This tutorial teaches you how to make text glow in Photoshop. You’ll learn to easily apply and edit Outer Glow and Inner Glow.
Applying and Modifying Outer Glow in PS
First, find your text layer in the Layers panel. Double-click an empty spot on the layer in the Layers panel. If you double-click the icon you’ll be able to change the text itself. Double-clicking the layer name will allow you to change that. So find an empty area and double-click that area. The Layer Style window will then open.
On the left side of the windows you’ll see a variety of different styles you can add to the text layer. Let’s apply Outer Glow first. Outer Glow is towards the bottom. Click it’s checkbox to turn it on.
You’ll probably want to adjust the default settings. I prefer changing the Blend Mode to Linear Light. The Spread and Size are other settings you’ll want to mess with. You can always go back to these settings so don’t feel like you need to get it right the first time.
When you change any of the values your text layer glow will automatically update. If you’re on a laptop like how I typically work then you’ll need to move the Layer Style window out of the way most likely so you can see these changes take place.
Once you’re happy with the glow, click OK. In the Layers panel you’ll now see two lines of text below the text layer you applied to glow to. You’ll see Effects and Outer Glow. At any time you can turn the visibility of the outer glow off by clicking either of the eye symbols. Click it again to turn it back on.
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To adjust any of the glow values double-click an empty area of that layer in the Layer panel again and you’ll be taken back to the Layer Style window.
Adding an Inner Glow to Text in Photoshop
You can also add a glow that works it way inward on a text layer in Photoshop. So instead of the glow emanating out from behind the text, inner glow glows the edges in towards the center of the letters.
Go back to the Layer Style window. You’ll find Inner Glow in the middle of the Styles. I find the Vivid Light Blend Mode works well.
Under the Elements section you’ll see an option for Source to be set either to the Center or Edge. The image displayed below is set to Edge. You’ll also want to play with the Choke and Size values. When your inner glow looks good click OK.
If you’ve now gone through this tutorial and you still need help, please leave a comment and I’ll do what I can to help troubleshoot it. But if you can now glow text in Photoshop, I hope you stick around and check out some of the other Photoshop tutorials on my website or consider signing up to get notified about new blog posts and happenings around EVF.
– Josh
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