Tutorial: Easy Alphas or Titles

Want to make a cute alpha set or title for a page? It's not complicated! This is one of several methods.

Open a background you want to use for the pattern on the text. Duplicate it and close the original for safekeeping. Type your alphaset or text over it. Color doesn't matter, but size does - you want to make your letters their finished size.

Use your wand tool to select each vector letter, then switch layers to the background you chose, and Copy.

Open another background (this part is optional but I'll go through all the steps to have squares around the letters if you want them) and paste them on as another layer - NOT a selection. Again, it's safest to work on a copy of your original background.

Use your Inner Bevel tool and choose a fun preset bevel with the letter layer the active layer. Or experiment with the various bevel options.

Now, with your letters bevelled the way you want them, make your bottom layer - the other background - the active layer, and draw selections around your letters in any shape you like.

Invert your selection, and Cut away the excess background.

Now use the Inner Bevel tool again, with the bottom layer the active one, to bevel the squares. I've just used another preset here.

Embellish as desired, and you have your title, or an alphaset if you want to store it for future use.