Creating the Shape of the Flames

Now it is time to create the flames:

1. First, select Image > Rotate canvas > 90° CCW to turn the image by 90°.
   
   
2. Select Filter > Stylize > Wind. Select the Blast option, then click on OK (Figure 3).
   
   
A question of size. It is sometimes better to use the Wind option, depending on the size of the text you use.



Figure 3: The Wind filter "blows" your text towards the left.


3. Place your text back in the horizontal plane by selecting Image > Rotate canvas > 90° CW.
   
   
4. Now select Filter > Stylize > Diffuse. Apply the filter using the Normal mode.
   
   
5. Next, select Filter > Blur > Gaussian blur. Then, in the filter dialog box, select a Radius ranging between 2 to 3 pixels, depending on the size of your characters.
   
   
6. If you want to create a slight distortion in the flames, select Filter > Distort > Ripple. Select a Value of 100 and a Medium size, then click on OK.
   
   

You are now going to fill the inside of the text with black, so as to make it easier to read. To do this, you will use the text outline that we saved earlier on.

1. Bring up the text outline that you saved by selecting Select > Load selection.
   
   
2. In the dialog box that appears, select Alpha 1 in the pull-down list Channel (Figure 4), then click on OK.
   
   


Figure 4: The Load selection dialog box allows you to bring up an element that has been saved.

The original text reappears highlighted.


3. Go to the menu Select > Modify > Contract and enter a value of 2 in the dialog box in order to make the highlighted text shrink slightly. Click on OK.
   
   
4. Fill the highlighted characters with black and then remove the highlighting by holding down the Ctrl/Cmd-D keys.
   
   

Your text has now taken on the form you desired. Now all you have to do is give it some colour.



Figure 5: The flames are clearly visible, but they are still in black and white.