Bubble Wrap Effect in Photoshop

For this Tutorial, we are going to use the image of “Cardboard” or “Paper” for your “Background”. We will also be using the Free Font “Sausages”.

1 - In Photoshop, open the file you chose as “Background”. Create another document, make it 70 x 41 Pixels @ 300 dpi and use “Transparent” as “Background Contents”.

2 - Select the “Elliptical Marquee Tool” (M), use a “Fixed Size” of 32 x 32 Pixels and place your circle in the middle of your canvas. Select the “Paint Bucket Tool” (G) and fill it with Black.

3 - Duplicate it three times (Command/Control + J) and, using the “Move Tool” (V), move one of your circles to the left until half of it is outside. Move one to the right, one up and another one down, leaving just the halves inside your document.

4 - Go to Edit > Define Pattern, name it “Bubble Wrap” and save the “Pattern”. You can save or get rid of the file.

5 - Using the “Type Tool” (T), select your font (we chose “Sausages”), type your text and fill it with White. Duplicate your text twice (Command/Control + J) and name the first duplicate “Bubble Wrap”, and the second one “Contour”.

6 - Double-click on the “Bubble Wrap” Layer and change its “Fill” to 0%. Right click on top of the “Contour” layer and choose “Convert to Smart Object”. Change its “Fill” to 0%, too.

7 - Double-click on top of your original Text Layer to apply the following “Layer Styles”:

Bevel & Emboss:

Texture: (Click on the small gear icon on the Top-Right and navigate to “Patterns”, click “Append” to add them to your current “Patterns”. Repeat with “Erodible Textures”) Select the “Laid-vertical” texture.

Outer Glow: (#ffffff)

Drop Shadow:

8 - Now, double-click on the “Bubble Wrap” Layer and apply the following “Layer Styles”:

Pattern Overlay: (use the “Bubble Wrap” Pattern created earlier)

Right-click on top of its Thumbnail, choose “Convert to Smart Object” and then, duplicate it.

9 - Double-click on top of the “Bubble Wrap” Layer to apply the following “Layer Styles”:

Blending Options:

Bevel & Emboss: (#696969, Gloss Contour: Cove - Deep)

Texture: (Crystal Pattern)

Color Overlay: (#ffffff)

Drop Shadow:

10 - Now, double-click on top of the “Bubble Wrap copy” Layer to apply the following “Layer Styles”:

Blending Options:

Bevel & Emboss: (Gloss Contour: Cone - Inverted)

11 - Double-click on top of the “Contour” Layer to apply the following “Layer Styles”:

Blending Options:

Bevel & Emboss: (Gloss Contour: Cone)

Texture: (Cells)

Stroke: (#7a7a7a)

12 - While holding the “Command/Control” key click on top of your original Text Layer to make a selection. Create a "New Layer” on top of everything (click on the small button at the bottom of the “Layers Panel”).

13 - Go to Select > Modify > Contract and use a value of 25 Pixels. Then, to Select > Modify > Feather (Shift + F6) and use a “Radius” of 65 Pixels. Click “Alt/Option + Delete” to fill your selection with White (Background color). “Invert” your selection (Shift + Command/Control + I) and click “Delete”. You can deselect now (Command/Control + D).

14 - Double-click on top of the “Inside” Layer to apply the following “Layer Styles”:

Blending Options:

Bevel & Emboss: (Gloss Contour: Cone)

Texture: (Leaves)

15 - Select all your “Text” Layers and click on the small Folder button at the bottom of the “Layers Panel” to create a group named “Text”. Create a “New Layer” on top and outside your “Text” group, name it “Plastic” and fill it with White.

16 - Make four copies of it, placing three on top and one under. Then, double-click on top of one of the “Bubble Wrap” Layers “Smart Object” Thumbnail to open the contents in another file, right-click on top of its Thumbnail and choose “Copy Layer Style”. Close that file and “Paste Layer Style” to one of your “Plastic” Layers. Then, convert it to a “Smart Object” too.

17 - Copy the “Layer Style” of your original Text Layer and paste it onto one of the “Plastic” Layers (bottom one). Copy and Paste the “Layer Styles” of the Text Layers to reproduce the overall effect. Finally repeat the “Contract” and “Feather” selection steps with the same values used on the “Inside” layer. Group these Layers in a folder too.

18 - Select one of your “Contour” Layers, go to Filter > Distort > Ripple and use a 150% value and a “Medium” Size. Apply the same “Filter” to the “Plastic Contour” Layer.

19 - Select both “Folders”, right-click on them and choose “Convert to Smart Object”. Then, double-click on it and apply the following “Layer Styles”:

Drop Shadow: (Gloss Contour: Gaussian)

20 - In the “Adjustments Panel” create a “New Vibrancy Adjustment Layer” and crank the “Vibrancy” value to 100% (You may not need this step depending on your “Background”).