Give ANYTHING a Realistic NEON GLOW in Illustrator

Education

Introduction

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to create a realistic neon glow in Adobe Illustrator. Follow these steps to achieve a vibrant neon text effect that's sure to catch attention.

Step 1: Create the Background

  1. New Document: Create a new document with the RGB color mode.
  2. Rectangle Tool: Use the Rectangle Tool to create a background.
  3. Background Color: Set the background color to either black or a very dark color.
  4. Lock Background: Lock the background layer to avoid accidental movement.

Step 2: Add and Style the Text

  1. Type Tool: Select the Type Tool and click anywhere on the document to type your text.
  2. Font and Size: Increase the text size and select a font. For this tutorial, we're using Nikoi Normal.
  3. Center the Text: Position the text in the center of the document.
  4. Change Text Color: Change the text color to white.

Step 3: Applying Gaussian Blur

  1. Effect: Go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur.
  2. Blur Value: Enter a small value, such as 0.5.
  3. Duplicate Text: Copy (Edit > Copy) and paste in place (Edit > Paste in Place).
  4. Increase Blur Value: For the duplicated text, increase the Gaussian Blur value to 3.
  5. Repeat: Repeat the copy-paste-increase-blur process two more times, increasing the blur value to around 10 and then higher as desired.

Step 4: Fix Clipping Issues

  1. Raster Effects Settings: Go to Effect > Document Raster Effects Settings.
  2. Resolution: Increase the resolution to 300 DPI.
  3. Pixel Expansion: Increase the number of pixels around the object to 720.
  4. Adjust Size: Select all blur layers and reduce their size to correct clipping.

Step 5: Expand and Add Color

  1. Expand Appearance: Once satisfied with the design, select everything and expand the appearance.
  2. New Rectangle: Create a new rectangle that covers everything.
  3. Gradient: Apply a black to white gradient from the Swatches panel, then customize colors in the Gradient panel.
  4. Blending Mode: Set the blending mode of the gradient layer to Overlay.

Step 6: Use Symbols for Easy Editing

  1. Symbols Panel: Go to Window > Symbols and drag your text into the Symbols panel.
  2. Edit Symbol: Double-click the symbol to edit the text, font size, or style, and changes will be applied globally.

Now, you have a stunning neon glow effect in Adobe Illustrator. Feel free to tweak the colors and blur values to create the perfect neon look.

Keywords

  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Neon Glow
  • Gaussian Blur
  • RGB Color Mode
  • Expand Appearance
  • Symbols Panel
  • Blending Mode
  • Gradient

FAQ

Q: How do I lock the background layer in Illustrator?

A: After creating the background with the Rectangle Tool, lock the layer by selecting the background in the layers panel and clicking the lock icon.

Q: How can I avoid blurring issues around the text edges?

A: Adjust the Document Raster Effects Settings to increase the resolution to 300 DPI and set the pixel expansion around the object to 720 pixels.

Q: What should I do if I want to change the text later on?

A: Before applying multiple Gaussian Blurs, convert your text into a symbol by dragging it into the Symbols panel. Editing the symbol updates all instances automatically.

Q: How do I apply a gradient to my neon text?

A: Create a new rectangle that covers everything, apply a black to white gradient, and customize the colors in the Gradient panel. Set the blending mode to Overlay.

Q: How can I optimize the appearance for different screen sizes and print?

A: Use the 'Expand Appearance' feature to ensure your design scales well. Additionally, adjusting the raster settings helps maintain quality.