Create an Easy Nebula Text Effect in Photoshop

Space, the Final Frontier

This nebula text effect is both quick and easy using a few simple tricks in Photoshop. The technique would work great for posters or book and magazine covers. Using the same basic techniques, it can also be easily modified by varying the text, brushes and background. Let's take a closer look at how I achieved this effect.

Step 1 - Choose a Font and Text

Create a new document in Photoshop at 3000x2000 pixels. Fill the background with a dark gray (#181717). Choose a good bold font for your title text. I chose the word "Believe" using a font called Thander. I also angled the font slightly.

Once you've added your text, duplicate the layer, and then Ctrl+Click the duplicated layer and choose "Rasterize" from the menu that appears. Now click Filter | Blur | Radial Blur and choose a setting around 5-10. Then reduce the opacity to 75%

Now turn off the original text layer's visibility. Then Cmd+Click the text layer's thumbnail on the layers panel to create a selection of your text.

Step 2 - Apply a Brushes to the Text Selection

For the next step you'll need to download and install the Free Dust Particles Brush Set from WeGraphics.

Create a new layer above the radial blurred text layer. Choose a dust particles brush, scale it down to around 500 pixels and begin clicking around the selection.

Without releasing the selection, click Select | Modify | Expand and enter 20 pixels. Then click Select | Modify | Feather and enter 5 pixels. Now create a new layer and with another dust particles brush, scaled down to around 300-500 pixels, begin clicking around the modified selection. Don't click as many times as you did inside the first selection.

Now click Select | Modify | Expand and enter 20 pixels again to expand the selection further. Create another new layer and choose another brush and click a few more times around the inside of the selection. You may need to turn this layer's opacity down to around 50% depending on your preference and how it's looking.

Step 3 - Apply Background and Foreground Debris

Release the selection by pressing Cmd+D on your keyboard. Create a new layer and and choose another particle brush and click around the text to add some debris outside of a selection.

Create another layer and choose a new brush, but this time don't scale it down as far. This debris will appear to be more in the foreground. Click Filter | Blur | Gaussian Blur with a setting around 2-5 to blur the foreground debris slightly.

Step 4 - Add a Background Image

I added a nebula background to the bottom most layer. You can use mine (download link) or you can download your own at the Hubble Space Telescope gallery.

Step 5 - Final Adjustment Layers

Here's where the magic happens. Add a Gradient Map adjustment layer from the adjustment layer icon at the bottom of the layers panel. Set the gradient to #0a2a59 and #ffd200.

Now add a Levels adjustment layer using the same menu. Adjust the levels similar to the image below.

Finally, create a Photo Filter adjustment layer and choose "Cooling Filter 82" and set the density to 50%.

Conclusion

Here's a look at my final piece. I hope these techniques opened a few doors and inspired a few ideas for you. I'd love to see your work created based on this tutorial. Feel free to share using the comments field below.