Create a Letter Portrait Text Effect in Affinity Photo

In this tutorial, we will be creating a letter portrait text effect in Affinity Photo.

Before starting the tutorial, go to the following links to download the pictures and font needed to complete the tutorial.

• Picture 1
• Picture 2
• Studebaker NF Font (Bold)

Now, let’s begin the letter portrait text effect tutorial!

Step 1

First, go to File > New to create a new document with the following properties.

Step 2

Second, grab the Artistic Text tool. Click on the document and type the letter N (or whatever letter you decide to use). Make sure that the size of the letter is large.

Step 3

In the Context toolbar, go to the Font Family and select the Studebaker NF Bold font you downloaded.

Step 4

Now, go to File > Place and select the picture of the woman. Hold Shift while you drag the picture onto the document.

Step 5

Next, go to the Tools Panel and grab the Selection Brush tool. Make sure in the Context toolbar that you’re in the Add Mode to select the woman. Also, check the Snap to Edges box. Select the woman until all of her is selected.

Step 6

In the Context toolbar, after selecting the woman, hit Refine. When the Refine Selection box appears, change the Output to New Layer. Hit Apply.

Step 7

After that, grab the Move Tool from the Tools Panel. Select the woman. Press CTRL + Shift and make the woman smaller. Place the image on the N on the right side.

Step 8

Now, turn the original image back on in the Layers Panel.

Step 9

Next, select the original image and drag it inside of the text layer.

Step 10

Then, resize and arrange the image inside of the text layer so that it matches with the duplicated image (I turned the duplicated layer off so that you can get an idea of how it should be sized).

Step 11

In the Layers Panel, select the duplicated image and add a Mask Layer to it.

Step 12

With the Mask Layer selected, grab the Paint Brush tool. In the Swatches Panel, make sure the Black color is active.

Step 13

Go to the Brushes Panel. Go to the Basic brushes and select the 128 px Round Light Brush.

Step 14

Make sure you’re on the Mask Layer. Take the brush and start to conceal part of the woman. Turn off the image inside of the text layer so that you can see what is being concealed. Turn it back on when you’re done.

Step 15

Now, go to File > Place. Select the other image you downloaded. Hold Shift while you’re dragging it across the document.

Step 16

Next, go to Arrange from the menu at the top and select Flip Horizontal so that we can turn the image in the opposite direction.

Step 17

Then, grab the Selection Brush tool. Make sure you’re in Add Mode and that Snap to Edges is turned on. Select all of the man.

Step 18

Hit Refine in the Context toolbar. When the Refine Selection box appears, set the Output to New Layer. Then, hit Apply.

Step 19

In the Layers Panel, turn the original image back on. Then, drag the image inside of the text layer (make sure the image of the woman is on top of this image in the text layer).

Step 20

After that, line the pixel image up to the image inside the text layer.

Step 21

In the Layers Panel, select the pixel layer (the one with the man). Add a Mask Layer to it.

Step 22

Grab the Paint Brush tool. Make sure you’re using the Black color. In the Brushes panel, go to the Basic brushes and choose the 64 px Round Light Brush.

Step 23

Now, get rid of part of the man’s legs until you get to the point where it meets the bottom of the N. You can decrease the size of the brush if you need to by pressing the left bracket key ( [ ) on your keyboard.

Step 24

With the pixel layer still selected, conceal the back half of the man. You can turn the image off in the text layer to see what is being masked.

Step 25

When you’re done concealing areas of the man, turn the other image back on in the Layers Panel.

Step 26

Grab the Rectangle tool from the tools panel and draw a rectangle that covers the whole document.

Step 27

Double click on the White circle (the Fill Color) in the Swatches Panel to bring up the Color Chooser. Give the rectangle the following Fill Color. 

Step 28

In the Layers Panel, select the rectangle and drag it beneath all the other layers.

Congratulations! This tutorial is complete! For more Affinity Photo tutorials, check out the Cyberpunk Effect tutorial.