Unique 3D Text – Xara 3D + Photoshop Tutorial

 Posted in Tutorials 510 days ago • Written by: Dainis Graveris
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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
typo-1stwebdesigner

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.

  • 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!

 Did you enjoy this article and found it useful?

Dainis Graveris is 21 years old blogger and designer with really strong passion. He usually hangs out in Twitter tweeting design related links regularly. If You use Digg actively he can be great friend there and don't forget add to StumbleUpon too! How about Deviantart? Meet him there as well! If You have any questions feel free to write and add him to Gtalk - it is beautiful way to get contacted directly!
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 68 Brilliant Comments - Join Discussion Now!

  • TakLeaRn

    Posted 166 days ago
    66

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

    Reply

    • Dainis Graveris

      Posted 159 days ago
      67

      Apologies,now everything is fixed :)

      Reply

      • Lyndall

        Posted 61 days ago
        68

        This “free sharing” of information seems too good to be true. Like comunmism.

        Reply

  • Mersin Nakliyat

    Posted 185 days ago
    65

    great tutorial,thank you so much

    Reply

  • gretchin

    Posted 254 days ago
    64

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

    Reply

  • chesca

    Posted 627 days ago
    62

    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 :)

    Reply

  • wali

    Posted 688 days ago
    61

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

    Reply

  • Yves

    Posted 702 days ago
    60

    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

    Reply

  • Kun Lotus

    Posted 770 days ago
    59

    Thanks a lots for the tut but can u pls help me with the Xara 3D? Everytime i use it,the background always displayed the “X3D Demo” text.

    Here’s one exp >> http://upnhanh.sieuthinhanh.com/userimages/images/sieuthiNHANH20100103253nzliodrkzt108439.jpeg

    I just can’t make it disapear.Could u help me out?

    Reply

  • Julie Hollie

    Posted 829 days ago
    58

    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.

    Reply

    • zaka

      Posted 615 days ago
      63

      Ya this is very much the best
      i have some more to share

      Reply

  • Murat Demir

    Posted 835 days ago
    57

    The .psd files are missing. But great tuto anyway
    .-= Murat Demir´s last blog ..Etat des lieux du Web 2009 par Akamai =-.

    Reply

  • oat

    Posted 838 days ago
    56

    very nice! thanks for tuts

    Reply

  • Tanhee

    Posted 864 days ago
    55

    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
    .-= Tanhee´s last blog ..Burning Rubber 3 =-.

    Reply

  • Neo

    Posted 867 days ago
    54

    Thanks for sharing this…
    .-= Neo´s last blog ..Eels wydaje nową płytę =-.

    Reply

  • lEAL BOE

    Posted 882 days ago
    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?

    Reply
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