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This is a really simple tutorial on how to create some really effective 3d text with a blur for a great finished look.
STEP 1: (Creating a background)
STEP 1: (Creating a background)
- Draw a square using your square tool (the dimensions above are 420px x 420px).
- Give it a gradient of 90% black to white (using the linear option)
- Play around with the opacity of your square to get the perfect ambient lighting
- If you are using CS4 you can use its new gradient editor to get a better look, otherwise you can use the paint bucket in one of the corners in CS3.
- Using your text tool, create some white text.
- Add a drop shadow to it by clicking Effect>Stylize>Drop Shadow...
- Choose the Multiply option in the drop down menu.
- Use an opacity of about 55%.
- In the offset boxes use an offset of 3.7pt (both X & Y - use your discretion according to your text size).
STEP 3: (Applying 3d)
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- Select your text and click Effect>3D>Extrude & Bevel... then use the following values:
- X axis rotation: 2 degrees.
- Perspective: 146 degrees.
- Extrude Depth: about 20 degrees.
- In the 'More Options' drop-down use the following values:
- Light Intensity: 100%
- Ambient Light: 46%
- Highlight Intensity: 100%
- Highlight Size: 100%
- Blend Steps: 50
- Shading Colour: Black
- Add 6 more light spots (see above screen-grab for positioning).
- Done!
Draw a perfect circle with the 'Circle Tool'
- Give it a black-white gradient (see above).
- Re-size the circle to an oval so that the edges are almost touching the text.
- Make sure the oval is on top of the text before adding an opacity mask.
- Select the text and the oval then (on the transparency panel) click on the 'Make Opacity Mask' option then add a blur by clicking Effect>Blur>Gaussian Blur with a blur amount of 4.5 pixels.
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Enjoy!