Layer Styles

Design Techniques

Stop Making Your Text Look Like a Bad 90s Website: A Practical Guide to Text Effects in Photoshop

Stop Making Your Text Look Like a Bad 90s Website: A Practical Guide to Text Effects in Photoshop Look, I’m going to be honest with you. Most text effects in Photoshop are terrible. That glowing neon sign effect? Terrible. The rainbow gradient with drop shadow? Also terrible. But before you close this tab thinking I’m about to tell you to never use effects, hear me out—there are actually some legitimately useful text effects that can elevate your work instead of making it look like it belongs in a time capsule.

April 17, 2026

Text and Typography

Text Effects in Photoshop That Don't Look Like a Geocities Website

Text Effects in Photoshop That Don’t Look Like a Geocities Website Look, I get it. Text effects are fun. A little drop shadow here, some beveling there, maybe throw a lens flare on top because why not? Before you know it, your design looks like it should be accompanied by MIDI music and animated GIFs of dancing babies. But here’s the thing: text effects can actually be useful when you’re not treating Photoshop like a effect slot machine.

March 25, 2026

Text & Typography

Stop Making Your Text Look Like a 1997 Geocities Site: A Guide to Text Effects That Don't Suck

Stop Making Your Text Look Like a 1997 Geocities Site: A Guide to Text Effects That Don’t Suck Look, I get it. Text effects are fun. Drop shadows, glows, bevels—they’re sitting right there in Photoshop’s Layer Styles panel, practically begging to be clicked. But here’s the thing: just because you can make text look like it’s melting into a neon puddle doesn’t mean you should. I’ve been staring at Photoshop screens for longer than I care to admit, and I’ve learned that the best text effects are the ones that enhance readability, not compete with it.

March 21, 2026