How to Create a Realistic Neon Light Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used during the production of this neon font Photoshop tutorial:

• Meragen Font
• Grunge Grey Brick Wall Texture Background
• Grunge Backgrounds Pattern Pack

Open Texture_02 in Photoshop and go to Edit > Define Pattern. Name it Grunge_Pattern.

1. How to Create the Background

Step 1

The first step in learning how to make neon text in Photoshop is the background. Create a new 1160 x 750 px document, and set the Resolution to 300.

Go to File > Place Embedded, and open the Grunge grey brick wall texture background image. Resize it as you like, and then hit the Return key to accept the changes.

Step 2

Click the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel and choose Levels.

Step 3

Click the Clip adjustment to layer icon at the bottom of the Properties panel, and then change the Shadows value to 85.

Step 4

Click the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon again and choose Hue/Saturation. Click the Clip adjustment to layer icon at the bottom of the Properties panel, and then change the Lightness to -88.

2. How to Create the Neon Text

Step 1

Now we'll make neon letters in Photoshop! Create the text in All Caps using the font Meragen. The color is #a33e88 and the Size is 295 pt. Go to Window > Glyphs to select an alternate "E".

Step 2

Duplicate the text layer and make it invisible by clicking the eye icon next to it. Then right-click the copy and choose Rasterize Type.

What we'll be doing next is separating the vertical and diagonal parts of the neon text letters from the horizontal ones. This is so we can apply the effects using different Angle values.

Step 3

Pick the Rectangular Marquee Tool (or any selection tool you like), click the Add to selection icon in the Options bar, and select all the horizontal parts of the Photoshop neon text effect letters you have.

Step 4

Go to Edit > Cut, and then Edit > Paste Special > Paste in Place. This will place the selected parts in a separate layer. Rename the layers to Vertical and Horizontal.

Step 5

Change both the Vertical and Horizontal layers' Fill values to 0.

Step 6

Duplicate each of the Vertical and Horizontal layers twice, and then place each set of layers in a group that has its name (Vertical/Horizontal).

Step 7

Place the Horizontal group below the Vertical one.

3. How to Start the Neon Effect in Photoshop

We've got the text ready, so now we should add some neon light in Photoshop. Double-click the original Horizontal layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add a Bevel and Emboss with these settings:

• Size: 10
• Uncheck the Use Global Light box
• Angle: 0
• Altitude: 70
• Check the Anti-aliased box
• Highlight Mode: Linear Light
• Shadow Mode - Opacity: 0%

Step 2

Add a Contour with these settings:

• Check the Anti-aliased box.

Step 3

Add an Inner Shadow to the neon light text with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Screen
• Color: #e658d4
• Angle: 30
• Distance: 0

Step 4

Here we'll add an Inner Glow to the neon text in Photoshop. Use these settings:

• Opacity: 85%
• Color: #fe66f1
• Source: Center
• Size: 18

Step 5

Add a Drop Shadow with these settings:

• Distance: 13
• Size: 7

This will style the first layer of the horizontal part.

4. How to Style the First Copy Horizontal Layer

Learning how to make a neon sign in Photoshop is a matter of working on all the layers. Double-click the first copy Horizontal layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add a Bevel and Emboss with these settings:

• Size: 16
• Uncheck the Use Global Light box
• Angle: -36
• Altitude: 42
• Contour: Cove - Deep
• Check the Anti-aliased box
• Highlight Mode: Vivid Light
• Shadow Mode - Opacity: 0%

Step 2

Add a Contour with these settings:

• Contour: Cone - Inverted
• Check the Anti-aliased box

This will add more gloss to the neon light text.

