Acorn Acorn 7

Hexagonal Pixellated Text

Hexagonal final.acorn


To start, create a new image in Acorn, File ▸ New.  The dimensions of 1200 x 1200 pixels with a white background is used here.  Create a new layer, Layer ▸ New Layer.  Choose the gradient tool and select the radial rainbow gradient with the smooth color transitions.  Drag out a gradient on your canvas.


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Create a 15% opacity white to 10% opacity white gradient and drag it across your canvas.  For more details on how to create this type of gradient, read here.  


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Now go to Filter ▸ Stylize ▸ Hexagonal Pixellate.  The settings used here can be seen below.  


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Click on the text tool, and choose the ‘Lobster’ font family in the inspector palette.  Type out your text with a fill but no stroke.  Play around with the kerning setting to bring the letters closer together.


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Click on your gradient layer in the layers list.  Choose Edit ▸ Copy.  Hide the gradient layer by clicking on the visibility icon in the layers list.  Click on your text layer and choose Select ▸ Make Selection from Layer, then Edit ▸ Paste Into.


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Click on the gradient thumbnail in the layer mask layer to select it.  For more information on this, read ‘Layer Masks’.  Click on the ‘fx’ button and choose Stylize ▸ Inner Shadow.  The settings used here are seen below.  If needed, play around with moving the layer mask or the gradient to position your text where you want it.


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Use the crop tool if needed to clean things up!


Hexagonal final.acorn


Thank you Mental Floss for the inspiration for this tutorial.