Create a colorfull pastel typo wallpaper in photoshop while learning a few technique with layer mask and gradient overlay.

Step 1 – The Inevitable New Document
Open photoshop and create a new document, mine is 1900×1200 with a white background.

Step 2 – Choosing the Textures
I’ve choose 2 textures to give this paper effect to the background, the first one can be downloaded Here and Here
Open the first texture, drag it on the document and rotate it 90°, Edit – Transform – Rotate, then scale it by doing Ctrl+T so it fits the canvas. Change the opacity to 70°.
Open the second texture, drag it and rotate it 90°, Edit – Transform – Rotate, the scale it by doing Ctrl+T so it fits the canvas. Change the layer mode to Multiply.
Rename the two layers Texture 1 and Texture 2. Create a new group, Layer – New – Group name it Textures and drag the two texture layers in it. We’re done with the textures, let’s create the text now.

Step 3 – Creating the Text
Select the text tool (T) and write what you want, I choose to write COLORFULL. I used a font called Bifurk and 250px for the size, the colour of the typo doesn’t matter; you can find this typo Here

Step 4 – Creating the Pastel Color Circles
For this step, you just need to create several circles with the ellipse tool with different size and colours. Create a different layer for each colour. You can use the PNG file Here with a lot of different colored circles I’ve made for this tutorial here. If you use the file open it in photoshop and drag it in your document. To select the circles, use de selection tool, right click – Layer via Cut. Don’t be surprised if you’ve got a lot of layers we will group them afterwards.
Then Select all the layers with the same coloured dots and merge each colour layer together, you have one layer for each colour; Place all these layer in a group named Pastel Dots.
Tip: hold the Shift key when you use the ellipse tool while creating the circles.

Step 5 – Placing and Drop Shadow
Now just place the circles like you want on and around the text, select some of the circles and place them on a new different layer so we can apply a drop shadow effect on them. To apply a drop shadow select the layer you want to apply it to and double click on it or go to Layer – Layer Style – Drop Shadow. And enter those parameters:

Step 6 – Layer Mask
Create a new group Layer – New – Group, name it Pastel Dots and place all the layers with coloured circles in it. Make a selection of the text Ctrl+Left Click on the little image in the text layer and select the group we just created then create a layer mask by clicking on this icon in the layer panel or Layer – Layer Mask - Reveal Selection, you should have something like this:

Step 7 – Glow and Shadow
Now merge the Pastel Dots group Ctrl+E, now you’ve got a layer, duplicate that layer name it Pastel Dots Overlay, change the blend mode to Overlay and the opacity to 80%. Next apply a Gaussian Blur Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur of around 4-5 pixels and click Ok move the two Pastel Dots layers in a new group called Pastel Dots. Duplicate the Pastel Dots layer again, name the new layer Pastel Dots Blur and place it under the other two layers. Apply a Gaussian blur with about 25-30 pixels.

Step 8 – Soft Lights
We’re now done with the text; we’re going to create some soft lights to add some colour to the texture. Create a new layer name is soft light and pick a colour mine is a soft red colour, Select the brush tool (B) and a soft rounded brush with a 500px diameter. Now draw on the side a big line, change the opacity to 20-30% and if it’s to strong change the layer mode to multiply. Repeat the same process for the other sides. Regroup the soft light layers in a new Group Layer – New – Group and name it Soft Light.

Step 9 – Soft Geometric Shapes
For this step I’m going to explain how to make a circle soft shape, the process is the same for every sort of shape. Create a new layer, then select the Ellipse Tool (U) and draw a circle shape, don’t forget to hold the Shift key while drawing the circle. Go to the layer styles Layer – Layer Style – Gradient Overlay and enter those parameters.

Next create a layer mask on the shape layer, Layer – Layer Mask - Reveal Selection and select a soft rounded brush with a parameter a little bit smaller the shape and erase in the centre till you have a soft shape
Tip: Make sure you’re erasing with the black colour in foreground
Of course the gradient can be different from mine; you should play with the colours for every shape. Now create different shape in different sizes following this process when you’re done just regroup the shape layers in a new group named Soft Shapes.

Final Image