5. How to Style the Second Copy Horizontal Layer

The neon letters in Photoshop are coming together. Now double-click the second copy Horizontal layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add a Bevel and Emboss to the neon text effect in Photoshop with these settings:

• Size: 16
• Uncheck the Use Global Light box
• Angle: 18
• Altitude: 58
• Contour: Half Round
• Check the Anti-aliased box
• Highlight Mode: Vivid Light
• Shadow Mode - Opacity: 0%

Step 2

Add a Contour with these settings:

• Contour: Sawtooth 2
• Check the Anti-aliased box

Step 3

Add an Inner Glow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Linear Light
• Noise: 5%
• Color: #ffdcfa
• Source: Center
• Size: 38

Step 4

Add an Outer Glow with these settings:

• Color: #7f2d65
• Size: 15

This will style the final horizontal layer, adding even more gloss and glow.

6. How to Style the Original Vertical Layer

Step 1

Let's work on the next layer of our neon sign Photoshop design. Right-click the original Horizontal layer, choose Copy Layer Style, and then right-click the original Vertical layer, and choose Paste Layer Style.

Double-click the original Vertical layer to adjust the Bevel and Emboss's Angle and Altitude values, by changing them to 1 and 97. Change Size to 12.

Step 2

For the Inner Glow, just change the Size to 15.

This will adjust the effect to suit the vertical and diagonal parts. See how the neon lettering is coming together!

7. How to Style the First Copy Vertical Layer

Now we'll move to the next layer of our neon sign Photoshop design. Copy and paste the first copy Horizontal layer's layer style to the first copy Vertical layer, and then double-click the Vertical copy layer to change the Bevel and Emboss effect's Angle to 180 and its Altitude to 72. Change Size to 14.

That's it for the first copy layer.

8. How to Style the Second Copy Vertical Layer

Step 1

Hang in there—the neon font Photoshop design is coming along nicely! Copy and paste the second copy Horizontal layer's layer style to the second copy Vertical layer, and then double-click the Vertical copy 2 layer to change the Bevel and Emboss effect's Angle to 139 and its Altitude to 12. Change Size to 6.

Step 2

In Contour, change Range to 0.

Step 3

In Inner Glow, change Choke to 61 and Size to 15. Set Range to 46.

That concludes the styling of both parts of the Photoshop neon effect.

9. How to Add More Glow and Create the Cable

Step 1

Now we'll add the finishing touches to the neon sign Photoshop design. Create a new layer below the original invisible text layer, call it Background Light, and change its Blend Mode to Linear Light.

To finish the neon lettering, set the Foreground color to #98338b, pick the Brush Tool, and choose a very big, soft, round tip. Then click once to add spots of color behind the text (don't click and drag—just dot the color).

So far our creation looks like a neon light font against a textured background. In the next step we'll take the effect to the next level by adding the cable.

Step 2

Create another new layer below the Background Light layer and call it Cable. Pick the Pen Tool and choose the Path option in the Options bar.

What you'll need to do next is create the paths where you want to add the cable. You can click to add corner anchor points, and click and drag to create curves. Keep in mind that the path created doesn't have to be perfect, as you can pick the Direct Selection Tool at any time later to adjust the anchor points or the direction handles.

Step 3

To separate the paths, press and hold the Command key, and click outside the path you've finished creating so that it won't be connected to the path you create after it.

Step 4

Take your time with this step to get a neat outcome.

Step 5

Pick the Brush Tool, and then open the Brush panel (Window > Brush), and choose a hard round 5 px tip with Spacing set to 1.

Step 6

Set the Foreground color to #252525, pick the Direct Selection Tool, right-click the path, and choose Stroke Path.

Step 7

Choose Brush from the Tool dropdown menu and uncheck the Simulate Pressure box.

Step 8

This will stroke the path. Hit the Return key to get rid of the work path.

10. How to Style the Cable

Now that we've worked on the Photoshop neon effect text, let's focus on the next part. Double-click the Cable layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add a Bevel and Emboss with these settings:

• Check the Anti-aliased box
• Highlight Mode: Vivid Light
• Color: #ec6ab7
• Opacity: 24%

Step 2

Add a Contour with these settings:

• Check the Anti-aliased box.

