Positive/Negative Overlapping Text Effect

[amieC]

How do you create a positive/negative affect where text overlapps itself or something else. Like this? http://www.scriptarchive.com/images/msalogo.gif

[Mark (theKeeper)]

Very easily actually. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

The first and last letters there are done together on one type layer. The middle letter was put on its own type layer, and moved into place.

The 2 letter type layer was filled with black.
The single letter type layer was filled with white... and then the Blend Mode changed to Difference or Exclusion.

When difference or exclusion modes are used, they reverse the colours used on that specific layer, when overlayed on colours from layers below. Thus the white text appears black against the white bg, and white against the black type.

Understand? Experiment. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[amieC]

Thanks! That was very easy. It took me a while to figure out how to change the Blend Mode, but I found it. (Obviously not an expert Photoshop user).

Now that I've got my black and white overlapping image, how would I change it to say green and white?

[Mark (theKeeper)]

That would be a different process. Although this new process can also be used to create the B&W effect just a easily as the other one i mentioned.

For example:
As before, put the M&A on one layer, the S on another, above the M&A.
You would need to first fill the M, A & S all with green, then click the "S" layer to make it the "active" layer. Then, while the "S" layer is active, Rasterize it ( LAYER>Rasterize>Type ). Then Ctrl-click on the M&A layer to create a selection of those 2 letters. Make sure the active layer is the "S" layer, and make your Foreground colour white. Then press Ctrl+Shift+Delete to fill the selected areas of the "S" with white.

Understand?

TIP: holding the Shift key temporarily protects any transparent areas of a layer. Which in this case, confines the fill to only the parts of the selection that overlap the letter S.

[This message was edited by Mark (theKeeper) on December 18, 2003 at 01:30.]