Create an Ice Cream Type Treatment in Photoshop
It’s funny to see how simple objects can inspire creative type treatments. In the past I’ve played with plates, paper and wood. Today I will show you how to realize an awesome text effect using ice cream! The process is simple enough for any level Photoshop lover. We will be dealing with illustration techniques, and will explore the power of layer styles applied to custom brushes. So… give it a try!
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Preview
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Here is a 100% zoom close up
Step 1
Let’s start by creating a new Photoshop document. Mine is 2560×1440 pixels. Fill the background with a color of your choice (it’s not important at this stage), and double click on the layer thumb to open the layer styles window.
Here add a gradient (radial) overlay going from #c0e6df to #15a48b, thus overlapping the first fill color.
Step 2
At this point we need to choose the right font for the illustration. If you have more patience, you could try drawing custom letters in Illustrator. Just try to make them bold and a bit irregular. If you’re lazy, like me, do a search for the right font: Doughboy, realized by Lucas Sharp, looks perfect!.
Write a word or phrase. A suggestion: type each letter on a separate layer.
Step 3
I will show you how I created the first letter, S. The process for the other letters is the same, so once you’ve learned how to create your first ice-cream letter, you’ll be able to reproduce it infinite times.
Start by rasterizing the type: right-click on the letter thumbnail > rasterize type. Then right-click again and select “Blending options”. We will play with layer styles to start giving color and depth to the illustration.
Add a light red (#fd5e74) color overlay.
Select Bevel and Emboss with the following settings and check “contour” to make the 3d effect more evident.
Finally add Satin, set on color dodge, to put in some interesting details.
Step 4
To make the ice-cream/letter more realistic we can use a texture. Download this ice image and merge it into the document (File > Open…), directly above the letter. Press ctrl+T to activate the free transform tool and resize the image.
Set the texture color mode to color burn with opacity 10%
Finally with the texture still selected, ctrl+click over the letter (layer thumbnail) to make a selection of its pixels, and add a layer mask. By doing this you will remove the texture areas that exceed the letter.
To add a layer mask simply click the “add layer mask” button which is at the bottom of the layer window.
Step 5
Select both the texture and letter layers and press alt+ctrl+E to merge them into a new layer. We will use this image from now on, feel free to hide the 2 original layers.
Now let’s add a noise effect. Make sure to have white and black as foreground and background color, then create a new layer and fill it with black. Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise…
Add a layer mask, as shown in step 4, so the noise effect will affect only the area covered by the letter:
Set the layer to screen to remove the black area, and reduce the opacity to around 30% to make the effect subtle.
Step 6
Let’s create the stick. Draw the main shape with the rounded rectangle tool (radius 30px).
Add a light brown (#f4d0b0) color overlay, then rasterize the layer.
With the Rectangular Marquee tool, select the top area of the shape and hit delete. Then ctrl+D to deselect.
Duplicate the shape layer by pressing ctrl+J. Then move the shape which is below a couple of pixel to the bottom-right. Switch its color to a darker brown (#d68f61).
Step 7
With the same technique used in step 4 and 5, let’s apply a wooden texture to the stick. Download our wooden textures and pick up a photo of your choice. Then merge it into the document.
Set the layer blend mode to overlay to see how it will affect the stick.
Reduce the opacity to around 60%, and add a layer mask to remove the area that exceeds the stick.
(To select both the shapes of the sticks, ctrl+click on the first shape, then hold down shift and click on the second one).
Select the texture layer and the two shapes of the stick from the layers window, then merge them into a new layer (alt+ctrl+E) and hide the original layers.
With the pen tool in path mode, create a path that covers a small top area of the stick that we will remove later. The purpose of this step is to make the stick less “rigid”.
Press ctrl+enter to activate the selection and hit delete.
Step 8
Using the Burn and Dodge tools, make darker and brighter areas of the ice cream main body. From the screenshot below you can see how I darkened the area behind the stick:
Apply the burn tool again, this time over the top of the stick. Based on the direction of the light source, this area should look darker.
Step 9
A light effect can help to enhance some texture details and make the frozen effect over the ice-cream look more realistic. So create a new group and set its blending mode to color dodge. Create a layer inside the group, grab a large, soft (hardness 0%), white brush and click once over the ice-cream. Reduce the opacity, if the effect is too strong.
Here is my outcome.
Step 10
Here comes the fun part! We will create drops and ice pieces with the use of layer styles. My first thought was to use stock images of drops and water, and play with their blending options to add the drops to the scene. However, after several attempts I decided to proceed with brushes and layer styles, thanks to the help of our great illustrator Diego. The result is more than satisfactory!
