How to Create a Gooey Text Effect in Photoshop

In this tutorial, I will teach you how to create a text effect with gooey splatters in Photoshop.

This tutorial should take about one to one and a half hours to complete if you’re already somewhat familiar with Photoshop. This effect would be perfect for citrus or candy ad or poster.

Preview

Here’s a look at the end result of what you’ll be putting together today:

Resources

You’ll need a couple of extra resources for this tutorial. You can grab them at these links:

Coaster – DaFont
Sun Burst Brush – Brusheezy
Orange skin Pattern – Brusheezy

Step 1

Create a New Document in Photoshop. The size of my document is 530px by 1060px at 72DPI.

Step 2

On your background layer, fill it with #E6F39F.

Step 3

Use your Sun Burst Brushes and place them on a new layer. The color I’m using is #7ae008.

Step 4

Now change this layer to Color Burn with an Opacity of 22%

Step 5

Now come up with a word that you would like to use for this tutorial. For this tutorial I will be using the word “Juicy”. Let’s start off with the letter “J.” The font I’m using is Coaster. The font can be any color for right now, we will be changing it in a bit. Don’t forget to angle your letter by using the Free Transform tool.

Step 6

Now add these layer styles by double clicking this layer.

Drop Shadow

Inner Shadow

Bevel and Emboss

Color Overlay

Pattern Overlay

Step 7

This is how your letter should look

Step 8

Duplicate this letter and place it underneath the original “J” layer. Move it a couple pixels over to the right and increase the Drop Shadow on this duplicated layer.

Step 9

Now we will add some shadows and highlights to this letter. Create a new layer above both “J” layers. With a soft round brush #595757 darken the edges. Change this layer to Color Burn.

Step 10

Create a New Layer and use a #FFFFFF soft round brush. I’m using between 30-60px brushes.

Step 11

Grab your Smudge Tool (44px, Strength 50%) and smooth out your highlights like the image below.

Step 12

Repeat step 10 with the addition of the smudge tool but change this layer to Overlay.

Step 13

It’s a good idea to place all of the layers pertaining to the letter J in a folder to keep everything organized. Now go on and do the rest of the letters. The only thing that varies is the Color Overlay and Bevel Emboss layer styles with each of the letters. I will place screen shots of these layer styles. Letter U layer styles:

Step 14

Letter I:

Step 15

Letter C:

Step 16

Letter Y:

Step 17

Now we are finished with the letters and it’s time to create the ooze. Create a new layer above your “J” group and with your pen tool selected make a rounded splatter and fill it with any color.

Step 18

Change this layer Fill to 0%, and add these layer styles:

Step 19

Now it should look like this:

Step 20

But we are not done with it yet. Time to add some highlights and shadows. Use a combination of light and dark soft brushes (varying opacities), to give the ooze a slimey feel. Don’t forget to use your Smudge Tool.

Step 21

Repeat those last few steps to create another one.

Step 22

Add a couple more:

Step 23

Lastly, we will finish it off with a puddle at the bottom. Grab your pen tool and make a shape of a puddle. With my puddle selected I used various colors like the ones for my letters to form the puddle.

Step 24

Add these layer styles

Step 25

Add some shadows and highlights:

Step 26

Add a couple more puddles:

Step 27

Now you’re done!