§5 TEXT EFFECTS — 19 Verified Recipes

5.1 LIQUID DRIP / MELTING TEXT

Result: Flowing tendrils/streams dripping DOWNWARD from text bottom

CRITICAL DIRECTION LOGIC (verified by testing):

CORRECT: Rotate -90 CCW → apply_wind("left") x 5-7 → Rotate +90 CW back = DRIPS DOWN
WRONG:   Rotate +90 CW  → apply_wind("right") x 5 → Rotate -90 CCW back = DRIPS UP

Why: Rotate -90 CCW → text bottom faces RIGHT → Wind "from left" pushes pixels RIGHT (toward bottom) → Rotate +90 CW back → RIGHT streaks become DOWNWARD

CRITICAL: White text on BLACK background (not transparent) — SCREEN blend removes black

MCP Tool Chain:

1. duplicate_layer (preserve original text)
2. rasterize_layer
3. Create BLACK pixel layer → merge with text (white on black)
4. scale_layer 300% height from TOPCENTER (elongate before wind)
5. rotate_canvas(angle=-90)
6. apply_wind(method="wind", direction="left") x 5-7 times
7. rotate_canvas(angle=90)
8. apply_gaussian_blur(radius=2-3)
9. set_layer_properties(blend_mode="SCREEN", layer_opacity=90)
10. add_gradient_map_adjustment_layer (clipped — colorize)
11. add_outer_glow_layer_style (neon color glow)
12. add_layer_mask + fill_mask_with_gradient (hide top, show bottom)

Common Mistakes:

• Rotating CW (+90) first → drips go UP
• Wind "from right" after CW rotation → drips go UP
• Using "blast" method → too messy/aggressive, layer goes off-canvas
• White on TRANSPARENT + SCREEN → colors invisible
• Wave amplitude too high (>40) → text destroyed

5.2 CHROME / METALLIC TEXT

Gradient Overlay: reflected, angle: 90

• stops: {0: (26,26,26)}, {25: (216,216,216)}, {50: (26,26,26)}, {75: (250,250,250)}, {100: (26,26,26)}

Bevel & Emboss: innerBevel, chiselHard, depth: 300, size: 5, angle: 120, altitude: 30

• highlight: SCREEN white 90%, shadow: MULTIPLY black 75%

5.3 NEON GLOW TEXT

Neon Color Palette:

Layer Styles on text:

1. add_inner_glow_layer_style(blend_mode="NORMAL", opacity=100, color=NEON_COLOR, source="center", choke=0, size=8)
2. add_outer_glow_layer_style(blend_mode="SCREEN", opacity=100, color=NEON_COLOR, spread=0, size=20)
3. add_drop_shadow_layer_style(blend_mode="SCREEN", color=NEON_COLOR, opacity=100, distance=0, spread=0, size=60)
   • drop shadow with SCREEN + distance=0 = wide ambient glow

Multi-Layer Glow Stacking (for INTENSE glow):

1. Duplicate text → fill_opacity=0, layer_opacity=20% → Gaussian Blur 15px → SCREEN
2. Duplicate again → Gaussian Blur 40px → SCREEN 50%
3. Duplicate again → Gaussian Blur 80px → SCREEN 30%
4. Result: 4 layers creating photorealistic multi-radius glow

5.4 GLASS / FROSTED TEXT

Key: set_layer_properties(fill_opacity=0) — NOT layer opacity

1. add_bevel_emboss_layer_style(style="innerBevel", technique="smooth", depth=150, size=10, soften=2, angle=120, altitude=30, highlight_mode="SCREEN", highlight_opacity=85, shadow_mode="MULTIPLY", shadow_opacity=50)
2. add_inner_shadow_layer_style(blend_mode="MULTIPLY", opacity=30, angle=120, distance=3, choke=0, size=5)
3. add_inner_glow_layer_style(blend_mode="SCREEN", color={255,255,255}, opacity=30, source="edge", choke=0, size=8)
4. add_stroke_layer_style(size=1, position="INSIDE", blend_mode="SCREEN", color={255,255,255}, opacity=50)

5.5 FIRE / FLAME TEXT

Same Wind technique as drip but OPPOSITE direction:

Rotate +90 CW → apply_wind("left") x 3-5 → Rotate -90 CCW back = FLAMES UP

Steps:

1. White text on black background → rasterize → merge to single layer
2. rotate_canvas(angle=90) → CW
3. apply_wind(method="wind", direction="left") x 3-5
4. rotate_canvas(angle=-90) → back
5. apply_gaussian_blur(radius=1.5)
6. Optional: apply_ripple(amount=110, size="medium") for flicker
7. Gradient Map fire colors:
   • {0: (0,0,0)}, {30: (255,0,0)}, {55: (255,102,0)}, {80: (255,204,0)}, {100: (255,255,255)}

5.6 ICE / FROZEN TEXT

Text color: RGB (168, 216, 234)

