To create this effect, you'll need to download and install the ClearPlastic preset. Unzip the file to your environments and textures folder. This preset is a modification of Tony Cheroke's Lemon Jello Preset. Youcan visit Tony's site and pick up the rest of his Jello series, and lotsmore at Just look in the Graphics section.
Start by opening a new file, about 400 x 100 pixels, 16 million colors,with a white background. I like to work in a second layer (Layers: New),so that I can change the background color later, but you don't have to.Lay down some text. Any color will do. The font I've used here is ArialBlack. I like using moderately broad fonts with this effect, because thefinal highlights show up better. Be sure to leave the text selected.
Now we use one of the filters from Filter Factory Gallery V, PosterGradient I. This filter is a great rainbow creator. Go to Images, Plugins,Filter Factory V: Poster Gradient I. There are three slide bars. I simplyadjusted them until I got a pleasing effect.
Next, go to Images, Plugins, Flaming Pear: BladePro. Load the ClearPlastic Preset by clicking on the top CD in the control panel. You'll probablyhave to browse to find your Environments and Textures folder. Load thefile called soeclear.q9q.
OThis looks pretty good, but I like my colors to be a bit more intense.Go to Colors, Adjust: Hue/Saturation/Lightness. Seat the Hue and lightnessto 0, and the Saturation to 100.
Apply a drop shadow (Images, Effects: Drop Shadow). Set your Verticaland Horizontal offsets to about 5, the Opacity to around 88, and the Blurto 10.
Make the color you want transparent your background color, and setyour transparent color (Colors: Set Pallette Transparency). Save as a transparentGIF.
In case you don't have Filter Factory Gallery V, this effect alsoworks nicely on text filled with PSP's gradients. Pastel colors work best.Anything too dark will keep the highlights from being noticeable.
The effect also isn't limited to text. It works great for buttonsand other decorations as well. the button below was made by varying theShape and Radius of the preset slightly.
