Final Image :

A._) Typing Text in Illustrator :

Use the Type tool and type any text. I used the Text Boddunan.Use the color Blue (Dark shade) for the Text (Do not mind the color in the image, i changed it later) Create another layer and copy the text and paste it in the new layer. Use one layer for reference so you can hide it. In the other layer,after typing the text - Boddunan, you will be using various tools to add effects first, before converting the text to 3D. Use the DIRECT SELECTION TOOL to select individual alphabets and to apply effects to them. First select letter B using Direct selection tool, and use the Crystal tool (which is available under the warp tool in Tools box) and click on the letter B on the to opening. I have included a summary of where exactly to click in the following Image. Please refer that first. To apply the desired effect, click and hold, the more you hold, the more depth the effect appears. Similarly, use Scallop tool for the alphabet 'o' by clicking in the middle of the letter 'o', Wrinkle tool for next two letters 'd' and 'd' by simply scribbling on the letters in different directions(up and down, need not be precise), Crystal tool for 'u' by clicking outside and dragging towards inside, Scallop tool for 'n' by clicking in the middle, Crystal tool for 'a' by clicking on the outside corner and dragging towards inside, and the same Scallop tool for 'n' by clicking in the middle. For all the alphabets, the same role of the more you hold, the more depth the effect appears apllies, so be very patient in your hand movements.

B._) Creating the 3D Text in Illustrator :

Now for Creating the 3D text follow the procedure as mentioned below :

Apply 3D effect > 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)18 degree, Rotation for Y axis is -(minus)26 degree and Rotation for Z axis is 8(positive) degree. The Extrude depth is 40 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 rotation settings as B for 'o' also but the Extrude Depthe for 'o' is 25 pt. 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 effects individually if you want to. Therefore, Only the text 'B' will have a thicker Depth of 40 pt and other aphabets have depth of 25 pt.

Next step is to select the the whole text, open Adobe Photoshop, and open a new document and DRAG IN the selected text (the text selected in Illustrator). The text is placed as a 'Smart object' in Photoshop.

C._) Creating a pattern for applying on the 3D text in Photoshop :

• Open a new document.
• Draw any color filled stars using the ' custom shape tool '. Instead of drawing them in an order, draw them in various places closely positioned. The star sizes can be different and randomly positioned.
• Select a shape and fill it with gradient using blending options(right click the shape layer to use the blending option, and select the Gradient Overlay option) and use the default available Gradient called > Medium Spectrum and set style as diamond or any. the opacity is 100% with Normal Blend mode and the gradient is placed at a default angle of 90 degree and scaled to 100 %.
• Right click the shape layer where gradient is applied,and select, copy layer style.
• Right click other shape layers and CTRL + select other shape layers to select the layer at a time or select the option, 'select similar layers' so that all the shape layers are selected and slect, 'paste layer style'. Now all the shapes have same gradient style. You need not set the gradient style individually for all shapes. This option saves a lot of time.
• Now for background, select the background layer, right click and select, 'layer from background' or create a new layer above the background layer and fill it with white background using ALT + Backspace and use blending options and fill any gradient to it.You can also create custom gradients by clicking new option in gradient box and select suitable colors.
• Now crop the document to remove the excess white area.
• Select, Edit > Define pattern and give a name for the pattern as Star and close the document as the pattern is saved.

D._) Adding Custom created Pattern effect to the Text in Photoshop :

Create a new layer and name it Pattern. Use the Rectangular marquee tool and draw a rectangle covering the text, Boddunan(smart object). You need not fill the selection with any colors.Go to the tools box and select the tool > Pattern Stamp tool (which is present under pattern stamp tool) and select the pattern - Stars, created above. Now fill the selection with this pattern by simply brushing inside.You can freely brush it as whereever you brush, it will remain inside the selection only.Set the mode of this layer to > VIVID LIGHT. This is very important as this is how, effect is applied to the 3D text. Once, you set the blend mode, you will notice that the text changes to Multi shades of Blue and the Star pattern is seen on the alphabets. This layer is called 'Pattern'.

E._) Creating background for the Text in Photoshop :

Now select the the text(having the pattern style) with rectangular marquee tool and go to Edit menu > copy and create a new layer and paste it here. This copy has the text and a white background. Hide all other layers. Now in this layer, use the 'Magic Wand' tool and select any white area. Now, go to Select menu > Similar, so that all the hidden white areas are also selected. You can now fill the selection with any color for background. I chose # 0ca469 (green shade). After filling the background color, and most importantly keeping the selection as it is create another copy by clicking, CTRL + J. Name this duplicate as Background. This is the copy of the background green color. Now, for this layer > Background, apply filter effect. Go to Filter > Filter Gallery > Sketch > Water paper. Set the Fiber length to 29, Brightness to 49 and Contrast to 95. Leave the Blending mode of this layer to > Normal. This layer is called 'Background'.

F._) Adding Light Effect to Background :

Now create a duplicate copy of the above 'Background' layer (by selecting the Background layer and using CTRL + J ) and name this layer as 'Light'. Next, go to Filter menu > Render > Lens Flare and set the Brightness to - 100% and choose the Lens type as 50 - 300mm Zoom. Place this at the top right coner of the background above the last text 'n' . Set the mode of this layer to > Luminosity. This layer is called 'Light'.

H._) Applying Border in Illustrator :

Now select all the items and click and drag into the Illustrator document. All the selected items appear in the new document which you have to first create it, that is open both Photoshop and Illustrator programs side by side to work simultaneously. They are in the form of an alien image, which can be converted to Live Trace. So, do not make any changes to the Content. Instead, use a Pen tool and draw around the backround. The resulted path drawn by the pen tool is in the form a rectangle.Selecting the path created with the pen tool, go to > Brush ( 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 > Tiny Circles. Once the Border is applied, you can reduce the size of the path by clicking and Dragging the anchor points to fit inside the background. Now copy the path created by the pen tool and use edit menu > Paste in Front, to have another copy pasted on top of the original. Now for this copied path, go to Brushes, select > Decorative_Scatter and choose the border called > 4 pt Star. Once the Border is applied, you can increase the size of the path by clicking and Dragging the anchor points to fit the background correctly. Finally, with all these extras, tou will have something as shown in the above Final image.

• Written by Anusha.M.
• In category Animation & 3d Design.
• 14 years ago.

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