Im hoping to produce the effects not the shape, the colouring / effects
By the look of the top example you need to be using something like Illustrator for that.
There're really three things that are used to make these effects:
Gradients for the metallic look.
The
offset path option for the outlines.
The
Pathfinder Window for punching out shapes.
You can Google these for detailed descriptions of how they all work.
Just start with the letter.
If you've used a font for the letter then you need to convert it to outlines to make it a shape and not a letter.
A lot of it seems to be using the
Offset Path option to get the outlines on the letters and similarly for the gradient areas.
You just need to add a positive value to make it outside the shape and a negative value to make it inside the shape.
For that sort of metallic fill you'd use the gradient fill at an angle. Illustrator has a number of these already built in or you can make your own.
On the top example (the A) there is a black accent to the upper right of the gradient.
To get that, you'd just need to select the gradient fill and make sure it's a "compound path" >
copy >
paste in place so it's over the top of the original and then nudge that down/right a bit.
Then select both shapes and use the "pathfinder" >
minus front option.
This will punch out the top shape from the bottom one to give you that.
One little thing to remember:
When using the Pathfinder, and you're using it for two separate shapes/paths, make sure they're set to a "compound path".
This makes Illustrator see them as one shape/path and not two.
If you struggle just give us a shout on here and we'll help you out and walk you through it.