10;
- Click on OK.
Part 3 of 4: Adding and Combining Layers
Step 1. Right click on the base layer
You will find it in the "Levels" window. This will open a drop-down menu.
On Mac, you can hold Control while clicking on the layer
Step 2. Click on Duplicate Layer…
This item is in the menu you just opened.
Step 3. Click OK when prompted
This will create a copy of the glitter layer, which will appear at the top of the "Layers" window.
Step 4. Right click on the new layer
It should take first place in the "Levels" window. Select it to open a drop-down menu.
Step 5. Click on Merge Options…
This item is one of the first in the menu you just opened. Select it to open the window of the same name.
Step 6. Click on the "Blending Mode" field
You will see it at the top of the window. Select it to open a drop-down menu.
Step 7. Click on Multiply
This is one of the menu options.
Step 8. Click OK
This button is located on the right side of the window. Select it to apply the "Multiply" effect to the duplicated layer.
Step 9. Rotate the new layer
This way, you'll make sure it complements the basic one, instead of overlapping:
- Click on Image at the top of Photoshop;
- Select Image rotation;
- Click on 180°.
Step 10. Create and rotate another layer
Right-click (or Control-click) the layer you just created and edited, then click Duplicate Layer … come on OK. At that point, you will have to rotate the layer by clicking on Image, selecting Image rotation and clicking on 180° in the menu that appears.
You can add and edit more layers later if you like, but three is enough to create a glitter effect
Step 11. Merge the three layers
In the "Layers" window, click on the first layer, then hold down Shift while clicking on the bottom one (not the "Background"). Once you've selected the three layers you've created, press Ctrl + E (Windows) or ⌘ Command + E (Mac) to merge them into one, resulting in the glitter effect.
Step 12. Change the color of the glitter
If you decide to change the tint of the effect, you can do so by following these instructions:
- Create a new layer and make sure it is at the top of the "Layers" window;
- Select a color and apply it to the layer;
- Right click on the new layer;
- Click on Blending options …;
- Click on the "Blending Mode" drop-down menu;
- Click on Soft light;
- Click on OK, then repeat the operation with other layers to make the color darker if necessary.
Part 4 of 4: Applying the Glitter Effect
Step 1. Create a new layer
To do this, click on the "New Layer" button, which is located at the bottom of the "Layer" window.
Skip this step if you want to apply the glitter effect around an image
Step 2. Add a text field or image
This step is different if you are going to fill the outline of a text field or image with the glitter effect:
- Text - click on the icon T. in the toolbar, then type the desired text.
- Image - open the image in Photoshop, select the "Quick Selection Tool" button in the toolbar, click and drag the pointer along the outline of the image, then right-click on the selected area and click on Create cut layer.
Step 3. Move the layer below the glitter layer
Click and drag the mouse pointer over the text or image layer from the top of the "Layers" window to the position below the glitter layer.
The glitter layer should occupy the first position in the "Layers" window
Step 4. Right click on the glitter layer
It should occupy the first position in the "Levels" window. Select it to open a drop-down menu.
Step 5. Scroll down and click Create Clipping Mask
You will see this option at the bottom of the drop-down menu. Select it and you should notice that the glitter effect is immediately assigned to the layer below.
Step 6. Save the image
Click on File, select Export, click on Quick export to PNG, type the file name, then click Export.