1. add_bevel_emboss_layer_style(style="innerBevel", technique="chiselHard", depth=250, size=5, angle=120, altitude=30, highlight_mode="SCREEN", highlight_opacity=90, shadow_mode="MULTIPLY", shadow_color={26,58,92}, shadow_opacity=70)
2. add_inner_glow_layer_style(blend_mode="SCREEN", color={200,232,255}, opacity=50, source="edge", size=12)
3. add_satin_layer_style(blend_mode="SCREEN", color={200,232,255}, opacity=30, angle=19, distance=11, size=14, invert=true)

Frost texture: Duplicate → rasterize → apply_crystallize(cell_size=5) → OVERLAY 40% → apply_noise(5)

5.7 GOLD / LUXURY TEXT

Gold Gradient Stops:

• {0: (191,149,63)}, {25: (252,246,186)}, {50: (179,135,40)}, {75: (251,245,183)}, {100: (170,119,28)}

1. add_gradient_overlay_layer_style with gold stops, angle: 90, type: "linear"
2. add_bevel_emboss_layer_style(style="innerBevel", technique="smooth", depth=200, size=3, highlight_color={252,246,186}, shadow_color={92,58,10})
3. add_stroke_layer_style(size=2, position="OUTSIDE") with same gold gradient
4. add_satin_layer_style(blend_mode="MULTIPLY", color={92,58,10}, opacity=25, angle=19, distance=8, size=10)

5.8 HOLOGRAPHIC / IRIDESCENT TEXT

Rainbow Gradient:

• {0: (255,0,153)}, {15: (255,102,0)}, {30: (255,255,0)}, {45: (0,255,102)}, {60: (0,204,255)}, {75: (102,51,255)}, {100: (255,0,153)}

Gradient Overlay angle: 135 + innerBevel smooth depth: 150, size: 4, soften: 2 + Satin LINEAR_DODGE white 30%

5.9 GLITCH EFFECT TEXT

1. Duplicate text 3x (Red, Green, Blue) + rasterize each
2. Red layer: set_channel_restrictions to red → translate 5px left, 2px up → SCREEN
3. Blue layer: set_channel_restrictions to blue → translate 5px right, 2px down → SCREEN
4. Green layer: keep position, channel to green → SCREEN
5. Scan lines: new layer → apply_halftone_pattern (line, size:1) → OVERLAY 15%
6. Color bands: thin rects, red/cyan, SCREEN 60-80%
7. apply_noise(amount=15) → SCREEN 30%

5.10 EMBOSS / LETTERPRESS TEXT

Dark bg: white text, fill_opacity=0, pillowEmboss direction=down depth=150 size=2, inner shadow 30% Light bg: same but direction=up, swap highlight/shadow

5.11 OUTLINE / STROKE TEXT

fill_opacity=0 + add_stroke_layer_style(size=2, position="CENTER", color=DESIRED)

5.12 3D EXTRUDE TEXT

Duplicate 20+ times, each translate 1px right+down, merge all copies, place below original, color overlay darker shade

5.13 WATERCOLOR TEXT

Rasterize → duplicate → blur copy MULTIPLY 80% → wave on original (low amplitude) → ripple edge bleed MULTIPLY 40%

5.14 SMOKE TEXT

White on black → rasterize → wave (gen 5, wavelength 10-80, amplitude 5-20) → Gaussian 3px → liquify upward → gradient mask → SCREEN

5.15 RETRO / VINTAGE TEXT

Warm off-white (240,230,210), stroke 3px red, hard shadow (spread=100, distance=4, size=0), noise 8%

5.16 GRADIENT FILL TEXT (scene colors)

Method A: add_gradient_overlay_layer_style with sampled colors Method B: place image above text → clip to text (is_clipping_mask=true)

5.17 LAVA / MOLTEN TEXT

3-layer stack:

1. Base text with Inner Glow #FF6600 SCREEN 75% size 15, Outer Glow #FF3300 SCREEN 80% size 25, Bevel innerBevel depth 300% size 7
2. Duplicate → rasterize → Gaussian blur 3px → COLOR_DODGE 60%
3. Gradient Map: {0: (0,0,0)}, {30: (128,0,0)}, {60: (255,100,0)}, {85: (255,200,0)}, {100: (255,255,200)}

5.18 LIQUID TEXT — GAUSSIAN + WAVE + LIQUIFY

1. Rasterize text → duplicate
2. apply_gaussian_blur(radius=8-12) on copy
3. apply_wave(generators=3, wavelength_min=10, wavelength_max=80, amplitude_min=5, amplitude_max=25)
4. liquify_forward — push downward at text edges
5. Gradient mask: show bottom, hide top
6. Gradient Map for colorization → SCREEN 85%

5.19 LIQUID TEXT — BEVEL & EMBOSS STACKING

Pure layer styles — no filters needed:

1. Text layer with 2px stroke
2. add_bevel_emboss_layer_style(style="innerBevel", technique="smooth", depth=100, size=20, angle=120, altitude=47, highlight_mode="SCREEN", highlight_opacity=100, shadow_mode="MULTIPLY", shadow_opacity=100)
3. add_inner_glow_layer_style(size=15, opacity=50, source="edge")
4. add_outer_glow_layer_style(size=30, opacity=60)
5. Set fill_opacity=0 for glass-liquid hybrid