{"id":9107,"date":"2025-02-18T00:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T05:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/?p=9107"},"modified":"2025-02-23T14:05:36","modified_gmt":"2025-02-23T19:05:36","slug":"distort-filter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/distort-filter\/","title":{"rendered":"Distort Filter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A few weeks ago, in my \u201c3D Title<\/a><\/strong>\u201d post I showed you how to create a 3D effect using the Halftone Filter in Photoshop Elements (PSE). Today I\u2019m going to share another tip that will help you add interest to a title using the PSE Distort Wave Filter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my \u201cStitching Realism<\/a><\/strong>\u201d post back on August 13, 2024, I showed you how to use that filter to warp a shadow. Today I\u2019m going to show you how to use that same filter to \u201cspike\u201d a title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note:<\/strong> The featured image at the top of this post was created using a template from \u201cNo Worms Allowed\u201d by Dawn Inskip (retired). You can find more details about this layout in my 2025 Gallery<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spiked Title<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"Spikes\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

This is another technique that works best on larger titles using a rather “bold” font. I\u2019m not sure script fonts are a good idea for this technique but you\u2019re welcome to give it a try.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before I get started just a quick reminder that I use PSE 2024. If you use a different version, some of my screen shots may look different than what you see on your screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m going to create a new 12×12 file with a white background:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Blank<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I then ensure that the foreground\/background color chips are set to the default of black and white (press D).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then I select the Horizontal Type tool. I\u2019m using the Shiny Flower Regular<\/a><\/strong> font (from 1001Fonts<\/a><\/strong>) and I select that font in the Horizontal Type tool options. Then I set the font size to 240 pt, the Leading to Auto and the Tracking to 0 (zero).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I then double-check that the font Color chip is set to black, select the Center text option and check the Anti-aliasing box: <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Note:<\/strong> Very small titles won\u2019t work well for this technique. Specifically, font sizes of less than 72 pt are too small for this. That\u2019s why I wanted to start out making it fairly large. I should be able to make it smaller later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, I place my cursor in about the center of the page and click once:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Ready<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Right now, all you see is that black dot near the center of the page. That’s because I didn\u2019t draw a text box. There\u2019s really no need to create a text box if I\u2019m only typing one word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point all I have to do is type my title and click the check mark to confirm:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Title<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

On to the fun part\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spiky Layer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With my title all set, I duplicate the text layer (Ctrl+J) and rename the new layer Spiky Windy. I then move the Spiky Windy layer beneath the original text layer. And here\u2019s how my Layers Panel looks right now:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Layers<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As I mentioned in my \u201c3D Title<\/a><\/strong>\u201d post, some PSE filters use the foreground and background colors. That is not the case with the filter which I\u2019ll be using today. The Distort Wave filter will create the effect using the color of the item being distorted. In this case, the \u201cspikes\u201d will be black<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note:<\/strong> If you\u2019re following along, you can use a color other than black if you\u2019d like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before I go further, I need to simplify the Spiky Windy layer. As I\u2019ve mentioned before, PSE won\u2019t let me apply a filter to text because it is a vector-based image (similar to a Smart Object). So, I Right-Click on the Spiky Windy layer\u2019s thumbnail and click Simplify Layer:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Simplify<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Note<\/strong>: If you want more information about Smart Objects, you can refer back to my post about “Managing File Sizes<\/a><\/strong>“.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, I go to the top tool bar and select Filter->Distort->Wave:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Distort<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

PSE then opens the Wave filter options:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Wave<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

With the Wave options open I use the following settings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n