Photoshop tutorial
How to Make This Retro Chrome Effect in Photoshop
Turn a flat 3D type extrusion into an 80s metal chrome logo using nothing but stock Photoshop layer styles. The whole effect is built from a Bevel & Emboss, a Gradient Overlay, an Inner Shadow and a Gradient Map, so every part of it stays live and editable.
Step 1
3D Extrusion
Create a 3D extrusion of your type using any 3D software. I used Adobe Illustrator, but Blender is a good free option.
Bring this into a 16 bit, 300 dpi Photoshop document. My document size is 16 in x 20 in.
Document
- Size 16 in x 20 in
- Resolution 300 dpi
- Bit depth 16 bit
Step 2
Split Front Face and Extrusion
Select the front face of the 3D extrusion. Right click on the selection and use Layer Via Cut to separate the 3D extrusion into two layers.
Step 3
Bevel & Emboss and Gradient Overlay
Apply the Bevel & Emboss and the Gradient Overlay Layer Styles to the front face layer using the following settings.
The midpoint of the gradient is approximately where the horizon line of the chrome will be.
Bevel & Emboss
- Style Inner Bevel
- Technique Smooth
- Depth 74 %
- Direction Up
- Size 2 px
- Soften 0 px
- Angle 62
- Use Global Light Off
- Altitude 0
- Gloss Contour Linear
- Anti-aliased Off
- Highlight Mode Normal, white
- Highlight Opacity 77 %
- Shadow Mode Multiply, black
- Shadow Opacity 0 %
- Contour Off
- Texture Off
Gradient Overlay
- Blend Mode Overlay
- Dither Off
- Opacity 100 %
- Gradient Black to white, midpoint moved right of centre
- Reverse Off
- Style Linear
- Align with Layer On
- Angle 90
- Reset Alignment n/a
- Scale 100 %
- Method Classic
Step 4
Inner Shadow on the Extrusion
Apply the Inner Shadow Layer Style to the 3D extrusion layer using these settings.
Inner Shadow
- Blend Mode Normal, black
- Opacity 78 %
- Angle 37
- Use Global Light Off
- Distance 43 px
- Choke 0 %
- Size 128 px
- Contour Linear
- Anti-aliased Off
- Noise 0 %
Step 5
Clouds Layer
Group the two 3D layers. Then, make a new blank layer, press "D" on your keyboard to use the default foreground and background colors, and select Filter>Render>Clouds.
Apply a 25px Gaussian Blur to the Clouds layer. Set this layer to Soft Light at 15% opacity.
Make a clipping mask of the clouds layer to the 3D extrusion group.
Clouds layer
- Filter Render > Clouds
- Gaussian Blur 25 px (Smart Filter)
- Blend Mode Soft Light
- Opacity 15 %
- Clipping mask Clipped to the 3D extrusion group
Step 6
Gradient Map
Group the Clouds clipping mask with the 3D extrusion group. Create a Gradient Map and apply a clipping mask to this new group using these stops.
Adjust the colors to your liking. I also added a black solid to the clipping mask and brushed in areas where I wanted the chrome to be brighter.
Gradient Map
- Adjustment Gradient Map, clipped to the 3D Text + Warp group
- Gradient stops Black, dark blue, mid blue, light blue, white, then back down to blue and black
- Extra layer Black Color Fill clipped into the group, masked and brushed in to brighten areas
Finish
Result
Done! Tip: Play around with the Layer Styles and Gradient Map to achieve different looks!
