Engraved/Debossed Text

[Gideon S]

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to achieve an engraved look with text. Not embossed (raised) but debossed (recessed). I have tried playing with all the effects and have not yet found a way to do it. Does anyone have any ideas? (Attached is a screenshot of what I’m trying to imitate, except I’m looking for something a little more dramatic.)

Thanks in advance!

[GarryP]

Have you tried experimenting with the Layer Effects? See attached image.

[Alfred]

What you’re looking for is a letterpress effect. It should be fairly easy to follow any of the numerous Photoshop tutorials that you’ll find online, but post back here if you get stuck!

[Ron P.]

32 minutes ago, Alfred said:

should be fairly easy

Easy to say, not so to do. I've been working at this for the past 2 hrs. I can get a pressed outline, but the fill color makes it look raised. I know the letter press is an illusion using lights and darks, but so far, Affinity Designer or Photo really makes it difficult. 😉

[v_kyr]

You can take a look at the "Pressed & Embossed styles" resource from user souacz. Therein the pressed styles do partly what you're looking for, thus examine and alter their FX effects settings in order to come close to what you are after!

 

When using above mentioned pressed styles, alter/set a FX effect color overlay of your choice!

[firstdefence]

The basic key to the letterpress effect is to change the highlight colour from stark white to a colour closer to the surface colour.

Too bright

 

Much better and more accurately representative of real world.

Another stage to realism is to have some of the texture from the book cover within the text and other elements, although this isn't always necessary, some faint texture can add a nice effect and connect the lettering to the surface.

 

[Wosven]

And you can have fun with a mockup

A8C44E29-C4BB-4D2F-ABEF-E09EE78315EC.afphoto

 

[Gideon S]

Wow thanks everyone for all this helpful info! The mock-up is exactly what I need @Wosven!

@firstdefence is that all done with layer effects? I have not had any success with layer effects because I always get a raised look. But what you did looks perfect. Could it be that I need a color overlay?

Thanks @v_kyr for sending me to those resources. Will download and try.

Thanks @Ron P. and @Alfred for your suggestions about letterpress techniques.

And thanks @GarryP for the suggestion about layer effects.

Once I get back to my computer I’ll give all of this a try and post back my results!

[Gideon S]

After studying everything you guys posted and much experimenting, I was finally able to get my desired results entirely using layer effects (in Publisher).

I'm still finalizing the design (can't design on the exact color of the lettering and where to put "Behold"), but here are the results. Thanks again everyone!

By the way, I achieved the pressed look by adding a very small embossed effect and inner shadow with an offset.

[Alfred]

12 minutes ago, Gideon S said:

can't design on the exact color of the lettering

I think it needs to be lighter. There’s too little contrast here unless I increase the screen brightness to the point where the white page page background is uncomfortable to look at.

[Gideon S]

You’re right. I’ll need to experiment with that.

[firstdefence]

Well done, missed your request but yes all done with layer fx on the lettering.

I would either make the silent night lettering smaller to go across the page or centre both words, the behold would probably benefit from being a bit smaller and closer to the bottom a tad. It might help to try and give the silent night text a more golden tone as a lot of embossed lettering was gilded.