Posted on January 17, 2007 - by Khaled
Photoshop “Reflection” tutorial
So this is the second simple Photoshop tutorial I am posting in the new Photoshop tutorials series. As I’ve stated before, this is to show to achieve the reflection effect that was created at the end of the Photoshop “Glass Text” Tutorial. And yes! many of you were requesting it.
This tutorial was done using Adobe Photoshop CS2 but, of course, it can be achieved using older Photoshop versions. So we are going to start where we ended in the previous Photoshop “Glass Text” Tutorial. You are curious aren’t you ? Dig for it to find out
Last time we’ve ended up with the following graphic:
The PSD file has 2 text layers (a rasterized one -The copy- and a regular one). Select one of them, press ctrl (or cmd) and select the second one.
Hit ctrl+E (or cmd+E) to merge them together (another option is to select them then go to Layer > Merge layers).
Now you only have one rasterized text layer.
Hit ctrl+J (or cmd+J) to duplicate the layer. Select the top layer (if it is not already selected),then go to Edit > Flip vertical.
You will have something like the following graphic:
Move the flipped layer down until you have a tiny gap line between the two texts, something like this:
Now reorder your layers so that the flipped layer is listed under the original regular layer in the layers palette.
Select white color as foreground color:
Select the Gradient tool:
Select the second filling option (Foreground to transparent) :
Next step consists on selecting the flipped text layer (that is placed under the original text layer in the layers palette), then hold the shift key (in order to have a straight linear stroke) and make a stroke with the gradient tool from the bottom to the top like shown below:
This is what you will Obtain:
Make a second gradient stroke similar to the first one or may be one that ends just at the edge of the white background, it will really depend on what you want to achieve. I’ve made a similar stroke and this is what I had:
Now the reflection effect itself is done, you may try to tweak the setting and options used above to obtain a result that fits better your needs.
You can add a lens flare effect for instance, to do so select the original text layer, Go to filter > Render > Lens Flare…
Select the following settings or just tweak them to have a more adequate effect, move the lens spot with your mouse to put it on the top of the last letter (the P here):
Here’s the result:
Enjoy customizing your text further more: For instance you can always change the text’s color despite that you have rasterized the text type. To do so use the Hue/saturation option (Image > Adjustment > Hue/Saturation) or just hit ctrl+U (cmd+U). I will turn my text to a lime-ish green shade (Hue: 150 and Saturation: 15). Don’t forget to change the reflection’s layer color, use the same settings (Hue: 150 and Saturation: 15).
Here’s what I had:
I hope you have enjoyed this tiny tutorial! next time I will show how I’ve changed the color of the frog’s eye in my header! You guessed it right: I had so many questions about it! So don’t forget to come back soon and check the upcoming Photoshop tutorials 
Carpe Diem 
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January 17, 2007
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[...] tutorial is here so go and check it You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. RSS 2.0 Have you read?:Photoshop “Reflection effect” tutorialPhotoshop TutorialsSeriesPhotoshop Smart Objects: are they that smart?Photoshop CS2 on MacBook Pro!My FireFox Add-onsExtreme digital painting!BreedSoftware: Beta launchOh! I look like some celebrities!Adobe kuler!!Software Programming Process [...]
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January 24, 2007
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A comment for the Leave a reply form. Change the input text color, because on a LCD it is hard to see the input fields(little contrast). Sorry for my english, i didnt learn english at school, just from the net
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January 25, 2007
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Hey Adam, I am on LCD and I am not having a lot of problems with it. anyway I am changing the whole design soon
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January 25, 2007
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Adam is right. The contrast is low on many LCD screens. Mine happens to be a laptop screen and I have a contrast ration of 1000:1. Many LCDs (that don’t cost too much) have an even lower ratio than that. Your LCD may be great but it’s not the only kind. Although many would say that this is our problem and not care. A good web designer always keeps every possible visitor to his site in mind. So if you are going to redesign keep this in mind: while subtleties are great, make sure that important information and design aspects are highly visible and can be distinguished from like-colors and other similar objects. Other than that, your site is great! Good work. Though, I would lighten up on all the JavaScript Tool-Tips. At some point, enough is enough, lol.
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January 25, 2007
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Sure thing Andrew
Thanks for your comment.
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January 26, 2007
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This is a fantastic tutorial and was very interesting, will it be ok to show my year 10 class this tutorial. We are on a graphics topic now in ICT and this would be great.
Please let me know
Stevielee Cairns
Senacre-New Line Learning Maidstone England
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January 26, 2007
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Hey Stevielee,
Of course!! This is a honour for me
Help yourself, you can use any tutorial here.
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January 31, 2007
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Good tut, but Anrrew is right, i have 19″ lcd too
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January 31, 2007
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I've made a nice banner with some help of this tutotial. Want to thank you a lot..
Helped me out verry good!!
So its a great tutorial..
(check: http://www.heuvelmanmgt.nlyeah it a dutch site wich i made for some company)
The banner is made in photoshop and your tutorial!!
Thnx mate!
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February 1, 2007
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Hey Ardon!
Happy this tutorial helped you!
