Welcome to my tutorial 3D Text After Effects CS5.

Here is a 3D Text

example of what we are going to do today.

A real 3D Text.

In this tutorial you will learn

first how to create a new composition

and set a text on the stage.

Second, we will create a Shatter effect.

Third, add a camera on the stage.

Fourth, create two textures to the text.

Fifth, we will add three lights to the stage.

Sixth, we will apply beveled and CC glass to the text.

Seventh,

we will import an image to the stage.

Let's start

to create a 3D text Shatter effect. First

we need to create a new composition, so select the

icon to open the window's composition and name

the layer 3D Text Shatter.

Next we are going to create a text on the stage.

Select the icon "T". Choose Helvetica Bold.

Type the text that says 3D Text.

OK, let's start to create a Shatter effect to the text.

First, go to the layer New Solid,

name the layer "Shatter Effects".

Then click OK.

Next we need to choose

an effect and drag to the layer Shatter Effects.

Go to Effects Presets.

and type Shatter, then select

Shatter Stimulation and drag to the Shatter Effects layer.

Here an example of Shatter Effect

you can do.

OK, now we can turn off the 3D

Text because we won't use it.

Let's set the pattern to Default.

With the layer Shatter Effects selected, go to

Shape, Pattern and change to Custom.

Then, to view the 3D Text you go to

Custom Shatter Map and change to 3D Text.

If I go to the Camera

position and rotate to Y at 90

degree, for example,

you can see that the text is inside the shatter.

We need to move the text out of the shatter.

So go to the first one

and increase to the depth

about 065. This will

move the text away from the shatter.

Now, reset the rotation Y to zero.

Next, let's

change the view. So go to the view,

select Rendered to see the overall of the concept.

Then we need to extrude

the text. At the Shape go to the

Extrusion depth and increase to three.

If you rotate the Y at the camera position you can

see the real 3D Text.

This is the technique of the Shatter Effect

for a real 3D text.

Now,

let's add a camera

on the stage.

First go to the layer New

Camera. Name Camera 1,

select 50 and select OK.

Then we are going to set the Shatter Camera.

So select the Shatter Effects layer, go to the

Camera System, select Comp Camera.

Now you can rotate

the text and see all the look about.

The next step we are going to dress

the text. We will apply

a front texture and a side texture.

to the text to give an interesting look.

First we are going to do a Front Texture.

Go to the Layer, New Solid,

name Front Texture.

Next we are going

to add an effect to the Front Texture layer.

Go to Effects and Preset type Ramp.

Select the Ramp and drag to the front texture.

Then at the Start Color, pick a light gray color,

and at the end color pick a dark gray color.

Now we have a nice gradient.

The next step, we will need to rasterize the

Front Texture and apply it to the Shatter Effect

layer. So select the layer Front Texture,

go to the layer and select Precompose

main from textures.

Make sure that all attributes are checked,

then click OK. So

now everything is merged in this one composition and

Shatter Effects can recognize the pre-composed

we just created. Let's create a second texture aside.

Go to Layer, New,

Solid, name Side Texture, and click

OK. Let's add an effects to the

Side Texture. Go to Effects and Preset, Type Fractal.

Select Fractal Noise and type

to the layer. Now we are going to create

a Brush Metal Effect.

A Brush Metal effect.

Go to the Transform, uncheck the Uniform scaling.

At the scale

width, increase the max

and at the scale height decrease to the lowest.

Next we will add some darkness

to the texture, so in the effects and preset,

type curves. Select Curves and drag to the side

texture layer.

Now, at the Curves Effects section, go to the Curves

and drag down to the next line

and create a nice basic

Curves like that.

After this, we are going to precompose

the Side Texture again.

Go to the Layer, precompose Name Side

Texture and click OK. Now we have

two Precomposed textures.

Let's turn this off because we won't use it

these down two. Next

with the Shatter Effect selected, go to the texture

at the Front Layer. Select Front

Texture. Then at the Side Layer

select the Side Texture.

We have been completing the style of

the texture. Now you can see

the look, and it is pretty.

Let's position the 3D Text before we add some light.

Select the Layer Camera, press

"P". On the keyboard

set the position X at minus

225,

Y at 525,

Z at minus 825.

Now, let's add

some light to the stage.

Go to the Layer, New, Light.

Change the Point Light

and click OK.

On the Layers, Shatter Effects selected

go to the Light New, change to first

Comp light. Now you can

position the light.

With the first light layer selected, press

"P" and set the position

X at 65, Y at

360, Z

at -35.

This will put the light behind the text.

Now let's create a second light.

Again, go to the Layer, New Lights.

Change to Spot, Main Light 2.

Click OK, then press again.

Set the position X

at 355, Y at

365, and Z at minus

135.

And let's add a final light.

Go to the layer New Light,

select Spot, Main Light 3,

and select OK. Press "P",

set the X position at 425,

the Y at 210,

and the Z at minus 270.

We have been complete the three lights on the stage.

Now we are going to create

a Bevel Effects to the text.

Select the Shatter Effects.

Go to Effects and Preset, type Bevel.

Select Bevel Alpha, to the layer,

and drag to the Shatter Effects.

Next we are going to

brighten the 3D Text.

Effects, Stylize,

and select CC Glass.

At the light intensive,

set at 275,

And after that, add a

light blue, something like that.

Now you can see a bevel

and a CC glass effect on the text.

The last step

is to import an image to the stage.

Go to the

File, Import

and select your image.

Drag to the last layer.

Then turn the 3D Text icon on.

As you can see we have been

creating seven steps to create a real 3D Text

from After Effects. We started

to create a new composition, adding text,

created a shatter effect,

added lighting, created texture,

apply bevel, and CC Glass, and finally

imported an image on the stage.

I hope that tutorial will help you and

inspire you to use After Effects CS5.

Thanks!