How to achieve a letterpress effect on text and shapes?

**snowdoggy** · 01 September 2014, 03:26 AM

I'm looking to achieve in Xara Pro 9 a letterpress effect that is so common these days. An example can be found in the attached image, but also looking to do it with text as well.

Click image for larger version.

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**wizard509** · 01 September 2014, 03:41 AM

Not sure what I am seeing, but you could try emboss or bevel.

**snowdoggy** · 01 September 2014, 04:27 AM

How do you do emboss in Xara?

**Acorn** · 01 September 2014, 11:28 AM

Bevel Tool - Ctrl+F3.
Emboss? Possibly the Contour Tool - Ctrl+F7.
Extrude Tool - E.

Acorn

**mwenz** · 01 September 2014, 02:06 PM

Easiest means is Rik's example here:

http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...is-text-effect

**Rik** · 01 September 2014, 07:59 PM

Thanks for that, Mike.
I was trying to find that thread, but, you've done a grand job in finding the original thread.

Anyway. The method is reasonably simple and gives a pretty good effect.

EDIT: Play about with the amount of bevel to get the result you want.

**angelize** · 03 September 2014, 07:06 AM

Rik's method is very good. I have yet another method and this one is not only easy but the text remains editable!

1. Click with the text tool and type your text. You don't want a text area or column.
2. Fill your text with the same colour or bitmap that you are using for your background, then make it a bit darker (if using a bitmap texture for your background you can use the brightness slider on the photo tools, and remember to set the bitmap to repeating tile)
3. With your text selected go to the FX tool and under stylization choose Relief. you can play around with the settings but I found that a depth of 2 and an angle of 215 degrees worked well.

By filling the text and using the live effect your text remains completely editable.

**stygg2003** · 03 September 2014, 09:18 AM

I like that method Francis, crisp and clean. All the other methods posted are good as well, so many ways in Xara. I gave G.P's cut out text a revival and used the wall shadow in the text in one image and omitted in the second.

Stygg

**gwpriester** · 03 September 2014, 12:50 PM

Thanks Stygg. I think that method of mine (done before the bevel tool) does not compare well to the other suggestions.

**wizard509** · 03 September 2014, 03:04 PM

Still looks good though Stygg and Gary. Thanks Frances, I believe that is the method I use also. Although to be fair, mostly, I just try things till I get the effect I want.