Step 3

Add a Pattern Overlay with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Multiply
• Pattern: Grunge_Pattern

Step 4

Add a Drop Shadow with these settings:

• Opacity: 60%
• Distance: 13
• Size: 10

This will style the cable of the neon text in Photoshop.

11. How to Create the Clips

Step 1

The neon effect Photoshop design is almost complete! Pick the Rectangle Tool and create an 11 x 15 px rectangle.

Step 2

Pick the Add Anchor Point Tool and click to add two points in the center of both vertical sides of the rectangle.

Step 3

Pick the Direct Selection Tool, click and drag to select the center points you added, and then press the Left Arrow Key once to move them 1 px to the left.

Step 4

Duplicate the Rectangle layer and then go to Edit > Transform > Rotate 90° Clockwise. Rename the Rectangle layers to H (for horizontal) and V (for vertical).

12. How to Style the Clips

Double-click the H layer to apply the following neon light text layer style:

Step 1

Add a Gradient Overlay with these settings:

• Opacity: 42%
• Click the Gradient box to create the gradient using the colors #151515 to the left, #6d6d6d in the center, and #161616 to the right.

Step 2

Add a Drop Shadow with these settings:

• Opacity: 60%
• Distance: 13
• Size: 10

This will style the horizontal clip.

Step 3

Copy and paste the H layer's layer style to the V layer, and then double-click the V layer to change the Gradient Overlay's Angle value to 0.

Step 4

Next, duplicate and place the clip layers wherever you want to add clips to the cable you created.

13. How to Add One More Coloring Layer

The neon Photoshop letters are pretty much complete. One final touch! Click the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon and choose Solid Color. Use the color #a34799, place the adjustment layer below the Cable layer, and change its Blend Mode to Vivid Light. This will apply the color to the bricks behind the text, and enhance the glow and lighting of the final result.

Congratulations! You Know How to Make Neon Text in Photoshop!

In this neon effect Photoshop tutorial, we modified a brick texture background and darkened it a little bit. Then we created the text, rasterized its layer, and separated the horizontal parts from the vertical and diagonal ones.

After that, we duplicated and grouped the separated text layers, and styled all of them to achieve the glossy-glowing effect.

Once the main neon light text was created and styled, we added some more glow to the background, and used the Pen Tool to create the cable's path. We stroked the path and styled it to give it a 3D look.

Finally, we used the Rectangle Tool to create some clips for the cable, modified and styled them, and added one last adjustment layer to enhance the coloring of the final Photoshop neon text effect.

Ready-to-Use Neon Text Effects and Stylized Neon Fonts

If you want to save time, simply download hundreds of text effects for Photoshop from Envato Elements, including neon Photoshop text effects and layer styles. It's much faster than doing it all from scratch.

100 Photoshop Layer Styles Bundle: Text Effect (PSD, JPG)

With over 100 Photoshop layer styles, this bundle has something for every project. You'll get text effects that look like shiny metal, wood, and a whole lot more. It's easy to use, and the read me file helps you figure out how to use the files.

Neon Text Effects (AI)

If you want a neon Photoshop effect without downloading a font, check out this download for Illustrator. There are ten different effects included, and they work with both shapes and text. If you don't have a neon sign font, these text effects are a fine substitute.

Neon Sign Font Photoshop Effect (PSD)

If you don't want to make neon text in Photoshop from scratch, download this. You'll be able to customize the colors of the neon sign as well as add braces for more realism. There are also six backgrounds in this neon text Photoshop download, so your neon lettering will be endless!

Neoncity Neon Light Font (OTF, TTF)

This isn't just a neon font in Photoshop—it's a full typeface that you can use across a number of projects—and stylishly at that. The Neoncity neon sign font comes with lower and uppercase glyphs, as well as multilingual characters.

Saberz Neon Font (OTF, TTF)

If you like a neon light font that looks modern, try Saberz. This neon sign font has numbers, symbols, and multilingual characters. Saberz also has alternate glyphs you can use for even more interesting looks in your project.

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This neon effect Photoshop tutorial has been updated with new images from instructor Monika Zagrobelna.