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!