In this week’s free Deke’s Techniques episode, Deke transforms ordinary type into mysteriously almost-disappearing type effect in Photoshop. It reminds me of the invisible ink we used to employ to pass each other meaningless secret messages when I was a kid.

The effect begins with what is actually a drop shadow applied to text that has been made, well, invisible by reducing its Fill Opacity to zero, leaving only the mysteriously blurry shadows behind. The edges are then firmed up with a Levels adjustment later. Next, Deke applies his secret recipe of layer styles and blend modes to add color and textural mystery. Finally, some custom kerning of the letters randomizes their relative positions.

Because the result is created primarily with layer effects (and without actually disturbing the original letters), you can edit this text and retain the effect. This comes in handy for Deke’s follow-up technique (presented in a member-exclusive movie), which puts his original and alternate text into animated GIF rotation.  

Because, as any kid who ever had a set of invisible ink pens knows,  the reveal of the secret message is always more interesting than any actual meaning!

If you’re not a member of lynda.com, but would like to look within to seek your own answers to Photoshop (and Illustrator’s) secrets, you can sign up for a free week’s trial at lynda.com/deke.