Create a new layer and grab a small round brush with hardness 100%. Then paint a spot over the ice-cream.
Double-click on the drop layer to open the style window. Reduce the fill opacity to 0%.
Add bevel and emboss. This will give depth to the drop:
Add a drop shadow and inner shadow.
Finally add inner glow and satin as the last touches:
Step 11
Now that you have the layer set up, just paint! I’ve created this screencast so you can see my process to realize the drops (with the help of my Wacom tablet).
Step 12
Here is the first letter complete:
Now create a new layer and paint the shadow effect with a soft black brush. Reduce the opacity so the result will look softer. Finally, use the same brush to create the drops on the floor.
The last touch: to increase the contrasts, just add a new gradient map layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient map). Add a gradient going from red (#ee202e) to blue (#002874) to yellow (#f9e600). Set the layer to overlay with opacity 30%.
Now that you know how to create a letter, you can apply it to the entire word or phrase. Exercise your creativity and play with different forms and colors.
The ice-cream is now complete! Are you hungry???
Related Posts
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Create a Funny Wooden Type Treatment in Photoshop
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Create a 3D Text Effect Using Photoshop Layer Styles
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How to Create a Steampunk Type Treatment in Photoshop
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You bet!
Really nice tutorial Sebastiano, great experimentation with the ice and awesome execution with the concept. Keep up the good work.
Great!
really fantastic…
Looks great, as soon as I have time I will do this tut!
I can see how much creativity it takes to come up with this (I was wondering how the wooden stick effect was given before finally seeing that it was, well, you know :D ).
Fantastic.
I’m really glad you’re enjoying the tutorial guys!
superb
Hey there, amazing tutorial.
I control and clicked with the layer still selected but the pixels didn’t get selected for me?
You guys have the best tuts hands down. They are relevant, trendy and not cheesy or gimmicky like a lot of other sites tuts that I have seen.
When I had the option to either go Premiere with you guys or PSD Tuts, the fact that you were providing tuts that were current and relevant won out hands down. Thanks again for the awesome resources and then providing awesome tuts to implement the resources your provide. My membership is priceless.
Will,
You words make us proud! ;-)
hi i am krunal and i am only 14 yrs old and i am very intrested in this category and want to become like u but the tutorials r very hard according to me though the r the best so plz can u teach or help me doing esay and small tutorials
thank you
krunal
my email ID is krunalbora@yahoo.com
plz help me thank you again
One of the best Tutorials i’ve seen in the last time. The waterdrops that come down the popsicle look great and realistic.
This is a really “sweet” (literally and not literally) tutorial :) Great job Sebastiano :)
Fantastic.
Thanks, Sebastiano!
Hi, Sebastiano sir firstly say great tuts i have no words to express, yours all tuts are too inspiration for us like who are new in this creative field but this time i am faced one problem, earlier lots of time i am download this Doughboy font but every time i got empty zip format file from that link : http://blog.typeslashcode.com/doughboy/ so please help me as early as possible. I am eagerly waiting for try this tuts
Hi dear Prateek,
when I click on the red text (Download Doughboy) I download a zip file that contains the font.
but sir in zip file there is a empty folder no font in it, so please help me either by you tell me other link from where i download this doughboy font or you mail me the font if is possible to you my email id:prateekgupta7303@gmail.com
Dear Sebastiano,
First off all, great tut! However, I encountered the same problem (most of the content of the folder is of 0kb, the .suit file I can’t use in win7 and can’t convert it)..I’m so eager to try this tut…but I couldn’t get pass through the font…wasn’t able to find other font as suitable as doughboy as well :( could you help me on this? thanks!
Guys,
Try with this font (Val):
http://www.dafont.com/val.font
Thank you for your quick response!!!
Nice!
me gusto el tutorial, esta muy instructivo……
We can do it because I am big graphic designer..
The tut looks delicious! I am trying it out, but I got stuck at the water drops…I can’t find the brush at Diego’s site…also, does downloading it needs a fee? do you have an alternative source where it is for free? thank you!
Hi Parto,
The brush that I use is the round brush (default brush in you brushes gallery). The effect is created thanks to the blending options, as explained in step 10. Nothing to buy ;-)
AMAZING!!! thanks!!
I like this. its look very sweety but typography could have been understandable.
