Balloon Text Effect

This is a simple balloon text effect created in Photoshop CS3 using several Layer Styles. The effect works best on a rounded font style. You can see my text (character) settings below:

Color: FF9900 (Orange)

Adding the Layer Styles

Double-click on the layer that the text is on to bring up the Layer Style box and add the following:

Drop Shadow: Black, Multiply, 41%, Distance: 5, Spread: 0, Size: 5

Inner Shadow

Color: FFCC33
Blend Mode: Screen
Angle: 120
Distance: 5
Choke: 0
Size: 5

Outer Glow

Just use the default settings (see below).

Inner Glow:

Again use the default settings (see below).

Bevel and Emboss

This is the Layer Style that actually produces the "balloon" effect. It creates the highlights on the inner curves of the text. Note the settings for the Highlight and Shadow Mode. Highlight is turned up to 100% and changed from white to FFCC33 (a lighter orange than the text) and the Shadow Mode is reduced to 0 percent, so there is no shadow.

Also note that the Shading Angle is different than the default settings. Make sure that you uncheck "Use Global Light" and move the crosshairs to nearly the center of the dial until it produces the highlights on the text.

And that's it!