Unique 3D Text – Xara 3D + Photoshop Tutorial

Posted in 3D Effects, Text Effects, Tutorials • 976 days ago • Written by Dainis Graveris • 65 Comments

So hello again! It’s time for my first tutorial I’ve ever been made. I actually hope You will enjoy this one, and that will encourage me to do some more. We will use Xara 3D to get 3D text effect, then export text to Photoshop and add some style there. If You haven’t got Xara 3D, You can download demo for free ( 15 days trial) and You can read my review about Xara and their pros and cons. And yeah, If You don’t want to download program I will give You *.psd file with text elements, so You can skip Xara part and get straight to Photoshop retouching part.

Before we start here is what we will be creating today:

Click on image to enlarge

1.Xara 3D tutorial part:

Okay, let’s open Xara 3D programm. By default there will be “X3D Version 6″
Click on the Text options, press CTRL+A to delete existing text and type T, choose font, You like and press OK.

Unique 3D Text – Xara 3D + Photoshop Tutorial

1.2. Now we will change text a little bit -
1. Click on Text toolbar, to get off that rounded circle;
2.Click on Bold – to make text little bigger;
3.Click on Lightning to show lightning arrows;
4. Click on Bevel options to change default Bevel settings;

1.3.
1.3.1. Change bevel shape to rolled to add little bit emboss effect;
1.3.2.Click to Round to round corners a little bit;
1.3.3. Change depth to 10 – to soften a little emboss effect;

bevel-options

1.4. Okay, now we will play with lightning and 3D effects.
1.4.1. Click on Text as shown and move Your mouse cursor to add any 3D effect while it is exactly as You want;
1.4.2. Click on the arrows and move them around to get glossy view and better lightning, if needed;

1.5.Okay, We are done in XARA, now let’s export text to Photoshop:
1.5.1. Click File-Export or CTRL+SHIFT+E to get export view;
1.5.2. Choose where to save file,then do check everything like picture below, to add transparency choose *.png format and in the options click Transparent checkbox;

Do this with every letter, change 3D effects, maybe colors – play with options until You are satisfied. I got 4 png files at the end, one for every letter – T,Y,P,E.

2.Adobe Photoshop part

If You are starting just from now on – click here to get *.zip file with all 4 *.png files.

I will use many Photoshop keyboard shortcuts, if You want to learn about most useful ones, read my article – 48+ Greatest Adobe Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts.

1.step

1.1.Create a new document, call it TYPE, I used 1000×750 size.
1.2.Open T document in photoshop, press CTRL+A to select all, then CTRL+C, open Your TYPE document and press CTRL+V to drop it in the document;
1.3. resize text with CTRL+T and holding ALT+SHIFT to resize from center point and to resize it proportionally, rotate it to get better result;
1.4. Repeat those steps for all 4 text documents until You got result similar like mine:

2.step

Now lets create some background,click on background layer to make it active:

1. Press G to activate gradient editor;
2.Click on radial gradient;
3.And then double click on the gradient editor, to get gradient editor;

4.Choose Foreground to background;
5.Use color codes to get output as mine, copy those RGB codes and use them: #f8b1d7, #8871a1

colors-gradient

Now click and pull Your mouse like in the picture to get same result:

3.step

Now let’s add shadow to create more realistic effect:

1. Select all four text layers – easy technique is to select first layer, hold SHIFT and select on last layer You want to select, then right click and press duplicate;

duplicate

2. Now press CTRL+E to merge those layers into one, rename it – shadow and move it below all text layers.
3. Hit D to reset foreground/background color;
4.CTRL+CLICK on the shadow layer to select it, then press ALT+DELETE to fill it with black color;

5. Hit CTRL+D to deselect layer;
6.Go to Filter–>Blur–>Gaussian Blur and type 10 to radius pixels, hit OK;
7. Change opacity to ~40% to soften shadow;

4.step

I added more shadow to make it more realistic, You can skip this step if You want:

1.Click on Elliptical Marque tool and change feather to 50px;
2.Hit D to reset background/foreground color;
3. Click CTRL+SHIFT+N to create a new layer;

marque

4.Click and drag marque tool below the letters, then change opacity to ~20-40%;

5. step

In this step we will add some colors to actual text, I took idea here actually from Nick Ainley’s work -

1.Double click on T text layer to get blending options:

Check everything as in the pictures below, to get different colors just play with gradient overlay:

2. Okay, now You have one text nicely colored. To copy layer style –> right click on the layer – click “copy layer style”;
3.Click on the other text layer – right click and “past layer style”, just change gradient overlay colors to get different results;

My result is like this:

6.step

Okay now lets add some more interesting background and styling:

1.Download those curvy line brushes – of course, better is to make those curves in Illustrator and then just import to Photoshop, but I will not bother You to do it now. I am sure You want to get faster to the final illustration.
2. Load brushes into just by double clicking and find them clicking F5 – to get brushes panel.
3.Click CTRL+SHIFT+N to create new layer and move it to top of all layers.
4. I used white background color.
5. Now change opacity to ~60-70% and click E, to grab eraser tool and erase few places to get effect that those lines are rambling through the letters:

Do this in big zoom ( click ALT+ Mousewheel to zoom in/out), so You can erase lines more precise:

Repeat those steps, add some blending options to get Your own unique results!

