Pop Shadow Text in Photoshop

For this Tutorial, are using Shirota Free Font from Anton Chernogorov.

1 - In Photoshop, create a “New Document”. The size is up to you.

2 - Click on the “Create a New Fill or Adjustment Layer” button at the bottom of the “Layers” Panel and choose “Gradient”. Make your gradient “Radial” and use a 180° Angle and 2 colors of your choice (we used #c8c5dc and #8078b3).

3 - Select the “Type Tool” (T), choose your font (we used Shirota) and type your text. The size will depend on your document size and font choice. Use a contrasting “Fill” color (we used #96d31f) for your text.

4 - Click on the “Toggle the Character and Paragraph Panels” button in the top menu and in the “Character Panel” change the “Kerning” to “Optical”.

5 - Double-click on the text layer and apply a “Stroke Layer Style”. Make the “Size” 6 Pixels, use “Outside” as “Position”, “Normal” as “Blend Mode” and the “Opacity” should be a 100%.

6 - Right-click next to the “Effects” thumbnail of your text and choose “Create Layer”. This will create a New Layer that contains the “Outer Stroke”.

7 - Hide your “Outer Stroke” layer by clicking on the small eye icon to the left of the thumbnail, then click on the thumbnail while holding the “Command/Control” Key to make a selection.

8 - With the selection still active, click on the “Create a New Fill or Adjustment Layer” button at the bottom of the “Layers” Panel and choose “Solid Color”. Use a darker shade of the color of your “Background” (we used #541386). This will allow you to change the color of the stroke by double-clicking on its thumbnail.

9 - Select the “Color Fill” Layer Mask and go to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur and use an “Angle” of 140° degrees and a “Distance” of 80 Pixels.

10 - Invoke the “Levels” adjustment window (Command/Control + L) and drag the right-hand and middle levers almost all the way to the left. Then click “OK”.

11 - You can leave your text in that position, or you can move it “Up” and “Left” and create a sort of “Long Shadow” effect.

by @lornacane