The Making of the Van Helsing Wallpaper

Third edition of exclusive tutorials for Skinyourscreen.com, i’‘ll try to show you my methode to reproduce the texte effect seen on Van Helsing posters around the net.

Skinyourscreen.com Tutorials

Third edition of exclusive tutorials for skinyourscreen.com, i’ll try to show you my methode to reproduce the text effect seen on Van Helsing posters around the net.

Please, Download first, the TrueType font Van Helsing and instal it, to be sure to have all pieces of work to follow along the tutorial

I know that there is a lot of methods to do such things, but this one is mine, so follow carefully if you wish.

Grab a good tone : Joe Sateriani : Oriental melody.mp3

let’s go!

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Make a new document, with size of 800px/150px.with transparent background, Fill the first layer with this color #080808 to follow the taste…..i hate working on a completly blank background! you know.. Here the trick is to get as close as possible from the original texte effect seen on the poster…... because getting the effect 100% exact!! is simply copying, or maybe impossible!! :D

Now type on the words : Van Helsing, in the center of the canvas, it should be with this color #686868. after that rasterize your layer.

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Now, grab a guide in the center of the texte then go to View—> Snap, this will make any tool passing next to the guide snap to it, and it’s usefull to make horizontal lines….. Reset your colors (D) then take your Dodge Tool (O) select a big soft brush 65px and up to the settings, choose Midtones and get down the Exposure to about 47px should be OK!! and make a wisp once on the center of the text!!

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Once finished, redo this step with smaller and smaller brushes, with diffrent exposure settings to simulate the metal effect with a nice wisp in the center

There is no Static or fixed settings here to do, just what works best for you see the large view for a best idea!!

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When you are happy with your thing, just try to adapt these layer styles settings for it, as allways, try to find yours that works best for you

You Should End up with something like here (Hopefully)

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The Base shape is here, now the rest of Work Should be Easy, just looking around for the FX settings.

CTRL + Click this layer and go to : Select—> Modify—> Contract by 1px.

Make a new layer then go to : Edit—> Fill with 100% pattern similar to this one then turn the opacity of this layer to 80% and mode to Linear Light, or what works good for you!!

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Now, if the rusted strock of the text is not as you wish it, we should simulate it with a separate layer…..

So CTRL+Click the text layer, then make a new layer, and place it under the text layer…..OK!

Go to : Select—> Modify—> Expand by 1px or 2px (Depand on how much your text is big) then go to : Edit—> fill with 100% pattern like this one.

desselect : CTRL+ D.

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Expanding the selection for this layer should not be creazy, because we want just a small rust line that show up behind text layer….the multi-Colored rust feeling will be given by the strock added previously in the text layer, this operation is done only to add a small rustish to this strock, and let it visible even if you place your text layer on a very dark background!!

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