Create a 3D Space Text Effect in Photoshop
In this tutorial, you’ll create a dramatic 3D text effect floating in space. You’ll build a star field background, style and extrude your text, and finish with glowing lens flares and color controls. The result stays fully editable so you can swap text and tweak colors later.
Step-by-step instructions
Create the canvas
Go to File → New.
Set Width to 1950 px, Height to 1080 px, Resolution to 72 ppi, and click Create.
Create a new layer and name it “Stars”.
Build the star field
Choose the Paint Bucket Tool, set Foreground color to black, and click the canvas to fill the “Stars” layer.
Right-click the “Stars” layer and choose Convert to Smart Object.
Go to Filter → Noise → Add Noise; set Amount to 70, Distribution: Gaussian, and check Monochromatic; click OK.
Go to Filter → Blur → Gaussian Blur; set Radius to 2 px; click OK.
Go to Image → Adjustments → Threshold; drag until you get crisp stars and click OK.
Add and tune the space/nebula layer
Drag and drop a space/nebula image into the document and press Enter/Return to place.
Set the nebula layer’s blend mode to Screen.
Go to Filter → Blur → Surface Blur; set Radius to 100 and Threshold to 66; click OK.
Add Layer → New Adjustment Layer → Curves above the nebula; click the clipping icon to clip; adjust for contrast.
Add Layer → New Adjustment Layer → Hue/Saturation; clip it; set Hue to −8 and Saturation to −30.
Organize the background
Select the “Stars,” nebula, and their adjustment layers.
Press Ctrl/Cmd+G to group them.
Rename the group “Background.”
Create and style the text
Select the Type Tool (T), click, and type your text.
Use the Move Tool to center the text (use Align options or Select → All then Align vertical and horizontal centers).
Right-click the text layer → Blending Options → Color Overlay: Black, Opacity 100%.
In the same dialog, enable Stroke: Size 6 px, Position Outside; set Fill Type to Gradient and choose a metallic black–white–black gradient; click OK.
Right-click the text layer → Convert to Smart Object and rename it “Face.”
Extrude the text with an action
Open Window → Actions.
Load your 3D extrusion action (double-click the .atn file or panel menu → Load Actions).
Select the “Face” layer and run the step labeled “Play Me First.”
Run the action for your chosen extrusion angle; play it multiple times to build thickness.
Stop the action; remove any unwanted layer effects created during extrusion and organize the resulting layers as needed.
Add depth with Curves
Create Layer → New Adjustment Layer → Curves above the extruded text.
Click the clipping icon to clip to the text/extrusion.
Adjust the curve to add depth and contrast to the 3D text.
Add lens flares
Drag in lens flare images and press Enter/Return to place each.
Set each flare layer’s blend mode to Linear Dodge (Add).
Use the Move Tool to position flares for highlight accents.
Select all flare layers and press Ctrl/Cmd+G to group; name it “Lens Flares.”
Colorize the flares and preserve brightness
With “Lens Flares” selected, add Layer → New Adjustment Layer → Hue/Saturation above and clip it to the group.
Enable Colorize; set Hue to 200 and Saturation to 100.
Set the “Lens Flares” group’s blend mode to Linear Dodge (Add) to keep them bright after colorizing.
Optional: global color control
Add Layer → New Adjustment Layer → Hue/Saturation at the top of the layer stack.
Adjust Hue/Saturation to shift the overall scene color.
Edit the text later
In Layers, double-click the “Face” Smart Object thumbnail to open it.
Edit your text; if content is cut off, go to Image → Reveal All.
Go to File → Save, then close the Smart Object window to update the main document.
Reposition lens flares if needed.
