Carve Text and Graphics onto the Side of an Ancient Pyramid

Carve Text and Graphics onto the Side of an Ancient Pyramid

This video demonstrates advanced Photoshop techniques to seamlessly integrate text and graphics into an image, creating the illusion of deeply carved elements. You'll learn essential skills like perspective transformations, using displacement maps for realistic texture, and applying layer styles to simulate depth and shadow, applicable to various design projects.

Watch the Tutorial

Video by Blue Lightning. Any links or downloads mentioned by the creator are available only on YouTube

Practical Tips for Carving Effects

  • Prepare a displacement map from your background layer by duplicating and blurring it, then saving it as a .PSD file. This map is crucial for making elements conform to surface contours.
  • Use the Transform Tool (Ctrl/Cmd + T) to manually align text and graphics with the perspective of the background image, dragging corners while holding Ctrl/Cmd for precise adjustments.
  • Apply the Displace filter with appropriate horizontal and vertical scales (e.g., 7 pixels) to wrap elements around the surface's irregularities after preparing your displacement map.
  • Reduce the opacity of the main text/logo layer to around 60% and duplicate it, setting the duplicate's fill to 0% to prepare for layer styles.
  • Add an Inner Shadow layer style to the duplicate layer (with 0% fill) to create the recessed look, adjusting Distance and Size to control the depth and softness of the carving.
  • For logos with open areas, create a selection of the open space, make a new layer, and fill it with a light, sandy color (e.g., DEAC89) with a Blend Mode of Overlay and reduced opacity (e.g., 40%) to brighten those areas.

More Tutorials about Carving and Text Effects in Photoshop

Explore further techniques and creative applications for text and graphic manipulations in Photoshop with these related tutorials.

How to Carve Egyptian Hieroglyphics in Photoshop
This Photoshop tutorial by Marty Geller from BlueLightning TV teaches you how to create stunning visuals by carving Egyptian hieroglyphics and custom text into a stone wall. You’ll learn step-by-step techniques to achieve a realistic look that mimics ancient carvings. The tutorial starts with the essentials, guiding you through selecting the right tools and adjusting settings to get the desired effect. You'll find clear explanations and visual aids that make it easy to follow along, even if you
Colorful Painted 3D Text Effect Tutorial in Photoshop
In this tutorial by Angelo Konofaos, you'll explore how to create a 3D-style text effect in Photoshop, alongside techniques like adding shadows, highlights, shines, and colors. Utilizing a variety of Photoshop tools such as the Mixer Brush, Pen Tool, clipping masks, and adjustment layers, the tutorial demonstrates the process of refining text to achieve a polished and dimensional look. For optimal results, Konofaos recommends using a pen tablet like the Wacom Intuos to enhance precision and fl
Create a cool text portrait in Photoshop
Creating a text portrait in Photoshop is a sophisticated blend of photography and typography. In this tutorial by Marty from Blue Lightning TV, you'll learn how to transform a standard photo into a powerful typographic portrait. Starting with an optimal photo choice, Marty guides you through desaturating the image, refining the subject's edges, and setting up a new document. The tutorial then delves into the core process of integrating text, adjusting brightness and contrast for maximum impact,
How to Create a Retro 3D Text Design in Photoshop
In this Photoshop tutorial, Marty Geller from Blue Lightning TV guides you through the process of creating a retro, 3D text design. The tutorial is easy to follow and provides clear instructions suitable for users of various skill levels. You will start by learning how to set up your document and choose the right fonts that enhance the retro aesthetic. As you progress through the steps, you'll discover various techniques for adding depth and dimension to your text, achieving that authentic 3D l

Get tutorials & freebies delivered to you.

Subscribe to the Photoshop Roadmap newsletter, a weekly roundup of new tutorials, insights and quality downloads, trusted by 6500+ readers.

You might also like

Colorful Christmas Text Effects Photoshop Tutorials

This collection of colorful Christmas text effects tutorials in Photoshop offers a fun way to spread holiday cheer. You can create eye-catching designs that convey your affection for family and friends with just a few simple steps. Each tutorial is laid out in a clear, step-by-step format, making it accessible...

How to Use Photoshop's Match Color Tool for Consistent Image Tones

Color consistency between images can make or break a professional composition. When combining photos from different sources, lighting conditions and camera settings create jarring color mismatches that immediately reveal the edit. Photoshop's Match Color tool provides a direct solution, automatically analyzing and transferring the color characteristics from one...

How to Build an Element Library for Faster Photoshop Composites

Creating Photoshop composites becomes much smoother when you have pre-cut elements ready to use. Building a collection of inspiring images and cutting them out ahead of time eliminates the tedious prep work. This approach lets you jump straight into the creative process when inspiration strikes, rather than stopping to hunt...

How to Replace Any Sky in Photoshop Using Selection Tools and Color Adjustments

A dull, overexposed sky can drain the life from an otherwise compelling photograph. Sky replacement transforms flat images into dramatic scenes that capture attention and convey mood. This tutorial demonstrates the complete process of replacing skies in Photoshop using built-in selection tools, smart objects, and color matching techniques for natural-looking...

How to Use Gemini 3 Nano Banana Pro in Photoshop for Advanced AI Editing

Google's Gemini 3 Nano Banana Pro brings powerful AI capabilities to Photoshop with features like focus shifting, text recognition, and 4K resolution support. Adobe integrated this advanced model immediately upon release. The tool excels at maintaining context while transforming images, creating storyboards, and generating realistic text replacements with...

How to Create Custom Moon Brushes in Photoshop

Custom brushes unlock creative possibilities that standard Photoshop tools can't match. Moon brushes add dramatic celestial elements to composite images and fantasy scenes. This technique transforms moon photographs into reusable brush presets through proper selection, masking, and sizing adjustments. Watch the Tutorial Essential Tips for Creating Moon Brushes...

You’ve successfully subscribed to Photoshop Roadmap
Welcome back! You’ve successfully signed in.
Great! You’ve successfully signed up.
Success! Your email is updated.
Your link has expired
Success! Check your email for magic link to sign-in.