It’s been awhile since I published a photoshop tutorial. So, I figured I’d take some time to publish one of my favorite photoshop text effects.

I’m not really sure what you would use this text effect for, except for maybe text on desktop wallpapers, but it just a looks cool. I used it a few times for random design projects back in college. But, I haven’t really used it since.

Either way… Here’s how you create a pixelation background for text.

How to Create a Pixelation Background for Text

Step 1:

The background and font colors are up too you, or the project at hand. But, I’ve generally found that a white font on a darker background looks the best with this text effect.

For this example, I choose a solid dark red color (#BA3422) because it goes along with the colors of my site. The end result of the pixelation text effect may vary on font color, background color, and the font itself.

Step 2:

Create your text, and then duplicate that text layer.

Select the duplicated layer, and Rasterize it. This will allow us to apply a couple filters to the text layer, and create the pixelated background. Apply the following filter:

Filter ::: Blur ::: Gaussian Blur

You should now be asked to enter a radius. This is completely up to you and what fits best with the font you’re using. For this example, I selected a radius of 10.

Step 3:

With the same duplicated text layer selected, you will apply another filter which will be the one that brings the pixelation out.

Filter ::: Pixelate ::: Mosaic

You should be asked to put in a cell size. This will determine how big the pixelation squares are behind the text. For this example on the right, I used a cell size of 7.

Step 4:

You should now see a ‘pixelated’ effect behind the original layer of text.

Select the original layer of text and apply a drop shadow to it. This will help it stand out from the pixelated background.

The settings of the drop shadow should be determined by what looks best for the text in your project.

Step 5: (Optional)

If you want your pixelated background to stick out a little more. Apply the following filter to it.

Filter ::: Sharpen ::: Sharpen

This will give the pixelated background a more defined look. Feel free to repeat this filter as you see necessary, but for this example on the right, I only applied the filter twice.

More Options for Pixelation Text Effect

At this point, you have many options. You can continue to change the way the pixelated background looks, by adjusting the settings in various ways. The most common adjustment you might want to make, is the opacity or brightness/contrast settings.

I hope this text effect tutorial was helpful and you were successfully able to apply the pixelation background to your project.

Please check out my other photoshop tutorials listed below.

How To Turn A Photo Into A Sketch

Learn how to convert an ordinary photograph or snapshot into a Black & White sketch using photoshop.

How To Turn A Photo Into An Oil Painting

In this 4-step tutorial, you will learn how to convert an ordinary photograph into a beautiful oil painting. Perfect effect for Landscapes & Sunsets!