Photoshop Text Effects: Easy Plastic Text with Layer Styles

Step 7: Apply The "Contour" Layer Style

Click on the word Contour on the left of the Layer Style dialog box. It's directly below the words "Bevel and Emboss":

The middle column of the Layer Style dialog box will change to the Contour options. We're going to use another contour from the ones we loaded in a moment ago. Click on the down-pointing arrow to the right of the contour preview thumbnail:

This time, scroll down the list until you come to the one named Shallow Slope-Valley. Double-click on it to select it:

You can fine-tune the "shiny" effect to your liking by dragging the Range slider left or right until you're happy with the results. I'm to drag mine to the right and increase the Range to about 85%:

Here's my text after adding the Contour layer style:

Click OK to exit out of the Layer Style dialog box for now.

Step 8: Duplicate The Text Layer

Press Ctrl+J (Win) / Command+J (Mac) to duplicate the text layer, so you'll now have two text layers in the Layers palette:

Then click on the original text layer in the Layers palette to select it, so we're working once again on the original, not the duplicate text layer above it:

Step 9: Add A Stroke To The Text

With the original text layer re-selected, click once again on the Layer Style icon at the bottom of the Layers palette and this time, select Stroke at the bottom of the list:

The Layer Style dialog box pops back up, with the Stroke options in the middle column. First, increase the stroke Size to about 6 pixels:

Then click on the stroke's color swatch to choose a new color for the stroke:

Photoshop's Color Picker pops back up. Rather than choosing a color directly in the Color Picker, move your mouse over the text. You'll see your mouse cursor change into the Eyedropper icon. Click near the edge of one of the letters to sample a shade of the color that's about midway between the lightest and darkest colors in the text:

Click OK to exit out of the Color Picker when you're done.