Tate Modern Logo

[SaltiQi]

Hey all. I'm trying to recreate the blur effects of the logo(s) used for the Tate Modern.

The logos:






The topic has been discussed before:
http://graphicdesign.stackexchange....blurred-text-in-tate-modern-logo-in-photoshop

One of the solutions suggests using gradient masks, feathering and adjusting the curves. This works but falls short of achieving the more exaggerated effect of for instance the last two photo I've posted above. Are there other things I can do to bloat/obscure the shape of the letters? I also want them to still look like there going in/out of focus.

In addition I've had trouble with the gradient masks:



As you may be able to see, part of the text (diagonally across the middle) is masked over slightly. The idea was to create two complementing gradient masks so one masks over the top left one layer, one masks over the bottom right of one layer so when the layers are placed on top of each other it creates one seamless, solid color. I thought I could do this by copying the gradient mask of the first layer, moving it to the second layer and inverting the colors, but as you can see a grey area appears, where the two fading gradient masks seem to overlap. Here is the text with the gradient masks disabled:



Also the original typeface they used is supposedly VAG Rounded.

Thank you so much for your time!

 

[IamSam]

I see where you found this information: http://graphicdesign.stackexchange....blurred-text-in-tate-modern-logo-in-photoshop

The technique works. The only thing I see that you have done differently is that you have masked the groups and not the text layers themselves. (Which will work, but you still need the blur and the curves adjustment)

I don't see a curves adjustment layer either. You also have to apply a blur to the text in order for the gradient to work.

This is a quick run at it, it can use some tweaking. I also used smart objects/filters so I could adjust them at any time.

 

[SaltiQi]

Thanks! Ya I did the curves and feathering on other documents, I just wanted to show the issue that I had with the gradient masks. I'll play around with what you suggested and post the results.

Also do you know of a smart filter I could use to bloat the letters? I've been experimenting with liquify but it can't be used as a smart filter. Or could I just get the same results with the curves/gradient masks? I'm looking for fairly exaggerated effects.

Oh and hey do you think you could post the PSD?

Cheers

 

[IamSam]

Not sure what your trying to do with the gradients.

If you set your gradient to foreground to transparent, you can place both gradients on the same layer.





No need to post the PSD you have all the info you need from the screen shots.

 

[IamSam]

If your really wanting to exaggerate the letters, I would use something like free transform/liquify before I started using the "TATE" effect.

 

[SaltiQi]

I'm using the gradient masks so that that I can have differentiating effects:







Theres still a slight grey band across the centre where the two gradient masks meet, it's not a huge deal but not exactly what I was going for. I was also hoping it would look more fluid.

I will have to try free transform as well.

 

[SaltiQi]

It's starting to come together! As you can see I went for a blue bg, I kind of want it to look like sky. The trouble is the curves adjustment layers, which I only used to change the shape/blurriness of the text and not the color of the background. It makes it a lot harded to attain the desired color. This is more what I was thinking:



I tried clipping the curves adjustment layers to just the text layers but no dice, when you do that it effectively nullifies the effects of the curves layer. I suppose it needs the background and the object in order for it to work.

 

[MrToM]

What you are expecting from 'overlapping' 2 gradient masks is not a possibility in PS.

I don't know know if you understand how 'transparency' works in PS but in a nutshell, 50% transparency, (on one layer), added to 50% transparency, (on another layer) does not equal 100%.

You can test this for yourself by duplicating a layer with 50% transparency...(Its a lot easier than doing the maths!)
50% + 50% = 75%
75% + 50% = 88%
88% + 50% = 94%
94% + 50% = 97%
97% + 50% = 99%
99% + 50% = 100% (BUT NOTICE THE IMAGE STILL HAS TRANSPARENCY !!!)
100% + 50% = 100% (Should now be opaque)

That's 7 layers before you completely lose transparency.

Hopefully you can see that anything less than 7 layers will give you 'some' transparency meaning you will always get a 'grey' area when overlapping your masks.

Regards.
MrTom.

 

[IamSam]

Here I have 2 different text layers, one with a blur/curves adj. and the other without.....


I made one gradient on a layer mask and then duplicated it to the other text layer.
I then inverted the duplicate. It seems to come out smoother that way.

 

[SaltiQi]

Woah Tom! That seems complicated and somewhat counter intuitive. I'll need to explore that further to get my head around it. I'm afraid I don't fully understand what you mean about 7 layers. What would implementing that in my file look like?

Sam, ya that's similar to what I did, with copying the masks and inverting them.

 

[MrToM]

...I'm afraid I don't fully understand what you mean about 7 layers. What would implementing that in my file look like?...

I guess that answers my question then.

My post is just an explanation as to why you cannot use that 'overlaying' technique.....with an example of how you can 'see for yourself' how PS handles transparency, hopefully reinforcing your understanding of why you have these problem 'grey' areas.

I didn't offer an alternative, you seem quite capable of doing that yourself.

Maybe this helps...



(There are duplicate versions for display on the forum only, to allow for the forum themes.)

Download the above image and open it in PS.
With the MOVE tool selected hover over the mid-point of the upper and lower layer masks...it should be 50% Opacity. (Use the 'INFO' panel to monitor Opacity)
You'd expect then that the mid-point of the 'result' of adding those two layers together would be 100% (50% + 50% = 100%) but its not....its only 75%.

This is why you see 'grey' areas....the mask is NOT 100% Opaque.

Regards.
MrTom.