Hey. Thanks for a great tutorial. I just did the S and now wanted to give some other letters a try too. My colors are just not turning out so great. Could you tell me what colors you used. You know like in the tutorial with the letters and numbers. It would really help me a lot. And also which colors you used in the bevel and emboss. I would like the green, blue, yellow/orange and purple. Thanks a million if you would be so kind :)
YOu want some great colors,
http://www.kuler.adobe.com
Your world just got brighter.
Great tutorial and techniques well explained!
Thanks for sharing…
Featured in Tutorials of the Week in http://www.hangaroundtheweb.com
Sorry, step 10 & 11 are difficult…can u explain it clearlier…
Hi mate,
I know these steps are a bit more difficult. I suppose you’re a newbie, just try painting with a round brush tool (B) and then add the style shown into the screenshot. To add a style, right-click on the layer and select “blending options”.
Thanks..
I made doughboy – please credit next time you use
also for all you windows people who keep emailing me cause its a mac font – TOO BAD FOR YOU :P JK
So, instead of leaving a more positive or helpful message (even if its tough luck) you resort to sarcasm and elitism under the guise of kidding around? That’s real professional of you. Thanks for showing your true colors.
Also consider potential customers who just so happen to find this little gem of yours. How old are you, anyway? 12?
Hey man! Gret Tut, I just have one issue and that’s is I can’t get really watery looking drops. They just end up looking like mercury. The are too dark. I followed your tut to a “T” but I am having trouble getting that “Wet” look.
I suggest you could change the “shadow mode” at Blevel & Emboss Option of the layer into a lighter color (not default black) to achieve the “wet” look.
Amazing tutorial! created one for Filipino Summer. :) http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc47/vanmhei/PinoySummer.jpg
Nice result mate ;-)
ooh ~ then if i didn`t know , i will tell you instead if that owner isn`t free,,hahahah
Damn, that Doughboy font only seems to be available for Macs. Any suggestions for a similar font for Windoze machines that will fit this tutorial?
This reminds me of a tutorial from last year by by ChrisDesign on wordpress. You can see a screencast at http://screencasters.heathenx.org/tag/popsicle/
I may be biased but Inkscape did a fantastic job
i make this one’ and finnaly thats cool
Thanks, Great one!
Here is mine: http://goo.gl/qejEb
The result is very good Gaurav, even the font should be “adapted” by filling the empty spaces (you could use the pen tool)
Nice effect..will send this link to our fellows, so that they can explore this effect..thanks for sharing.
The tutorial is really good, but there’s just this one thing.
It does not look like ice creams. It looks like modeling clay on sticks or something like that.
But the explanations etc are very good.
While following one by one step in this tutorial I came across few shortcuts that I rarely used in my practice. Such shortcuts are are of huge importance. It was a nice experience studying this artwork. Thanks.
JUST AMAZING! THANK YOU
its very nice awesome! it was amazing
i think you can do better. can you do?
Hi Sebastiano
Sorry for another stupid question.. as I’m a relative beginner too.. but have got stuck early on with the tutorial as once I have created the first letter .. and have the ice layer effect / image in place above the rasterized type.. and with the texture still selected… I ctrl+click (I’m on a Mac by the way) so both layers appear highlighted in blue in the layers palette.. and then go to the layer mask symbol.. the option to do that is no longer available …so I can’t create the layer mask..? It appears with a black circle with a line through it when I move the cursor over the layer mask icon..
I did take a screen grab of it to try and show you but I can’t attach it here.. I would really love to do this tutorial and hope it’s not just something simple I’m doing wrong with it? So any feedback help from you would be so appreciated.
Looking forward to you words of wisdom…
Thanks very much
Kristy
Hi Kristy,
The process is carefully explained here (step 8)
http://wegraphics.net/blog/tutorials/photoshop/create-a-realistic-folded-paper-effect-in-photoshop/
You need to ctrl+click on the layer thumbnail (not over the title of the layer), and you’ll activate the selection
Thank you!
I had trouble with the water drops as well.
I followed all steps and the effect seemed to work well. However, I was using a round, hard 9pt brush and I got quite thick lines. Is 9pt not small enough?
I’m having difficulty with getting those skinny lines you had for yours. :s
Please advise.
Thanks (:
Hi Zere,
I used a tablet, so I was able to modify the brush size with the pressure of the pen. If you haven’t a graphic tablet, you need to experiment several brush sizes until you’re satisfied with the result. You could start with a larger size for the main shapes, then switch to a tinner size for the small details.
Thanks for your quick reply.
Damn, now I really want a tablet. -.-
I guess it’s time to experiment. (;
Just learned something new and was amazed by it thanks!
