How to Create an Easy Ice Text Effect in Adobe Photoshop

What You'll Be Creating

This tutorial will show you how to use layer styles, with simple shapes and textures, to create an easy ice effect in Photoshop. 

This text effect was inspired by the many Layer Styles available on GraphicRiver, like this 3D Ice Cool, Freeze and Snow Effects Styles pack.

What you will learn in this Adobe Photoshop text effect tutorial:

• How to create a cool ice effect in Adobe Photoshop
• How to use different combinations of layer styles to achieve the 3D ice effect
  
• How to adjust gradient effects
• How to create a snowy environment effect

Let's get started!

Follow along with us over on our Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel:

Tutorial Assets

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

• Kornik font
• Textures - Golds, Whites, And Greys by snowmanjester
• Heavy Snow Texture by incolor16
• Free Pack 6000 photoshop gradients by Supertuts007 (Load the CSP True Sky Gradients.grd file.)

1. Create the Background Shape

Step 1

Create a new 1000 x 650 px document.

Step 2

Pick the Rectangle Tool, and create a rectangle that covers the bottom part of the document. Rename the rectangle layer to Ground.

Step 3

Create another rectangle that covers the upper part, and rename its layer to Back.

2. How to Style a Ground Shape

Double-click the Ground layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add an Inner Shadow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Linear Burn
• Color: #9cb0be
• Opacity: 15%
• Distance: 0
• Size: 250

Step 2

Add a Gradient Overlay with these settings:

• Check the Dither box
• Blend Mode: Linear Burn
• Opacity: 20%
• Style: Radial
• Scale: 150%
• Create a Transparent to Fill Color gradient fill using Black on both sides.

Step 3

Click the + icon next to the Gradient Overlay tab to add another Gradient Overlay effect with these settings:

• Check the Dither box.
• Check the Reverse box.
• Use the shown Gradient fill from the CSP True Sky Gradients file.

Step 4

Click the first Gradient Overlay tab again, and then click-drag inside the document to move the gradient so that the light is near the upper part of the rectangle.

This is how the first rectangle should look.

3. How to Copy and Paste Layer Styles

Step 1

Right-click the Ground layer, choose Copy Layer Style, and then right-click the Back layer and choose Paste Layer Style.

Double-click the Back layer to uncheck the Reverse box in the second Gradient Overlay effect.

Step 2

This will style the back rectangle. If needed, move any gradient fills as you did before.

4. How to Adjust a Background

Step 1

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

Step 2

Change the Hue to -3, the Saturation to -25, and the Lightness to -20.

Step 3

Add a Gradient fill layer. Create a Transparent to Fill Color gradient fill using a Black color on both sides.

Then, change the Style to Radial and the Scale to 200, and check the Dither box.

Step 4

Change the Gradient layer's Blend Mode to Soft Light.

Step 5

Place the Textures - Golds, Whites, And Greys image on top of all layers, rename its layer to BG Texture, and resize it as needed.

Step 6

Go to Image > Adjustments > Desaturate, and then change the BG Texture layer's Blend Mode to Soft Light.

5. How to Create Text Layers

Step 1

Create the text in All Caps using the font Kornik.

Then, set the Color to #367497, the Size to 250 pt, and the Tracking value to 25.

Step 2

Duplicate the text layer, change the copy's Fill value to 0, and then duplicate the copy layer.

6. How to Style the Original Text Layer

Double-click the original text layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add a Bevel and Emboss with these settings:

• Style: Emboss
• Technique: Chisel Soft
• Depth: 200
• Size: 10
• Uncheck the Use Global Light box
• Angle: 60
• Altitude: 50
• Gloss Contour: Sawtooth 1
• Check the Anti-aliased box
• Highlight Mode:
  • Opacity: 20%
• Shadow Mode: Screen
  • Color: #ffffff
  • Opacity: 80%

Step 2

Add a Contour with these settings:

• Contour: Rolling Slope - Ascending
• Check the Anti-aliased box.
• Range: 100%

Step 3

Add an Inner Glow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Linear Light
• Opacity: 50%
• Color: #edf1f4
• Technique: Precise
• Source: Center
• Size: 90
• Contour: Gaussian
• Check the Anti-aliased box

Step 4

Add a Satin with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Screen
• Color: #afcbea
• Opacity: 50%
• Angle: 30
• Distance: 38
• Size: 50
• Contour: Cone - Inverted
• Check the Anti-aliased box
• Check the Invert box

Step 5

Add a Gradient Overlay with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Multiply
• Opacity: 70%
• Create a Fill Color to Transparent gradient fill using the colors #275c8d to the left and #274a71 to the right.

Step 6

Add an Outer Glow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Soft Light
• Opacity: 50%
• Color: #b9dfff
• Spread: 20
• Size: 10
• Contour: Cove - Deep
• Check the Anti-aliased box
• Range: 80%

Step 7

Change the text layer's Fill value to 20%.

7. How to Style the First Copy Text Layer

Double-click the first copy text layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add a Bevel and Emboss with these settings:

• Technique: Chisel Hard
• Size: 50
• Gloss Contour: Ring
• Check the Anti-aliased box
• Highlight Mode: Soft Light
  • Opacity: 50%
• Shadow Mode: Soft Light
  • Color: #f4ffff
  • Opacity: 70%

Step 2

Add a Contour with these settings:

• Contour: Cove - Deep
• Check the Anti-aliased box.

