Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

We always try to publish tutorials based on effects we like especially from movies, posters and other sources of inspiration. Most of the times we want to redo effects so we want to learn how that was done. This tutorial is not different. We will be revisiting the Clash of the Titans tutorial with the new effect inspiring on the Wrath of the Titans poster. All done using the new Photoshop CS6.

So in this tutorial, we will show you how to create a nice text effect based on the Wrath of the Titans poster in Photoshop CS6. The whole process is simple but it will take you 1 to 2 hours to go through everything.

Photoshop tutorial

Step 1

The first thing to do is to get the text right. To do that is pretty easy, we have already shown a tutorial on how to make the Clash of the Titans logo, so you can just follow that at http://abduzeedo.com/clash-titans-text-effect-photoshop.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 2

Now in Photoshop, create a new document and fill the background layer with a radial gradient from #181818 (dark) to #757575 (light).

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 3

Copy the text from Illustrator and paste in Photoshop. Just make sure to have a light grey for the color of the text.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 4

In order to add some cracks and deformations on the logo, we will use an image for reference. The one I am using is from Roberto Castillo entitled Cracked Set. Courtesy of Shutterstock.

Just import the image and place it on top of the logo. Try to find a position that doesn't destroy the logo that much. Then just create a marquee selection of the cracks.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 5

With the logo layer selected go to Layer>Mask>Hide Selection. You will have an effect like the image below.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 6

Time to play with Layer Styles. WIth the logo selected to go to Layer>Layer Styles>Bevel and Emboss. Select Inner Bevel for the Style, Chisel Hard for the Technique, 365% for the Depth, 250 pixels for the SIze, 0 for Softness, 100º for the Angle, 32º for the Altitude. For the Highlight Mode use Color Dodge with orange at 65%. For the Shadow Mode use Darken with Black at 85%

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 7

Select Pattern Overlay. Then we will use a custom texture. The one I used is courtesy of Shutterstock and it's entitled The surface of the old metal, visible rust by Supertrooper. Basically what you will do is open the file in Photoshop and go to Edit>Define Pattern. Name it "Meta". Back to the design. Select the texture you created for the pattern. Use Hard Light for the Blend Mode.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 8

Select Color Overlay. Use grey with Overlay for the Blend Mode.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 9

Select Inner Shadow. Use orange for the color with Hard Light for the Blend Mode. For the Angle use -90º with 11 pixels for the Distance, 20% for the Choke, 13 pixels for the Size and change the Contour for the same we are using in the image below.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 10

Go to Edit>Transform>Perspective. Add a little perspective like the image below.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 11

Back with the cracks from step 4. Make it visible and then create a marquee selection of the logo.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 12

With the cracks layer selected go to Layer>Layer Mask>Reveal Selection. The blue cracks will be visible on top of the areas we deformed on step 2.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 13

Now let's add some layer styles to the cracks to make the melting metal. Go to Layer>Layer Styles>Color Overlay. Use Orange for the color.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 14

Select Outer Glow and then use Overlay for the Blend Mode with red for the color. For the Technique use Softer with 10% Spread and 30 pixels Size.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 15

Select Inner Glow. Use Color Dodge for the Blend Mode, 60% for the Opacity, white for the color. For the elements use center with 1 for Choke and Size.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 16

Duplicate the layer so the effect is a bit stronger.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 16

Let's create a brush now so we can add some nice smoke effects. Go to Window>Brush. Select the Cloud tip preset. Change the Spacing to 1%

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 17

Select Shape Dynamics. Use the image below for the values.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 18

Select the Scattering and use the image below for the values.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 19

Select Texture. The for the Pattern select the Cloud one. Also, change the Scale to 200% and the mode to Color Burn.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 20

Select Transfer and change the Opacity Jitter to 100%.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 21

Add a new layer on top of the background. Use the Brush Tool (B) with the brush you have just created to paint some clouds. Use grey for the color.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 22

Add another layer, this time underneath the previous one. The still with the Brush Tool and the brush you created. Paint some red clouds.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 23

Repeat the same process, this time to create some black clouds on top of the others.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 24

Add a layer on top of the grey clouds one. Then fill it with brown #574f41. Then change the Blend Mode to Overlay.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 25

Now let's add a nice Google Map satelite view. I print screen a map from greece. Put underneath all the other layers, but on top of the background one.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 26

Go to Image>Saturation>Hue and Saturation. Change the Hue to 40 and the saturation to 15.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 27

Add a layer on top of the clouds but underneath the text effect. Then fill it with a radial gradient from black to white in the center. Change the Blend Mode to Multiply at 80% Opacity to create a Vignette Effect.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 28

To create some nice shatters on our text effect we will use another image to get the assets from. The one I am using is courtesy of Shutterstock and can be found here http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-73243228/stock-photo-abstract-character…

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 29

Copy some shatters from the stock image and paste in the document. Position them on the areas that we deformed the text. Just copy the layer style from the logo and apply to them. You can change the inner shadow a bit so they won't be so yellow. After that merge all layers with shatters into one and go to Filter>Blur>Radial Blur. Use 10 for the Amount, Zoom for the Blur Method and Best for the Quality.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 30

Go to Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Photo Filter. Use a dark yellow with 75% Density on top of the other layers.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Step 31

Select all layers and duplicate them. Group all the new layers into one so you will have a layer with your composition. Go to Filter>Blur>Radial Blur. Use the same settings as on Step 29.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Conclusion

Duplicate the previous layer and then go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. Use 8 pixels for the Radius and then change the Blend Mode to Screen with 50% Opacity. Your design will be done by now.

As you can see the process wasn't based on new techniques but on how to reuse them to create the effect we wanted. Using the tools will be always like that. Tweaking and evolving techniques.

Wrath of the Titans in Photoshop CS6

Download the Photoshop File

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