How to Create a Chalkboard Sign With Chalk Text in Adobe Photoshop

Final product image
What You’ll Be Creating

Learn how to create a chalkboard sign with chalk text effect in Photoshop using textures and layer styles. This chalk photo effect is a part of the Chalk and Chalkboard Photoshop Actions from my portfolio on Envato Market

You can also the check the new Chalk Photo Effect Photoshop Action. You can create realistic chalk effects for text, graphics, and photos.

Chalk Effects and Chalkboard Photoshop Action
Chalk Effects and Chalkboard Photoshop Action

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used during the production of this tutorial:

All the textures that we are going to use in this tutorial (wood and chalk) are made using Photoshop filters.

1. How to Create the Background

Create a new 1000 x 1000 px document. Make a new layer and press Shift-F5 to fill it with color #62c3c9 or any other color that you like.

Fill Layer with Color in Photoshop

2. How to Create the Speech Bubble Shape Using the Pen Tool

Choose the Pen Tool (P) and draw the speech bubble shape. 

Draw a Vector Shape in Photoshop Using the Pen Tool

To create a curved line, click and hold down the mouse and drag. 

To turn a smooth anchor to a sharp point, keep the Alt-Click on the anchor point.

3. Create the Chalkboard Texture

Step 1

Set the Foreground color to #1a1a1a and the Background color to #ffffff

Create a new layer and call it Chalkboard Texture. Press Shift-F5 to fill it with the color #1a1a1a.

Fill Layer with Color

Step 2

Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise and set the Amount to 50%.

Noise Filter in Photoshop

Step 3

Go to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur and set the Angle to 50 and the Distance to 19 pixels.

Step 4

Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels and use these settings.

Levels Adjustment Layer in Photoshop

Step 5

Select the Chalkboard Texture layer and the Levels adjustment, right-click, and choose Merge Layers. Rename the new layer Chalkboard Texture.

Merge Layers in Photoshop

Step 6

Press Control-J to duplicate the Chalkboard Texture layer and call it Chalkboard Text Texture.

Duplicate Layer in Photoshop

4. Create the Chalkboard Shape

Step 1

Hide the Chalkboard Text Texture layer.

Right click on the Chalkboard Texture layer and choose Create Clipping Mask.

Create Clipping Mask in Photoshop
Clipping Mask in Photoshop

Step 2

Press Control-J to duplicate the Speech Bubble Shape layer and call it Chalkboard. Rename the initial layer Wooden Frame.

Duplicate Layers in Photoshop

Step 3

Set the Fill of the Wooden Frame layer to 0% and add a Stroke layer style, color #000000.

Stroke Layer Style

Right-click on the layer and choose Convert to Smart Object

Convert to Smart Object

5. Create the Wooden Texture

Step 1

Press Shift-Control-N to create a new layer. Name the layer Wooden Texture.  

Press Shift-F5 to fill the layer with color #1a1a1a

Fill Layer with Color

Step 2

Go to Filter > Render > Fibers to create the wood texture.

Fibers Filter in Photoshop

Step 3

Right-click on the Wooden Texture layer and choose Create Clipping Mask.

Create Clipping Mask

Step 4

Select the Wooden Frame and the Wooden Texture layers and move them above all the other layers.

Move Layers in Photoshop

Step 5

Add these layer styles to the Wooden Frame layer: 

  • Drop Shadow (color #000000)
  • Inner Shadow (color #000000)
  • Bevel and Emboss (color #ffffff and #000000)
  • Color Overlay (color #c86800)
Add Layer Styles in Photoshop
Wooden Frame

6. Create the Chalkboard With a Wooden Frame

Add this layer style to the Chalkboard layer: 

  • Drop Shadow (color #000000)
  • Inner Shadow (color #000000)
  • Inner Glow (color #ffffff)
  • Color Overlay (color #393838)
Add Layer Styles in Photoshop
Chalkboard with Wooden Frame

7. Add the Chalk Text Effect

Step 1

Add the Back To School text layer using the color #ffffff.

Text Layer in Photoshop

Step 2

Add this layer style to the Back to School text layer: 

  • Inner Shadow (color #000000)
  • Outer Glow (color #ffffff)
  • Inner Glow (color #000000)
  • Stroke(color #000000)
Add Layer Style in Photoshop

Step 3

Also add a Color Overlay, blend mode Normal, opacity 100%, using the color that you like. I will use this green color tone #d1ff6e.

You can also change the color of the Stroke using any color you like.

Chalk Effect Text Style

Step 4

Right-click on the Back to School text layer and choose Convert to Smart Object. Set the blend mode to Screen.

Chalk Effect Text Style in Photoshop

Step 5

To create a more realistic chalk effect, make the Chalkboard Text Texture layer visible. Right-click on the layer and choose Create Clipping Mask for the Back to School text layer.

Also set the blend mode to Multiply.

Chalk Texture Text Effect

Step 6

To make the colors more vibrant, let’s add a Levels adjustment. Right-click on the adjustment layer and choose Create Clipping Mask.

Add Levels Adjustment in Photoshop

8. Add the Chalk Pieces

Step 1

Use the Pen Tool to create the chalk piece. 

Chalk Piece Shape

Step 2

Add this layer style to create a realistic chalk piece: 

  • Drop Shadow (color #000000)
  • Inner Shadow (color #000000)
  • Bevel and Emboss (colors #ffffff and #000000)
  • Color Overlay (color #f2f2f2 for the white chalk and #c1e053 for the green chalk)
Chalk Piece Layer Style

Congratulations! You’re Done!

In this tutorial, you’ve learned how to create a chalk effect in Photoshop from scratch using filters and adjustment layers. I hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial.  

Chalk and Chalkboard Effect in Photoshop

This chalk photo effect is a part of the Chalk and Chalkboard Photoshop Actions from my portfolio on Envato Market

You can also the check the new Chalk Photo Effect Photoshop Action. You can create realistic chalk effects for text, graphics, and photos.

Chalk Effects and Chalkboard Photoshop Action
Chalk Effects and Chalkboard Photoshop Action

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