Advanced_Photoshop_Issue_139_-_2015_UK_

TASTY TYPE TRICKS TECHNIQUES

ASIMPLEWAYTOCHEATATCOMPLEX3DFOODTYPOGRAPHY

TA ST Y

TYPE TRICKS

W

e have a tastetastic 3D tutorial for you,

a way to create complex 3D

typography effects without the use of

separate rendering programs. It’s a

simple way to get the rendered effects expected

from other software without needing to learn a

whole set of other programs. Usually Neil Duerden

would render these in a separate program, so we

issued him the challenge to create food typography

within Photoshop as much as possible and this is the

way to do it.

It’s worth noting that both Photoshop CS6 (used

here) and Photoshop CC both have 3D rendering

capabilities, with CC’s significantly more evolved than

PREPARING THE BASE

IMPORT THE RENDER PASSES AND CUT OUT THE PLANES

those of CS6, and promising updates on the

horizon. So it is perfectly possible to create 3D

typography exclusively in Photoshop, although if

you’re a 3D whiz then you may want to create

some base renders in an alternative program to

experiment further with the style. The text here

was created in Illustrator and then imported into

Photoshop, but CC’s improved typography tools

mean that you could also create your text in

Photoshop, either from scratch or using a

pre-existing font.

The tutorial will let you use your own personal

judgement and artistic skill so you get the results

you want. Let’s get ready to render.

01

PREP THE COMPOSITION

Create your text in Illustrator or using a

pre-existing font and consider how the image will

look and the way the text will interact. Use

different colours for each word – although these

won’t be the final ones to be used, they help you

see the interaction between the words. Paste the

letterforms into Photoshop, making sure the

documents are the same size, and arrange them

correctly. Make sure each word (or even letter) is

on a different layer, and labelled properly.

02

GET STARTED WITH 3D

Select the layer you wish to render and go

to 3D >New 3D from selected layer. Wait while the

computer builds a rough preview. Then in the 3D

selection palette, click on the Front Inflation. Look in

the Properties palette and you will have many

options for texture and colour. Choose the one that

looks right for your treatment. You can also alter the

colour here by changing the Diffuse values.

03

PLACE THE BASIC LIGHT

Choose your light source direction,

select the Global Light from within the 3D

palette and then, with the Selection tool, move it

to the desired light direction. This can be used

for the whole piece in one stroke, but to simplify

the tutorial and give us more options later we

will do it on a layer-by-layer basis.

FROM BASIC TEXT TO

EDIBLE LETTERING

WORK IN

PROGRESS

Progress 1: Prepare the base

Progress 2: Add the details

Progress 3: Final touches

NEIL DUERDEN

http://www.neilduerden.co.uk

@neilduerden

OUR EXPERT

A self confessed Mac monkey,

exceeding briefs for blue chip

clients globally.

SOURCE FILES

There is a glint overlay supplied for

this tutorial on http://www.filesilo.co.uk/

advancedphotoshop. It can also be

used for many other applications

from car highlights through to

cheesy packaging highlights if that’s

the look you are after.