Advice - Best way to create 3D text in Photoshop CS4?

#1

I am seeking some advice on a good method or workflow for creating 3D text and text effects in Photoshop CS4. After doing some checking I found “3D Invigorator” plugin, but according to their company web site it does not yet work for 64 bit which is what I use due to the work I do, it requires a lot of memory and resources.

After reading some books like the “Missing Manual”, it really does not go into a lot of detail explaining a good workflow or different methods of doing this. Are there any good video tutorials on creating 3D text and effects? Any links or web sites you can point me too?

Also, I was wondering how to create effects for the text and make it “decay” as it moves from top to bottom. In other words, say you make the words “Happy Fall” in 3D text and want green leaves as a texture for the top part of the words, then have it slowly “decay” down changing the texture to a different Fall leaf color texture.

Thanks,

Jeff

#2

For the 3D text, unfortunately there is nothing so great in PS for that. You would think there would be now a days, but no. What you can do us use the 3D/Extrude in Illustrator and place it as a Smart object you ccan edit. Other than that there are the 3rd party plugins you mentioned.

If you need it that bad, I would get the plugin for 32bit, do what you need in 32bit PS then go back to 64bit PS or vice versa.

As for the decaying particle effect. there is no plugin for that either. Some 3D applications can get that effect after some love, bt othe than that you are going to have to do that the old fasioned way.

#3

get some free 3D program
a very nice list here > http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=283&t=768736

create your text and import the 3D model into PS

this is the best results i’ve got with PS alone. in other words, not much to talk about

#4

Provided you have access to the extended version of PH CS4, why not create the 3d text in a 3d modeling app, export as a 3ds/.obj object and import that 3d text model as a true 3d layer in Photoshop? To control the colouring of the text, you have several option:

  1. create a new diffuse/colour texture in the 3d layer, and start adding colour
  2. or use a layer mask to define the area to colour.

Any 3d program can be used to model the text, as long as it offers good bevelling - Blender’s text tool is easy enough, and has good bevel options; or download Truespace for free. Accutrans offers a 3d text extruding tool as well, but is not free.

To create the texture blending (‘decay’), you could use a simple layer mask with a gradient and two layers with a different texture. Use this either in the actual texture of the 3d text in Photoshop, or on separate layers.

#5

You can always create 3D text in Illustrator and then bring it into Photoshop as a smart object - works great!

However if you want an actual 3D object to work from Blender works fine for this type of work. I’ve used it and had no problems (a little tricky to learn at first, but you should be able to get your text within an hour of opening Blender). Look for tutorials on this on Google.

As far as the blended texture or fall-off - using layer masks is probably your best bet. However - if you have the text as a 3D object you can “clone” or “paint” the texture onto your type too. It’s whatever you feel comfortable with really.

Here are some great tutorials on 3D text in Photoshop:

http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/design/3d-photoshop-text-effects/

http://photoshoptutorials.ws/photoshop-tutorials/text-effects/3d-textured-text-effect.html

http://www.adobetutorialz.com/articles/2978/1/Create-a-Spectacular-Style-Text-Effect

http://psdtuts.com/tutorials/text-effects-tutorials/how-to-create-high-quality-metal-3d-text-in-photoshop/

http://naldzgraphics.com/tutorials/create-a-colorful-3d-text-in-photoshop/

#6

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