The trick with a bevel is to adjust the Light Angle. By default when you apply a bevel the light angle is set for left center. To give the impression of a recessed shape or text the light angle needs to be pointing downwards.
Hi Gary - is this a 'solid' rule of thumb (and can I ask why please to understand more), or if your light source is from another angle, follow the light source for the shadow side/s?


I use the bevel tool for non-text uses all the time, creating hills, mountains, valleys, cliffs
Do you have any basic snapshots of these please?

I just made an odd shaped triangle and kept driving the points inwards, allowing me to see the beginnings of a mountain.

@ Angelize
use the eraser tool
I began to apply the eraser to the bevelled mountain shape and began to get some potentially great effects running up the mountainside (the bevel), from cutting in at the bottom with the eraser. Thanks, would never have found/thought of trying.