TUTORIAL: How to Create an Ice Text Effect with Photoshop

Step 27

After you’ve done this, retouch the corners and edges with the Eraser Tool (E) using a soft brush.

Step 28

Create a new layer on top and begin to paint some snow near the base of the letters using the same brush, with the same settings as before.

Step 29

Leave some little darker areas.

Step 30

Clean the edges using the Eraser Tool (E) with a soft brush.

Step 31

Create a New Layer above the snow on the letters and start painting with a black (#00000) Brush to create shadows. Let’s suppose the light comes from the top.

Step 32

Make some bigger shadows where there are humps.

Step 33

Create a new layer on top and paint some shadows using the same brush. These are the shadows of the letters.

Step 34

Apply this Inner Glow to the shadows just made.

Step 35

Add some more falling snow on a new layer on top.

Step 36

Now select the snow on the top and Duplicate it by dragging the thumbnail to the New Layer Icon.

Step 37

Do the same with the letters and the snow on top of them. Merge these two layers to make the reflection. Press Command + T, then Right-click > Flip Vertical.

Step 38

With the Gradient Tool (G) draw on the Layer Mask a vertical black to transparent gradient. Hold the Shift key to keep it vertical. Then apply some Motion Blur: Angle 0° and Distance 20 pixels.

Step 39

Do the same as before for the falling snow layer: Duplicate, Flip Vertical, add a Gradient Mask, and apply a Motion Blur.

Step 40

Create a new layer behind the letters and draw a horizontal white line with a brush (always holding the Shift key). Set the Size to 15 pixels and the Hardness to 80%. Set the Opacity of the layer to 90%.

Step 41

Create a new layer behind the reflections and draw a white to transparent Gradient starting from the line drawn in the previous step. Also add 70% Gaussian Noise by going to Filter > Noise > Add Noise.

Step 42

This is the actual situation: every effect on his own layer. Now Create a new layer, then go to Image > Apply Image… and click OK.

Step 43

Call this new layer “ICE IMAGE” and Duplicate it. Now we can hide all the rest, we’ll be working a bit on sharpening and increasing the definition.

Step 44

Duplicate this layer again and apply a Gaussian Blur of 0,3 pixels just to smooth everything.

Step 45

Then go to Filter > Other > High Pass and apply the following settings.

Step 46

Again, create a new layer by going to Image > Apply Image… and click OK. Set it to Overlay and 30% for Opacity.

Step 47

Draw a circle on a new layer with the Elliptical Marquee Tool. Fill it with black, then Deselect with Command + D. Now go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur, and set it to 25 pixels. This gives some sort of vignetting effect.

Final Result

And here’s the final outcome! It could be very nice to add some Christmas decorations! Well it’s not that time yet!