A reader requested a tutorial on how to make the gold effect I’ve used on the Creative Curio and Extras titles. It’s a pretty simple technique, but like most things, it takes time and experimenting with different filters, layer styles, layer modes, etc. to get the right look.
The gold lettering that I’ve created actually only uses layer styles. I’ll show you them below.
First, you have to get your shape/text. You can see that there is a lot of variety in the width of my letters and you’ll need this when we apply some of the layer styles later on.
For the fill color, I used #927847 or 146R, 120G, 71B.
Inner Shadow
Next, for some depth, I applied the Inner Shadow layer style.
These are the settings I used:
Blend Mode: Multiply (default)
Color: Black (default)
Opacity: 17%
Distance: 2px
Remember that your shadow distance will depend on your resolution. Since this is for web, the resolution is 72px, so the 2px distance is sufficient. I almost always lower the opacity, too, because I want my shadows to blend, not stand out and say, “Hey! I’m a shadow! Look at me!”
Bevel and Emboss
“But real designers don’t use Bevel and Emboss!” I hear you cry. Oh, just like they don’t use gradients, eh? In the right hands, all of these tools are useful. But that is what they are, tools. You have to know when and how to use them to get the end results you have in mind. Here is an appropriate place to use Bevel and Emboss.
Style: Inner Bevel
Technique: Chisel Hard
Depth: 301
Size: 2
Angle: 117 degrees
Altitude: 69 degrees
Highlight: Color Dodge, #faecb4, 54% opacity
Shadow: Multiply, #000000, 22% opacity
I also used the Contour layer style to darken the gold color a little more. You can decide if that’s what you want for your gold look (I think it looks good without it too).
Contour: Cone Inverted preset
And there you have it!
this is a inspiring blog..thank you
Great tutorial! It was so nice of you to share how you came up with your “Creative Curio” and “Extras” titles.
Your blog’s design looks so lovely. It complements your blog’s title and concept.=)
Wow, now I can use Bevel and Emboss tool in PhotoShop. I will give it a try to surprise my cousin who is getting disappointed to me because I am so slow in learning PhotoShop
I will embed her name in my page and will wait if she can notice it. Thanks for sharing Lauren! 
Very interesting. I used Bevel and Emboss a lot – too much, in fact. But I’ve never used it in this way to create a speckled effect. Really useful!
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Yes very generous, thanks for sharing. It’s a unique style and very effective, I’ve never seen it anywhere else.
waw. very creative, unique and stylish.
Thanks for this post trying to learn it ..simply unique
For the real comments, Girlie, Julie, Rob, Amanda, thanks much! I’m so glad you’ve found this useful. Let me know if you ever use it in a design! I’d love to see the final results you achieve.
For the spam commentors: I WILL delete your links. Don’t spam. I moderate.
It’s a great photoshop tutorial. I thought it’s too complicated to make this design, but with the use of tools, everything becomes so simple. The gold effect of the lettering gives the its elegant look. I’ve noticed you used the design for your comments (heading). Nice look!
great tutorial, thank you.
Thanks for the tutorial, I really like the gold effect on your website title and was just wondering how you created it!
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A Simple Golden Lettering Effect with Photoshop Layer Styles…
The gold lettering that I’ve created actually only uses layer styles….