Photoshop Gel Text Effect

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By Photoshop Consultant | July 6, 2007

Make a new document, 400 wide by 200 high. Then select the type tool, and write what you want. Make the colour of this text white. Then right click on the text layer and select Blending Options. Don’t close this window until all steps are complete.

Click on drop shadow. Setup the variables as follows:
Opacity : 75%
Distance : 5px
Spread : 0%
Size : 5px

The text should now have a nice shadow

Now click inner glow. Set the colour to 0034A9 and other variables as follows:
In the Structure heading: Opacity : 75%
Noise : 0%

In the Elements heading: Technique : Softer
Source : Edge
Choke : 0%
Size : 10px

In the Quality heading: Range : 50%
Jitter : 0%

Now select inner shadow and set up the options as below:

# In the Structure heading: Blend Mode : Normal
# Colour : FFFFFF (white)
# Opacity : 75%
# Distance : 4px
# Choke : 0%
# Size : 1px

Next move on to the gradient overlay options.
# In the Gradient heading: Blend Mode : Normal
# Opacity : 100%
# Gradient : Left click on the gradient image. Select a colour to transparent option. Set the colour to 3B8DC7. To see a screenshot of this window click here
# Style : linear
# Scale : 100

Last Step! Select the stroke option. Set the colour to 0E208F
# In the Structure heading: Size : 2px
# Position : outside
# Blend mode : normal
# Opacity : 100%
You can now click ok on the layer style window, because the effect is finished.

Although this effect requires alot of editing of variables, it is great. It can be applied to any layer, and you now have the chance to fiddle with all these variables!
The colours can also be changed. If you like a darker effect in step 1 use a medium/dark blue for the text. Or if you want to change the colours of the whole effect then you need to change colour settings in steps 1, 3, 5 and 6.

example