Adding effects to 3D Text in Adobe Illustrator
Final image:
Creating the Background:
Open a new document of width 800px and height 600 px. Create a new layer (if that box is not visible, use Windows menu and select 'Layers' option) and name this layer as > Background.Like in Photoshop we will not be able to simply set the background color. So create a rectangular shape using rectangle shape tool and fit it to the size if the page or the required size to fit in the Text. Set the stroke color for this as Blue and stroke size as 1px. We will not use a fill color but for this, we will use a Gradient. Select the shape and fill the shape with Rainbow gradient which is available as Default. Select the Rainbow Gradient and click the > Create new gradient icon in the Gradient box and name the gradient as > BG. The new gradient is the copy of the rainbow gradient. But, we do not need all the colors of the rainbow gradient, so i will move the color icons in such a way that i will have a gradient of two colors namely > Green shade and orange shade. Along with fill color and stroke color, you will also have an option called > Brush. Right click the Brush option and select Open Brush Library. Under this option, amongst the various brush styles, select > Decorative scatter and choose the border called > Dot rings. Once the brush style is applied, in the brush box, Double click the style icon and when a dialog box opens, set the settings as, size > 100%, Spacing > 99%, Scatter > -(minus)50% (this will make the scatter be placed correctly inside the shape or else, they spread outside.).
Creating Spiral Effect :
Create a new layer and name it as > Spiral. In this layer, Use the arc shape tool which is available with line tool and draw an arc. Use the >Add anchor point tool which is available under Pen tool and add anchor points by clicking on the arc, wherever necessary. Now use the Direct selection tool to click on the anchor points and drag them to change the shapes in a curvy manner. Once one curve is formed, create another copy. Press ALT+ click the shape and drag to make a duplicate or copy and paste the curve. You can use the Object menu > Transform > Reflect to flip the paths. Select the paths and rotate them. The paths can not be filled so set the stroke color to dark orange / red and the stroke size to 1px. See that the paths are at a good distance. Now select both the paths and use, Object menu > Blend > make. You will see the spiral effect. The color of the spiral is based on the stroke color of the paths. Once the Blend is made, go to Blending options > select the option > Specified steps and set the number of steps to 45.
Creating Splatter effect :
Create a new layer and name it as > Splatter. Draw a star using the star shape tool and use Effect menu > Distort and Transform > Pucker and Bloat and set the pucker and bloat percentage to -(minus)105%. Set the fill color of this to dark blue and the stroke color as purple with stroke size as 1px. Create another star shape and set the fill color and stroke color as purple and stroke size as 1px. For this use, Effect menu > Distort and Transform > Pucker and Bloat and set the pucker and bloat percentage to -(minus)150%. Create another star shape and set the fill color and stroke color as light blue and stroke size as 1px. For this use, Effect menu > Distort and Transform > Pucker and Bloat and set the pucker and bloat percentage to -(minus)75%.
Adding a Star design :
Use the Star shape tool and draw the star. Use the twirl tool under the warp tool and click and hold on the intersection area. The more you hold, the more circles are formed. The stroke color for this shape is blue.For fill, do not use color, but use the gradient created above for the background called BG.There is also another option in the Gradient box called 'show other options'. Select that and there you can set the style to > Radial. Here, flip the colors blue and orange in opposite directions . that is in reverse to the gradient used for the background.
Creating the 3D Text:
Now use the Type tool and type any text. I used the Text Boddunan. After typing the text- Boddunan, select the text using selection tool and go to Type menu > Create outlines. this option enables to make changes to individual text using Direct selection tool. Now use Direct selection tool and Select the alphabet B alone and not the whole text. Go to Effect menu > 3D > Extrude and Bevel and adjust the settings as : Rotation for X axis is -(minus)15 degree, Rotation for Y axis is -(minus)28 degree and Rotation for Z axis is 6(positive) degree. The Extrude depth is 35 pt and leave the other adjustments as default. Once the extrude is applied for B, select 'o' alphabet and go to Effect menu > Apply extrude and Bevel to apply the same effects as B for 'o' also. Next, select the next alphabet 'd' and do the same thing. Apply extrude INDIVIDUALLY for all the alphabets. Do not select the whole text at same time because then for individual alphabets you can not apply color or other effects. Then select individual 3D letters and give them any colors as you like. After applying colors, Select all the alphabets EXCEPT 'a' and go to Effect menu > Effect gallery > Artistic > Grain. You will see sandy effect. Now select alphabet 'a' using Direct selection tool and go to Brush option which is present near the fill color option. Right click the Brush option and select Open Brush Library. Under this option, amongst the various brush styles, select > Decorative scatter and choose the border called > 16pt Star. Once the star is applied you will notice the stars are scattered in a 3D manner. In the Brush style box double click the style applied to make adjustments in settings for the desired scatter effect. Set the star size as 30%, spacing as 80%, scatter as -(minus)12% and rotation as -(minus)31%. Similarly, you can add multiple brush styles to add extra effect to the Text.
You can also individually add various filter effects in Effects menu > Effects gallery, to the individual alphabets like, Grain, Sponge, Plastic Warp Ripple etc..The following is a sample.
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