This is my final result:

If You couldn’t do something, check out my *.psd file – click here to download.

If You couldn’t do anything – please ask, I will be here to help You!

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Dainis Graveris

212 Written Articles • Twitter • Website • Google+

Dainis Graveris is 23 years old blogger and designer, founder of 1stWebDesigner, now more silently managing everything behind the scenes. He usually hangs out in Twitter tweeting design related links and chatting with people. If you have any questions or feedback that's the best place to start! Cheers!

65 Comments Best Comments First

Dainis Graveris

Friday, September 19th, 2008 02:30

1

@adelle totally, yes..:) Thanks! :)

0
paul

Friday, October 10th, 2008 14:52

23

I’ve been trying to export that x3d file, and tryed to save it but it doesn’t work for me. I don’t get the export window as you do, it only shows a normal save as window and if i try to save this as PNG, JPG or any other format it doesnt work.”what the..”am supposed to do about this. anyone having a clue?

0
paul

Friday, October 10th, 2008 14:57

24

I’m so stupid, I did forget to name the file. Sometimes i just wonder what this head is for? thanks

0
Dainis Graveris

Friday, September 26th, 2008 14:35

22

You’re welcome :) Sure thing I will create some more :)

0
R. Abimanyu Yusuf

Friday, September 26th, 2008 14:11

21

Dainis Graveris, very much thanks bro…

0
Jonathon

Sunday, September 21st, 2008 23:07

19

@Dainis Graveris thankx.

0
neljoy flores

Friday, September 26th, 2008 12:59

20

thanks a lot… for a very nice tutorial… I hope you make more tutorial

0
Dainis Graveris

Friday, October 10th, 2008 17:01

25

Huh, so You solved the problem or I need to check it again???

0
paul

Saturday, October 11th, 2008 17:32

26

yes I did solve it. apparently I forgot to name the file and it was doing nothing. spoke to soon, anyway thanks for the great post. I’m going to experiment on this for a while.

0
Htoo Tay Zar

Monday, November 3rd, 2008 12:00

31

I tried this tutorial last night. You can check my outcome here. Anyway, Thanks for tutorials.

0

Todd

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011 01:44

63

check this post please…!!! :(
I like your site… :) :D

0
- Dainis Graveris
  
  Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 12:11
  
  64
  
  Apologies,now everything is fixed :)
  
  0
  - Lyndall
    
    Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 18:05
    
    65
    
    This “free sharing” of information seems too good to be true. Like comunmism.
    
    0
Mersin Nakliyat

Thursday, August 11th, 2011 16:07

62

great tutorial,thank you so much

0
gretchin

Friday, June 3rd, 2011 18:11

61

hello! guys! I’m new to Photoshop, I need help>>…this is my Skype gretchin.plaza1…..Thank you so much!

0
chesca

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010 18:56

59

hello, i wish you could have added more tuts on the brushes :( size, the layer, etc in applying the brushes. I’m a total noob :( But, it’s a really great tut. Keep it up! I’ll be tuning in for more tutorials from you :)

0
wali

Friday, March 26th, 2010 18:02

58

yeah this is very nice tutorial bro. Where were u before. Insha Allah i will learn more tutorials.
Thanks.

0
Yves

Friday, March 12th, 2010 13:44

57

Thank you very much for this great tutorial, it was very help full, good written and easy to understand! Hope to read more from you.

Cheers Yves

0
Julie Hollie

Thursday, November 5th, 2009 20:07

56

I have to agree I tried that other tutorial before I found yours and could not get my text from Xara to PS. It was saving it as an index file which was locked. In the other tutorial he does not explain how to export the file. Thanks for the tut, it has opened a new way of designing for me.

0
- zaka
  
  Monday, June 7th, 2010 21:29
  
  60
  
  Ya this is very much the best
  i have some more to share
  
  0
Murat Demir

Friday, October 30th, 2009 01:13

55

The .psd files are missing. But great tuto anyway

0
Tanhee

Thursday, October 1st, 2009 19:52

54

Wow, i think i have some kind of special interest for anything related to 3d, games, animations, videos, films, and this is amazing, im trying it and will write the results here. Amazing and complete information dear colleage. Best wishes

0
Michel

Sunday, September 13th, 2009 19:26

53

I have downloaded the letters and tried to open them in Photoshop.
By copy and paste them just like it is explained in the tutorial.
But it didn’t worked.

Can I use photoshop CS4 for this?

Or is this not the right one?

0