drop shadow effect

How can I get rid of the letters that are flat in this picture (the gray letters) while leaving just their shadows?
Is there a way to just give a shadow of letters without the letter itself being so obvious? Or at least have very little noticeable letters in that spot (photoshop 7 or older)

 

Open up your layers tab at the side and lower the FILL bar to zero. That should do it.

 

How can I get rid of the letter but keep the shadow?
I can do the fill and the opacity (both work) but I still get the outline of the letter. I want it to look like just the shadows of the standing letters and not shadows of letters that are on the ground (not two different groups of letters. Just one group and their shadows)

 

If you just want a shadow effect then turn your laying down text into a dark grey colour and gaussian blur it. (Taking away its own shadow). That should make that text layer look like a shadow. for the standing up text.

 

1. Create a text layer and enter your text "XYZ"
2. Right click on text layer and choose "Duplicate Layer".
3. Select new layer
4. Edit -> Transform -> Flip Vertical
5. Move your layer into position underneath the text.
6. Right click on your duplicated layer and choose "Rasterize Layer"
7. Edit -> Transform -> Distort
8. Drag the bottom corners of the text layer out to the left and right.
9. Filter -> Gaussian Blur
10. Profit.

[img=http://img31.imagevenue.com/loc538/th_923272876_Untitled_2_122_538lo.jpg]

 

You could also move the letters outside the canvass and increase the distance of the drop shadow in blending options until it's lined up.

 

as Jamms said, probably best to use grey text, or black text and reduce opacity, and don't apply a shadow effect.

 

Here's what I got to happen

1: Type words. Do whatever you want to them in layer style (such as drop shadows)
2: Rasterize the text. Do this because you can't do perspective transformation with just regular text and you can't do drop shadows with mask type tool.
3: Do the transformation such as perspective mode.
4: Use the magic wand tool inside the letter and then use the background eraser tool

The problem is I get images that look like the letter's shadow was shot (see pic below with the blurry ball in the "Y" shadow). If I can find the right setting for that to go away, I'm okay!

Then click the magic wand tool again and the marquee lines go away.

Now my biggest problem other than the blurry splotch is how to make the shadow words look like words and not just a bunch of gibberish...

 

Something like this?

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1. Create your background and text layer.

2. Make two copies of the text layer.

3. Hide the background and top text layer.

4. Merge all visible text layers, so they are no longer editable (just a layer of letters).

5. Flip the non-editable text vertically and adjust the perspective to your liking.

6. Create a copy of your background layer (just above actual background).

7. Darken the background to the desired shade of the drop shadow.

8. Use the magic wand to select the non-editable text (select one letter, then select similar option).

9. With the outline of the letters selected, click on the copied (lighter) background layer.

10. Feather the selection to the desired amount, then clear, or erase the selection to reveal the darker background layer.

11. Delete the non-editable text layer (it was just a template for the drop shadow).

12. (Optional) Add a slight drop shadow to the remaining text layer, to blend with the drop shadow you created.

13. Drink beer and admire werk. :biggrin:

 

I make it through #9 with no problem but when I get to 10 I get caught up because it does not give me a clear option and if I do erase it, I get nothing.
Also do I darken the original background or the copied one?

 

Once you get through #9, you select the background layer by clicking on it in the Layer Window (not on the image itself). It should highlight, when it's selected and the outline of the selected letters layer should transfer to it. Also, make sure the top background is not hidden...the little eye symbol should be visible for the layer. The Clear option is in under the Edit column (top left of app).

You darken the bottom most background layer, leaving the lighter (copied) original on top. You want to clear the letter outline from the lighter top background. When you clear/erase the selection, the darker background below the original will be revealed, simulating the drop shadow...but don't forget to feather (using right mouse button for menu) the selection before you clear it.

 

The best I can do

 

#4 is a problem (leaves edges behind) but you already ran into trouble at steps 1 and 2.

Once you get a rasterised layer which combines multiple elements that you want to have separate you've already gone too far. All you need is letter shapes that are blurry right? So don't worry about anything else, concentrate on that.

The first two tips from Jamms will work if applied correctly but the easiest method is the second one, it keeps things most simple as you're only working with one layer's pixels and no Layer Style: type grey or black letters, rasterise, change mode to Multiply, do perspective effect, Gaussian Blur, change opacity if necessary, done.

 

Good lateral thinking dude!

 

I always seem to do things differently in PS to everyone else for some reason.

 

The "shadow" is a little dark...or looks that way on my monitor, but yeah you've got the general idea. Keep practicing. It's like any skill set. Time and effort strengthens 'em.

 

keep in mind that light is diffuse in this situation. use a layer mask to reduce the opacity of the shadows at the very bottom of your picture. dont overdo the fading effect tho.

youre doing fine, you have to remember, a lot of the worx you see here on phun have taken years of practice to make