TUTORIAL: getting a Christmas text

In this post, we will make our first Christmas text, so let's start with a discreet one. This effect reminds me some kinds of Christmas ornaments, mainly when put in green background.

You can get this one by using this free text maker and setting it like that:
- Text: Christmas (probably you will put the "Merry" before it);
- Font size: Normal;
- Margin: 3;
- Background color: 008000;
- Font name: Cupola.

This is the text we take (click to enlarge):

Extra tips:
- in this case, it's important use a thin font face;
- in fact, it was made using a glass text. Usually any red glass effect could be a good try;
- you can use several other interesting glass text effects going to this text generator catalog.

TUTORIAL: a stylized chrome dollar sign

A dollar sign image can be useful when writing about any subject involving money direct or indirectly. Now let's make a beautiful and yet very stylized chrome "$".

To get the text effect, go to this free text generator and make that configuration:
- Text: $;
- Font size: Big;
- Margin: 3;
- Background color: FFFFFF;
- Font name: Bandy.

That's the image you get:

Extra tips:
- if you try it using a different font, don't forget that many fonts don't offer the character "$";
- this sign is stylized because of its shape, but we used a traditional metallic effect. In future, we will try to make a yet less usual dollar with a different effect;
- you can try a lot of cool metallic text effects in this text generator catalog.

TUTORIAL: getting a chocolate text effect

Today we will generate a text made of chocolate. For me, the result of this effect looks like dark (bitter) chocolate covered with clear (milky) chocolate.

To make it, use this free text effect configured like told below:
- Text: chocolate (I used this text as example, you choose yours);
- Font size: Normal;
- Margin: 3;
- Background color: FFFFFF;
- Font name: Croissant.

It's the image you get (click for full-size viewing):

Extra tips:
- I think this effect always gets better with thick font faces;
- you can try it setting a brown background;
- there are many other useful text effects in this free text generator catalog.

Probably from next post on, I will start a series about text effects that can be useful for texts about Christmas.

TUTORIAL: making a rainbow style text

Sometimes what you need is a text effect with a lot of colors. It can fit a very colorful interface or call all attention in a place made mostly with two or three colors. One traditional way to get it is doing an effect that applies the rainbow idea: a gradient that evolves smoothly among several colors.

Now we make it. Open this free text effect and set its parameters like shown:
- Text: Rainbow (I used this text as example, you choose yours);
- Font size: Big;
- Margin: 3;
- Background color: FFFFFF;
- Font name: Creampuff.

The result is like this (click to enlarge):

Extra tips:
- this thick, informal style, very rounded font face is one of the more suitable for this effect. Try always to choose fonts like this;
- the slightly 3D outline border gives a professional touch to this one;
- there are many other gradient text effects in this text generator catalog.

TUTORIAL: how to make a beautiful shadowed text effect

In many situations, what you need is a subtle and yet beautiful text. The internal shadows give to this text effect an interesting 3D looking when used over the right font face.

To create the final image, go to this free text generator and configure it this way:
- Text: Shadow (I used this text as example, you choose yours);
- Font size: Normal;
- Margin: 3;
- Background color: FFFFFF;
- Font name: Arbeka.

It's the image you get (click to enlarge):

Extra tips:
- this effect produces a more beautiful result when used over a rounded thin font face (like the one I chose);
- if you use a dark background color, the shadows are not so eye catching;
- you can find many amazing text effects in this text generator catalog.

TUTORIAL: creating a water text

Here we go to make another water text effect. In my opinion, this one is more realistic than the first one we did. It's an interesting example about what we can get when using a glass text effect in a smart way.

To make it by yourself, go to this free text effect and set its parameters like this:
- Text: water (I used this text as example, you choose yours);
- Font size: Big;
- Margin: 3;
- Background color: 90C8FA;
- Font name: Blobs.

So you get this effect (click to enlarge):

Extra tips:
- it's important to use a very irregular font face to get the liquid appearance;
- the back color I have chosen helps to mix text and background;
- there are many other interesting text effects in this text generator catalog.

TUTORIAL: how to create a melted plastic text effect

Here I show how to do a text that looks like made of melted plastic. We just need to be smart to use a proper text effect with the right font face.

To do this one, go to this free text effect and make its configuration like below:
- Text: plastic (I used this text as example, you choose yours);
- Font size: Normal;
- Margin: 5;
- Background color: FFFFFF;
- Font name: Blobs.

You get this result (click to enlarge):

Extra tips:
- of course, if you don't use a very irregular font face, you lose the melted looking;
- for this effect in particular, it's a smart move to improve the margin size (the default value is 3, but I used 5);
- you can find several other useful plastic text effects in this text generator catalog.

TUTORIAL: making a simple lighted text effect

Now you will learn how to do a simple and yet nice lighted text. This effect is better than most free glow text effects you can find around the Internet, because this one doesn't just make glow outside the font face, but renders some light inside the letters too. This important plus gives a much more beautiful and realistic result.

So let's make it. Go to this free text effect and configure it this way:
- Text: Light (I used this text as example, you choose yours);
- Font size: Normal;
- Margin: 3;
- Background color: 990000;
- Font name: Bandy.

The result looks like this:

Extra tips:
- in my opinion, highly geometric fonts (like this one I used) make this effect more beautiful;
- depending on the font you choose, you can get a better result using a black background;
- you can try many other glow text effects by starting from this text generator catalog.

TUTORIAL: how to make a hot text effect

Sometimes you need to write something hot, so your text should look like hot too, shouldn't it? Here we will take advantage of a very interesting red glow effect.

To do this one, go to this free text effect and configure it like told here:
- Text: Hot (I used this text as example, you choose yours);
- Font size: Normal;
- Margin: 3;
- Background color: it can't be used for this text effect in particular;
- Font name: Zenith 2000.

So you get a text like this:

Extra tips:
- if you try it using other fonts, probably it's a better idea to use thick font faces;
- there are many other glow text effects in this text generator catalog.

TUTORIAL: making an alien text effect

Now you will learn how to get an eye catching alien text with no effort. In this case, a futuristic metallic style with some kind of glowing would be perfect.

To get it, use this metallic text effect and configure it this way:
- Text: Alien (I used this text as example, you choose yours);
- Font size: Big;
- Margin: 3;
- Background color: 000000;
- Font name: Arbeka.

The result is this image (click to enlarge):

Extra tips:
- Don't forget to select the "Big" size to get a better result;
- Usually strongly geometric fonts fit better this effect;
- You will find many other metallic text effects at this text generator catalog.