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Drop Shadow
The drop shadow technique is a simple way to add depth to your text (or even images!). It also gives a nice, solid feel to banners and such.
Note: This tutorial was created using PSP 9, although it will probably work just as well on earlier versions of the software.
Step 2: Click on the Text tool, make sure that your selected foreground and background colors are the same (and that they're the color you want your text), and select the size, font face, and attributes of the font you want. Click anywhere on your image, type in your desired text, and press 'apply'. You can move it around, but keep it selected (although it's okay if you accidentally deselect it -- just use the Magic Wand tool on the dropdown from the Selection button on the toolbar to reselect it all).
Step 3: Press Ctrl + Shift + P (this will make your text its own layer).
Step 4: Create a new layer by going to Layers --> New Raster Layer. On your Layers palette, click on and drag this layer (which, in my case, is named Raster 2) under the layer that your text is on.
Step 5: Make sure your second layer is selected, and that you've still got your text selected. Then, using your Paint Brush tool (
Step 6: Go to Adjust --> Blur --> Gaussian Blur... and choose a radius of around 5.
Step 7: On your Layers palette, right click on the layer we've been working with most recently and choose Duplicate.
Step 8: On this new layer, go to Adjust --> Blur --> Gaussian Blur... again and choose a radius of about 15.
Step 9: On your toolbar, select the Move tool (
You're finished! Feel free to tweak around with extra settings, or whatnot. This technique can be applied to nearly anything.
Step 1: Open up PSP, go to File --> New, and create a new image of any size you wish (I'm using 400 by 150) with a transparent background. Using the Flood Fill Tool (
), fill it with a solid color.
) and the color black, completely fill in the selected area of text underneath your uppermost layer. Finally, press Ctrl + D on your keyboard to deselect the text.
), make sure that your layer with the larger shadow is selected, and move that second shadow down and to the left a bit, so that it looks something like the following:
