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Royal 3D Text Effect in Photoshop CS6

This tutorial will explain how to use the new 3D tools in Photoshop CS6 to create an elegant royal 3D text effect.

Some details will be added to clarify a couple of steps, so that the process is a pretty easy one to follow. Hope you enjoy it.

The Final Result

Tutorial Details

  • Software Used : Photoshop
  • Version : CS6 Extended
  • Time : 1:15 – 2:30

Resources

The following Filter Forge filters were used to create the textures in this tutorial:

The Textures Used: (Right click to save)

Happy New Year!To all textuts‘ readers, followers, subscribers, and fans. Thank you for an awesome 2012 and for your amazing support.

Hope 2013 will be a wonderful year for all of you.

Don’t forget to send me any notes, suggestions or ideas through the contact form.

Best regards,
Rose

.

The 3D Settings
Just make sure to check the 3D Settings under Edit > Preferences > Performance, and Edit > Preferences > 3D.

Default values should work fine, but if anything seems to be not working properly you can always check those Settings.

Step 1

Create a new 1600 x 1200 px document and fill the Background with Black.

Create the text in white using the font Dunkin Sans. The font Size is 400 pt and the text is better written in All Caps (if you’re not using only numbers).

Royal 3D Text Effect step 1

Step 2

With the text layer selected, go to 3D > New Extrusion from Selected Layer. This will instantly convert the text layer into a 3D layer. All the 3D scene elements can be found in the 3D panel (Window > 3D).

Click the main mesh name to edit its Settings.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 2

The 3D Mesh Settings and attributes can be accessed and modified through the Properties panel (Window > Properties). If you scroll down the Properties panel you’ll find the Character Panel button, which opens the Character Panel, and the Edit Source button.

The Edit Source will open the original text layer in a separate window so that you can modify it as you wish. Then, you can save your changes (File > Save), close that window (File > Close), then go back to the 3D mesh document, which will be automatically updated with any changes you made.

This is one of the great options available in the Photoshop CS6 3D environment. The design can be edited and reused instead of having to reapply all the Settings to recreate the 3D object. Makes life much easier!

(This option doesn’t exist in CS5, where the text layer is rasterized before it’s converted to a 3D layer, hence, it can’t be modified.)

Royal 3D Text Effect step 2

The four icons at the top of the Properties panel are like mini tabs for different properties. They are (from left to right): Mesh, Deform, Cap, and Coordinates.

Always pay attention to which icon is selected so that you get the right properties.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 2

Start modifying the 3D mesh by changing the Extrusion Depth to 42.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 2

Step 3

Moving the different elements inside the 3D scene is much MUCH easier in CS6. No special tools are needed, you can do it all using the Move Tool.

In this tutorial we are not going to move the mesh itself. We are just going to move the camera, which means we’ll be changing the view.

Select the Current View in the 3D panel, and pick the Move Tool. You’ll notice a couple of new icons appear to the far right. Those tools are the Rotate, Roll, Drag, Slide, and Scale (Zoom in and out) the 3D Object Tools.

All you need to do is select the icon that you want to work with, click and drag inside the document, and move the selected 3D object around.

The different elements of the 3D scene can be selected either through the 3D panel, or by clicking them directly in the 3D scene with the Move Tool. So make sure not to click the 3D mesh itself while changing the camera view.

You’ll need some time to get used to moving the 3D objects around, but you’ll get used to it pretty fast. Mush easier and faster than in CS5 actually.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 3

In the Properties panel, you can see that the camera Settings are now shown since the Current View is selected. You can change the camera view from here as well.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 3

Once you get a camera view that you like, click the main 3D mesh name (2013) again in the 3D panel, then, in the Properties panel, click the Cap icon.

Under Bevel, change the Width to 33 and the Angle to 45. Under Inflate, change the Angle to 44 and the Strength to 10. Finally, choose the Ring – Triple contour.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 3

Step 4

Next, we are going to create the materials used. Start by clicking the Front Inflation Material tab in the 3D panel, then go to the Properties panel to modify the Settings.

If you see any texture icon for any of the values (instead of the folder icon), click it and choose Remove Texture.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 4

Change the Diffuse color to #62603e and the Specular color to #bbb08c. Then change the rest of the values as shown in the image below.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 4

Click the folder icon next to the Bump value and choose Load Texture. Then, choose the Front Inflation Material Bump Texture image.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 4

This will create an illusion of 3D folds inside the text.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 4

If your text doesn’t look the same, click the texture icon next to the Bump value and choose Edit UV Properties.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 4

Set both the U Scale and V Scale values to 200%, and both the U Offset and V Offset values to 0.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 4

Step 5

Next, click the Front Bevel Material in the 3D panel and go to the Properties panel. Change the Diffuse color to #a38228 and the Specular color to #bbb08c. Then, change the other values as shown below.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 5

Click the Material picker box, then click the pop-up menu icon to the top right corner and choose New Material.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 5

Type in a name for the material and click OK.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 5

Now, when you scroll down the Material picker, you’ll find the material you saved, and you can apply it to any surface by clicking it.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 5

Apply the saved material to the Back Bevel Material and Back Inflation Material. (Select each one from the 3D panel, then click the material’s icon from the Material picker in the Properties panel to apply it).

Royal 3D Text Effect step 5

Step 6

Click the Extrusion Material in the 3D panel, and apply the saved material once again. Then, increase the Bump value to 72% and load the Extrusion Material Bump Texture image like you did before.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 6

For the UV Properties, set the U Scale and V Scale values to 100%, and the U Offset and V Offset values to 0.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 6

This concludes working with the materials.

Step 7

Click the Current View in the 3D panel, then click the Coordinates icon in the Properties panel. You can enter the values for the camera position here instead of moving the camera using the Move Tool.

The values below are the ones used in the tutorial.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 7

Now click the Environment tab in the 3D panel. Check the IBL (Image Based Light) box, then click the folder icon next to it and choose Load Texture. Open the Smooth Metal texture.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 7

Un-check the Shadow box, and reduce the Intensity to 69%.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 7

Click the IBL texture icon and choose Edit Texture. This will open the texture in a new window. Go to Image > Image Rotation > 90° CW.

Go to File > Save, then File > Close to save the changes and go back to the original document.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 7

The texture acts like a surrounding environment for the 3D mesh. So it affects the reflections and the coloring in the scene.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 7

Click the Infinite Light 1 in the 3D panel, then change the Shadow Softness to 100% in the Properties panel. This will make the shadows more feathery rather than harsh.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 7

Click the Coordinates icon in the Properties panel. Again, you can control the positioning of the light through these values or by moving the light in the scene using the Move Tool.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 7

That’s it for the text.

Step 8

Create a new layer on top of the 3D layer then fill it with the color #310303 using the Paint Bucket Tool.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 8

Go to 3D > New Mesh From Layer > Postcard. This will convert the layer to a 3D object (plane).

Royal 3D Text Effect step 8

In the 3D panel, click Current View. Then, in the Properties panel, choose the name of the other (text) 3D layer you have in the View drop down menu.

This will make the camera positions of both 3D layers the same, which is a good thing to do before merging them in one layer (scene).

Royal 3D Text Effect step 8

Back to the Layers panel, Ctrl/Cmd + click both 3D layers to select them. Then go to 3D > Merge 3D Layers. This will place the two 3D objects in one layer, which means they are both now in the same scene as well.

So if you open the 3D panel, you can see both objects listed there. You can still select and modify each one separately though.

(Click the arrow icons to the left to expand/collapse the 3D objects’ lists.)

Royal 3D Text Effect step 8

Step 9

Select the new layer’s name in the 3D panel to modify the material’s Settings.

The Diffuse material is already applied as a texture using the fill color.

Change the Specular color to #894814 and the rest of the values as shown below.

Use the Background Material Bump Texture image for the Bump.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 9

For the UV Properties set the U Scale and V Scale to 300%, and the U Offset and V Offset to 0.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 9

Select the layer’s mesh name in the 3D panel, then un-check the Cast Shadows box in the Properties panel.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 9

Next we need to separate the text from the 3D plane (postcard). If you click the Coordinates icon, you can use the values in the images below. But you can go ahead and use the Move Tool to select and move the objects in the 3D scene.

Just make sure not to rotate them. If you want to rotate the view then change the camera’s rotation values.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 9

If you want to move the 3D mesh, select it in the 3D panel then click the Coordinates icon in the Properties panel and type in the values you want.

(Or move it in the scene using the Move Tool).

The idea is to make the 3D mesh look like it’s hung on the plane. So there shouldn’t be much space between the two objects.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 9

Step 10

Once you like how the 3D scene looks and you’re done modifying it, click the Render icon down the 3D panel.

The rendering might take some time. You can check the progress in the status bar at the bottom.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 10

You should get an awesome 3D text now!

Royal 3D Text Effect step 10

Step 11

Set the Foreground color to #7d7d7 and the Background color to White. Pick the Gradient Tool. In the Options bar, choose the Foreground to Transparent fill, click the Radial Gradient icon, and check the Reverse box.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 11

Create a new layer on top of all layers, and change its Blend Mode to Multiply. Then click and drag from the center of the document to one of the corners to create the gradient.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 11

Click the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon down the Layers panel and choose Gradient Map.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 11

Change the adjustment layer’s Blend Mode to Overlay and it Opacity to 45%. Click the Gradient box to create the gradient used.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 11

The two colors used are #9f9f9f to the left and #dfdfdf to the right.

Royal 3D Text Effect step 11

And that’s it!

Hope this was a helpful introduction to the 3D basics in Photoshop CS6. Please feel free to leave any questions or suggestions below.

And …. Happy New Year 😀


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