Abstracts with ZigZag Filter

1) Open a new document.
2) Select the 'Line' tool. Draw a line. I used 3px, the color does not matter, you can change it later.

3) Go to Filter - Distort - ZigZag. Set your settings similar to mine.

4) Go to Layer - New Fill Layer - Gradient.
Make sure your check 'Group With Previous Layer'.
Choose your gradient settings.
5) Go to Layer - Merge Visible. Now go to Layer - Duplicate Layer.
6) Go to Image - Rotate - Flip Layer Vertical.
7) Select the 'Move Tool' (V). Now, keep pressing the 'down' arrow key on your keyboard until you have something like below.

8) Once again, go to Layer - Merge Visible.
I am going to create a new layer (Layer - New Layer) and then send it to the bottom of my layer stack by going to Layer - Arrange - Send to Back.
9) I am going to fill this layer with black by to Edit - Fill Layer.
10) Merge visible layers (Layer - Merge Visible) and save.

3D Text

1) Create a new document. I am using the 'Web' preset, with a trasparent background.
2) Select the 'Horizontal Type Tool'. Choose your settings. I am using 'Showcard Gothic', '120 pt', with a color of  '#3300cc'.
3) Go to Image - Transform - Perspective. Drag the bottom-center point to the right, like shown below.

4) Select the text layer. Now, select the 'Move Tool' (V).
a. Press 'Ctrl + J' on your keyboard to duplicate the layer.
b. Press the 'up' arrow key on your keyboard to move the layer up by 1 pixel.
5) Keep repeating part 'a' and 'b' of step #4, until the text is as tall as you want.
6) On your topmost layer, click once on the 'eye icon' which is the 'layer visibility'.
Below, I have outlined the 'eye icon' in blue. As you can see, there is no 'eye icon' on the top layer, when shows that it is not visible. 

7) Select any one of the visible layers and go to Layer - Merge Visible.
8) Make sure the visible (bottom) layer is selected.
Go to Layer - New Fill Layer - Gradient. Check 'Group with Previous Layer'.
Choose a gradient. I choose a light blue/white one with the settings below.

9) Remember how we made the top layer 'invisible' in step #6?
Click on where the 'eye icon' should be in the top layer to make it visible again.
10) Right click on the top layer that we just made visible and from the options select 'Simplify'.
11) Go to Edit - Stroke (Outline) Selection. I am using the settings below.

Now, you can either stop right here, and enjoy your 3D text, or you can continue this tutorial for an even cooler effect.
12) Once again, go to Layer - Merge Visible.
13) Now go to Layer - Duplicate Layer.
14) In your effects palette, click on the 'Layer Styles' icon. Then from the drop down menu choose 'Wow Chrome'. Select the one outlined in black, 'Wow-Chrome Reflecting.

15) In your layers palette, set the blend mode of the duplicated layer to 'Color'.
16) Go to Layer - New Fill Layer - Solid Color and check 'Group with Previous Layer'.
Choose any color you want, I am using '#0020c0'.
Set the blend mode of this color fill layer to 'Color' too.

We are done! Experiment with different layer styles, fill layers, etc.

Blending Photos (and Coloring)

1) Open your 2 photos that you would like to blend. The 2 photos I am using are below.

 

2) Select one of your images. Go to Image - Resize - Canvas Size and set your settings to mine. 

 

3) Go to the other image, do a Ctrl + A, Ctrl + C, and go back to the image in which we enlarged the canvas and do a Ctrl + V.
4) Now place the image your just pasted, slightly on top of the other one and now you can crop it if you need to.  

 

 5) Select the eraser tool (E) and click on a soft brush. 

 

6) Making sure the pasted layer is selected, erase the edges.  

 

7) You are done with your blend! You can either stop here, or keep going.
8) Go to Layer - New Fill Layer - Gradient. I am using the settings below.  

 

9) Set the blend mode of the gradient fill layer to color. You can see how mine turned out below.  

 

I have also added the .PSD file for your reference.  

.PSD file

Matrix Text Effect

1) Go to File - New - Blank File. Match your settings to mine.

 

2) Go to Edit - Fill Layer. I am filling mine with black. 

 

3) Click on the 'horizontal type tool'. Type some text. You can see my settings below. 

 

4) Duplicate the text layer. Layer - Duplicate. 

5) On your duplicated layer go to Filter - Blur - Motion Blur. Set your settings similar to mine, or experiment with your own. 

 

6) You are done! See mine below. Matrix text can be used to sigs, avatars, and more. 

Photo With Highlights

Sometimes you find photos that look rather nice, but the colors are not as bright as you want them to be. An example is the photo below.

 

1) Open up your image in Photoshop Elements. 

2) Go to Layer - New - Layer. 

 

3) Select the brush tool (B) and use a soft, large brush. Set the opacity of the brush to 80%.

 

4) Select a color that complements your photo,  I am using #99131e. 

5) Go over the entire photo once, make sure you do not paint the same area twice. Once your entire photo is covered, paint sort of a blob in the corner so you cannot see through at all. 

 

6) Set the blend mode of this layer to 'soft light'. 

7) Again create a new layer by going to Layer - New - Layer. 

8) Change your color to something lighter and brigher. I am using #ff2638.

9) Paint in the corner again and even over the petal like I have done below. 

 

10) Set the blend mode to 'color'. Right now your layers palette should look similar to the one below. 

 

 

You are done! Hope you are satisfied with the outcome. 

Glass Text

1) Open up your image. I am using the one below.

 

2)  Select the 'horizontal type mask tool'. 

 

3)  Choose a bold, big font. Those are the ones that work best. Now type some text. 

4) Now to go Edit - Copy and then Edit - Paste. 

5) Now in your effects palette click on 'layer styles'. Select the 'bevel' category and use 'simple inner'. 

6) Go to Layer - Layer Style - Style Settings. Set your settings similar to mine depending on the size of you text. Feel free to experiment. 

 

7) Go to Layer - Merge Visible. 

8) You have achieved a glass text look! 

Golden Text

1) As soon as you open up Photoshop Elements 7, go to File - New - Blank File (Ctrl + N). You can use any settings you want, but below are the settings that I used.

 

2) Select the "Horizontal Type Tool". Select which options you want. I am using Century Gothic, 72pt, Bold. The color does not matter.

3) Now in your "effects" palette click on the "layer styles" icon. Now click on "Wow Chrome Dark".

4) Hold down the "ctrl" key on your keyboard and click on the layer thumbnail in the layers palette.
5) Now right click the text layer in the layers palette and select "Simplify Layer". Do it once again.
6) Go to Select - Inverse. Press "delete" on your keyboard.  Go to Select - Deselect.

4) Now go to Layer - New Fill Layer - Gradient. A window will pop up, make sure to check "Group with Previous Layer".

5) Where it says "Gradient", click so the gradient editor will come up. Match your settings to mine. 

6) After you finish with the Gradient Editor, set the angle of the gradient to 0 degrees and make sure Linear is selected. The scale should be 100%. The only thing that should be checked is "Align With Layer".
7) Set the blend mode on the gradient fill layer to "color".

That is pretty much it for this tutorial. By trying different chrome layer styles and gradients you can get a variety of different text effects.