How to create a bubble wrapper effect for text

Question

Please take a look at this image. It's the logo of the charity Childline.

Source

How can I achieve this bubble wrapper effect around text in photoshop?

Answer 1

this effect is achieved by using multiple stroke FX's

• Create your text
• Click the Layer FX icon in the bottom of the Layer palette
• Choose stroke and create the inner stroke area- for a bubbly effect you will want the size to be fairy large
• Then create a copy of that layer
• Go back to the original layer you created and increase the size futher and change the colour to create the second stroke

if you also want to add a shadow effect, it would be best to do this to the largest stroke layer

Answer 2

You can do it (very roughly) by selecting the text and then go to Select>Modify>Expand. Then enter the value you want to expand it by and hit return. Then add a stroke to the selection.

However this will give you a jaggy result. You are best doing this in a vector package such as Illustrator.

Answer 3

There's a neater way. I'd personally always recommend avoiding duplicating layers for effects like this - it's a pain to maintain when (inevitably) someone wants a small change to the text or something needs to move.

Photoshop doesn't allow multiple strokes like in Illustrator, but you can effectively have up to three:

• In Layer FX, set a Stroke for the inner stroke (white)
• On the same layer, create a stroke-like Outer Glow with these settings:
  • Spread: 100%
  • Blend-mode: Normal
  • Size: Slightly bigger than the stroke

If you need a third stroke, use Drop Shadow with similar settings (spread: 100%, blend mode: normal). Or, you can save it for an actual drop shadow.

If you also want that plastic-y reflective sheen, you can get that with a Bevel & Emboss effect with a steep gloss contour and large size...

...though (hopefully...) the actual Childline logo designers placed theirs by hand (and hopefully using a vector design package).