Hi!
I think this is such a good tutorial, I love the theme and wibe of this!!
Because of u I got my tablet in use for the first time, I loved doing it!
Thanks for a great tutorial+inspiration!
xX
Muchas Gracias por tan buen tutorial, congratu….
here’s my work
http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/b/2011/147/3/392c18e2b59891512aaa1ad0a7cdce7e-pbpp28.jpg
i’ve add a little curve and hue and saturation. . .
it’s pain to make those water drops with mouse
thanks anyway for great tutotial and sorry for my bad english LOL :D
I love it Man ;) Thanks
nice tutorial same for a young french as me :)
Anyone looking for the doughboy font for use with Windows and Linux, see here:
http://www.gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2089&p=27026#p27012
hi bro
i have one Question about step 10
do you have this brush or we make it ourselves ?
+thank you 4 the tut i love it !!
I owe my success to you
Hi .I used the guide and got stuck. I could not get the drops. They left me like ugly points look:
http://www.mediafire.com/?svdn7l9ee1oidkg can you help me?
Sebastiano man u r simply awesome
Could you tell me please how can i upload de font in my photoshop. I DOWNLOAD the zip, but i cant get it in to fonts folder
Can I have the gradient colour codes for the other lollies please!!!
the font was wrong,, :(
Great job! It’s awesome!
Great tutorial! This was my first time completing a PS tutorial. Here’s mine: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tiffany_rp/6213044593/in/photostream
NICE TUTORIAL
:)
hey how u create letter P like eatable.
Thank you for tutorial this. I really love this style. :D
Make me know more about photoshop effects that I never think it can do like this. ???
Finally, I really learned about water effect. :D hahaha
very appreciate.
can u show us how the brush is, in the step 10?
I had a lot of fun with this tutorial! It’s late here so I only did one letter:D Here it is: http://i.imgur.com/rjlFi.jpg
there is no downloadable font for doughboy
nice tutorial i like it very much.it,s so scrim .
Nice Nice , the drops well done . thanks
this is beautiful
very nice
thank u
Hello, thanks a lot for a great tutorials.
I am a newbie. So I don’t know how to create a shadow as you said in step 12. Mine water drop is not real as yours too. T.T
Can you tell me which brush you used to draw the water drop. cos mine is not so good though. I mean size
Thanks again
ummmmmm whatevs
Cant download the “Doughboy” font, just says, 404 Error :’(
Hi.So Beautiful
Wow! what a nice tutorial. Thanks for share it.
Thaaaaaaaaaaaaank you for this tutorial
i think is one of the best tuts in all the time
+
unfortunatly !!! i didn’t complete it cause i can’t
i am not realy good in english
that’s the reason
soo Thank you again
^^
wooow,,amazing ~ i like the idea and i will use for my project ~ i am telling you that caz it`s not be steal :P
“To add a layer mask simply click the “add layer mask” button which is at the bottom of the layer window.”
did that but i can still see the texture areas that exceed the letter.?
so cant really move on to step 5
“Select both the texture and letter layers and press alt+ctrl+E to merge them into a new layer.”
does NOT work
cursor changes while i have those 3 keys held but layers stay the same and nothing new is created?
ctrl click merge works but pointless if i can still see texture from step 4
and there are no 2 layers to hide after merging?
Now let’s add a noise effect. Make sure to have white and black as foreground and background color, then create a new layer and fill it with black. Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise…
have “white and black as foreground and background color” WHERE??????
so ignored that…
created new layer, Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise…
could not add noise because layer is empty?
step 7
the pen tool is just drawing straight lines not curves
hitting control enter just deletes the pen lines not the part of the stick as shown
step 8
no explanation what im supposed to do
or how to do it
or to what layer?
giving up at step 9
wasted 6+ hours
my image looks nothing like yours!
like all of your other tutorials ive tried in the past
ive been using photoshop for years by the way, just basic stuff
only tried this as it says
“The process is simple enough for any level Photoshop lover”
Hi thanks for the wonderful tutorial. I felt really challenged as a photoshopper and now more at an intermediate level. I did an avengers version: http://propsdown.tumblr.com/image/41428653174
Great idea you had! And a really nice tutorial!
very detailed tutorial and I learned many new techniques.
kudos, sir!
sir this is one of the most wonderful design ever i seen. i m amazed seeing ur creativity.. i can’t understand the step 4.. would u mind help me..i will b greatfull to if u kindly supply me the psd file of your tutorials.
Great post man… Thanks :)
Step 4, where’s the texture color option?