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February 8, 2007
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hi
this is good tutorial,
thank you and
i wanna say TO YOU your Web site so good (coloring and desing so clear and good)
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February 8, 2007
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Thanks backtown
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February 10, 2007
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Awesome tutorial. Bookmarked
Thnx.
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February 26, 2007
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I happened to find a quirk in this otherwise excellent tutorial (or the preceding one actually). I found that certain fonts goof up colors when you merge the rasterized layer and the other layer together. Other than that, everything is very dang nice. I will definately be back for these tutorials as well as others. Currently I am taking a web graphics class which is teaching Photoshop CS2 and this site was my choice of an outside project to submit for homework (which also means this site will be referenced for other students to check out).
Thanks much mate. I’m glad there’s people like you out in the world helping others along as i’m sure others have helped you along as well. 
The WB
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February 26, 2007
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Thanks WBCA3
it will work with bold, heavy and black fonts 
Yes it won’t work with all the fonts! that’s why I’ve specified the font
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April 4, 2007
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Hi, When I do the gradient, it does a fade of the colors I used in my text (purple and yellow), instead of the desired reflection effect…
any thoughts where I’m messing this up? Sorry, I’m still pretty new at this…thanks!
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April 5, 2007
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Umm, yeah, great tut but im having trouble witht he gradient, it wont do the reflection thing to the text but it puts a large gradient over everything. Help?
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April 5, 2007
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umm yeah, im making mine as a .png witha transparent background, does that have anythign to do with it?
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April 5, 2007
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Hey Mike!
Select the second filling option: Foreground (white) to transparent:
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April 5, 2007
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Mac, Transparent PNG-24 won’t work on IE6! can you show me the result?
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April 6, 2007
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Hey Master,
I do have the foreground (white) to transaparent option selected for the gradient…just covers it up… thanks for the reply!
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April 6, 2007
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Mike, Can you show us the result?
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May 25, 2007
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Nice tutorial. I will use it
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June 25, 2007
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Hey Master!! wow I see why that’s your name – you && your tutorials are FABULOUS!!!!!! Thanks SOOOOOOOO much for making them because I am so thrilled with what I ended up with which is this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v107/Cystalnature/jillianreflection.gif
I actually added one more step to mine which I thought was cool; I added a omni lighting effect a little above the letters (Filter > Render > Lighting Effects) for anyone who might be interested in trying it.
What I love about your tutorial is that its so cool and professional but so easy to do with your tut. because you explained it so well!! And with me, (I’m 13 years old) I HAVE to have things very clearly explained or else I will be totally lost. It’s so professional that college students are using it and its so easy a 13 year old can do it!!It was fantastic to have this tutorial!! THANKS SO MUCH I LOVE YOUR TUT.!!!
Love always,
Jillian J.
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June 29, 2007
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Thanks Jillian
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September 18, 2007
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Hi all!
Very interesting information! Thanks!
G’night
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January 12, 2008
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Great Tutorials…
Thanks…
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January 19, 2008
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I’m an ukrainian student.
Your blog is very useful for me. This tutorial is the best that I saw for Web 2.0 text effect.
P.S. – nice logo, I love frogs
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August 20, 2008
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I have used the first part of this tutorial to make the logo for Friendsta (http://www.friendsta.net) a very popular social network.
It looks great
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March 27, 2009
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[...] Photoshop “Reflection” tutorial [...]
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September 15, 2009
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Thanks Jillian
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March 10, 2010
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In Adobe Photoshop the reflection of the text can be done. Here the text should be typed first and then it should be colored or some effects in it. Finally it should be make reflection by the tools on photoshop.
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March 10, 2010
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Great post Jillian. That is a really cool effect.
~
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March 21, 2010
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This is great! Thanks for taking the time to put out photoshop tutorials.. it's makes learning this program so much easier for us visual learners!
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March 25, 2010
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thanks for the tutorial cool effect.
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April 7, 2010
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great tutorial thanks. I love how the reflection looks so perfect with the typography.
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February 10, 2012
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That's a real nice effect, honestly, I like it.
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February 10, 2012
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Hey Master,
I do have the foreground (white) to transaparent option selected for the gradient…just covers it up… thanks for the reply! http://www.directpaydaylenders.biz/
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February 10, 2012
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Good way
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February 10, 2012
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Oh this is so nice. Thanks for patiently instructing your readers on this. I hope to learn more of Photoshop through your Blogs.
John, http://cashpaydayloan.org
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February 10, 2012
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This blog looks great and got more enthu when going through this article. More interest to read like such a nice article. Thanks for sharing your views.
easy payday loans
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January 2, 2011
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This was cool and I kinda enjoyed following the steps. cheap paydayloans. But what makes it more cool is Jillian's additional step
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January 12, 2011
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Really good tutorial for the new one thank you for this post fast credit card
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February 9, 2011
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Thanks for such a nice blog post….i was searching for something like that.
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April 20, 2011
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Thanks to your tutorial I found this pretty easy to do with Photoshop CS2. I had some problems with the graphic looking right in firefox, realized I had my performance settings on low in windows which was effecting how the graphics looked.
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June 2, 2011
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August 10, 2011
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Its a nice bit of help that Khaled, many thanks
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