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MrMeeseeks
Inspiring
March 2, 2017
Answered

3D Text Effect with Long Shadow and Grain

  • March 2, 2017
  • 4 replies
  • 2347 views

I've spent most of the afternoon trying to recreate the effect in the image below but none of the results are close to how it looks.

Can anyone give me some guidance as to what effects were applied to achieve this result?

I need the final text to be print-ready, so 300dpi, and to sit nicely on an A4 page... this was a problem with some of the free online actions that I found - they worked at 72dpi but if I made them bigger for print, then the effects didn't look as good.

If the text can be kept editable, then that would be a bonus.

Many thanks.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer davescm

For grain use Add Noise but, get it looking good on screen then scale to your print. If you add noise at 300ppi it will probably be too fine to see.

As far as the long shadows are concerned - have you tried using Photoshop's 3D tools to do this.

Below is a quick and dirty example - I've not tried to emulate the font but it is just :

1. Text - extruded to 3D and the extrusion sheared so that the sides show without distorting the straight on camera view

2. A background grey layer with some noise taken into a 3D Postcard layer

3. The two 3D layers merged into one and the infinite light adjusted to cast a shadow from the text onto the postcard
(I also added a second light to light the extruded sides of the text but that was set not to cast any shadows)

4. The 3D layer rendered then put into a smart object and some further grain added with the Add -Noise filter

Dave

4 replies

M
MrMeeseeksAuthor
Inspiring
March 2, 2017

Thanks for the replies!

I've managed to make the image below, which is close enough for what I need but I might try and refine it a bit more if needed.

EDIT: I actually forgot to turn a layer on for the original image that I posted.

This is the corrected one, giving the text more of a 3D look:

    Trevor.Dennis
    Community Expert
    Trevor.DennisCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 2, 2017

    There is another way if you want to avoid using the 3D tools

    Copy the text layer, and make the lower one a shade darker.

    Then use Step and repeat to make multiple copies with each copy one pixel to the right and one pixel lower

    > Copy and use Free Transform to nudge right and down one pixel

    > Shift Ctrl Alt t as many times as you need to get the desired extrusion.  You can see I used nine copies

    I like to use Camera RAW > fx > Grain after making the layer a Smart Object because it is non destructive, and I like the effect

    And that's about it.  I repeated the grain on the background and rectangle, and added a small 'smooth' bevel & emboss to the front type layer and a drop shadow layer style to the group with the copied type layers.

      davescm
      Community Expert
      davescmCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      March 2, 2017

      For grain use Add Noise but, get it looking good on screen then scale to your print. If you add noise at 300ppi it will probably be too fine to see.

      As far as the long shadows are concerned - have you tried using Photoshop's 3D tools to do this.

      Below is a quick and dirty example - I've not tried to emulate the font but it is just :

      1. Text - extruded to 3D and the extrusion sheared so that the sides show without distorting the straight on camera view

      2. A background grey layer with some noise taken into a 3D Postcard layer

      3. The two 3D layers merged into one and the infinite light adjusted to cast a shadow from the text onto the postcard
      (I also added a second light to light the extruded sides of the text but that was set not to cast any shadows)

      4. The 3D layer rendered then put into a smart object and some further grain added with the Add -Noise filter

      Dave

        Sahil.Chawla
        Adobe Employee
        Sahil.Chawla
        Adobe Employee
        March 2, 2017

        Hi MrMeeSeeks,

        Please have a look at this video and let us know if it helps How to Create Long Shadows in Photoshop - YouTube

        Regards,

        Sahil

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