Step 3

Add an Inner Shadow with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Linear Burn
• Color: #8699a6
• Opacity: 100%
• Distance: 0
• Size: 35

This will style the second text layer.

8. How to Style the Second Copy Text Layer

Double-click the second copy text layer to apply the following layer style:

Step 1

Add a Bevel and Emboss with these settings:

• Technique: Chisel Hard
• Size: 50
• Uncheck the Use Global Light box
• Angle: -158
• Altitude: 64
• Check the Anti-aliased box
• Highlight Mode: Linear Light
  • Opacity: 50%
• Shadow Mode: Linear Burn
  • Color: #90abc8
  • Opacity: 100%

Step 2

Add a Contour with these settings:

• Contour: Cove - Deep
• Check the Anti-aliased box.

Step 3

Add a Texture with these settings:

• Pattern: Molecular
• Depth: 5%

Step 4

Add a Pattern Overlay with these settings:

• Blend Mode: Soft Light
• Pattern: Satin

Step 5

Add an Outer Glow with these settings:

• Opacity: 35%
• Color: #7ab6ef
• Spread: 20
• Size: 30

This will finish off the ice effect.

9. How to Create a Reflection

Step 1

Duplicate all three text layers you have, go to Layer > Merge Layers, and rename the merged layer to Reflection.

Step 2

Press Command-T to enter the Free Transform Mode, and then right-click the bounding box and choose Flip Vertical.

Step 3

Move the reflection text right below the original text, and hit the Return key to accept the changes.

Step 4

Right-click the Reflection layer, choose Convert to Smart Object, and then change its Blend Mode to Soft Light and place it below the original text layer.

Step 5

Go to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur, and change the Angle to 90 and the Distance to 10.

Step 6

Click the Add layer mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel to add a mask.

Step 7

Pick the Gradient Tool, set the Foreground and Background Colors back to Black and White, and select the Reflection layer mask's thumbnail.

Choose the Foreground to Transparent fill in the Options bar, and make sure that the Linear Gradient icon is active.

Now hold the Shift key and drag from about over the top of the original text to right outside the document's bottom, in order to fill the mask and hide the lower part of the reflection.

You might need to retry or repeat this step a couple of times in order to get a result you like.

10. How to Create a Simple Shadow

Step 1

Duplicate the original text layer, drag the copy below it, and rename it to Shadow.

Step 2

Right-click the Shadow layer and choose Rasterize Type.

Press Command-T, and scale the text down vertically to get the basic shadow shape.

Step 3

Use the Move Tool to reposition the Shadow below the text.

Step 4

Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur, and set the Radius to 10.

Step 5

Change the Shadow layer's Blend Mode to Multiply and its Opacity to 70%.

11. How to Add a Snow Texture Overlay

Step 1

Place the Heavy Snow Texture image on top of all layers, rename its layer to Snow Texture, change its Blend Mode to Screen, and resize the texture as needed.

Step 2

Pick the Spot Healing Brush Tool, and make sure that the Sample All Layers box in the Options bar is unchecked.

Use a soft round tip to paint over unwanted spots and get rid of them.

Congratulations! You're Done

In this tutorial, we created a simple background using shapes, layer styles, and adjustment layers. Then, we created three text layers, and styled all of them to achieve the ice effect.

After that, we created a reflection and a shadow for the ice text. Finally, we added a snow texture overlay to finish the effect off.

Please feel free to leave your comments, suggestions, and outcomes below.

5 Ways to Add Ice Effects in Photoshop

Need more inspiration? Check out and download some of these professionally made assets from Envato Elements! These are great especially if you are looking to save some time.

Snow Lettering - Photoshop Action (ATN, ABR, PAT, PDF, PSD)

Make your text or logo written on snow! The realistic effect of writing on the snow in just a couple of seconds. Get winter lettering for your winter projects!

Ice Chrome Photoshop Layer Styles (ASL, HTML, PSD, PAT)

These Layer styles look perfect with every font and shape, you can quickly apply them to give a feeling of freezing and icy environment, and to give a cool look to a winter scenery. They are a must have when it comes to give a Christmas and Winter feeling to your work. The textures are real ice photos.

Ice Frozen Texture Mockup (PSD)

This Ice Frozen Texture Mockup includes 1x high res (4500x3000 pixel size, 300dpi)  psd with 3 different styles. Easy and fast editing via smart objects, organized layers and folders and a changeable background color.

Digital Snow Photoshop Brushes (ABR)

Digital snow effects for your Christmas and winter designs! You will receive 2 .ABR files, one for Photoshop CS2-CS5, second for CS6 - CC and above. 5000x5000 res., 40 Different snow designs.

Blizzard Photoshop Action CS3+ (ABR, ATN, TXT)

Just brush the area over your object and play the action! You will get the effect of strong snowstorm in few minutes and clicks. Different result every time! 

Learn How to Create More Ice Effects!

If you liked this and are looking to learn how to create some more ice effects, check out the tutorials below! Expand your expertise by going through these in-depth guides. Happy designing!

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