Convert a font to look 3D

**Mike Bailey** · 19 January 2005, 05:28 PM

2: With the text object selected, look in the Mask menu and select create from object.

**Mike Bailey** · 19 January 2005, 05:30 PM

3: Now, you should have a mask of the text object, you can clear the color (edit menu/clear) and fill the mask with a texture or another color using the fill tool.

4: Next you must click invert in the mask menu to switch the mask to the background or the effect won't work.

**Mike Bailey** · 19 January 2005, 05:42 PM

4: Open the effects menu Boss effect.

5: Set the width to 8, set smooth to 100, set height to 100.
Leave everything else as is.

6: Click ok.

Note: in the mask menu you can select marquee visible to toggle the mask marquee on and off so you can better see the results. The mask is still on, if your not happy with the results, (undo) Ctrl + Z, make some adjustments to the width and height settings and try it again.

8: When your finished, turn the marquee back on and invert the mask again so its back onto the text, open the objects menu, select create from mask to convert the text back into a movable object.

That should do it.

**Mike Bailey** · 19 January 2005, 05:51 PM

Here is a sample of the effect I made when writing this.

1, I used an alpha channel to save the mask.
2, I used a textured fill.
3, After I converted the text back into a movable object, I used the alpha channel mask to create the shadow by filling it with grey and apply gaussian blur.

**inphoenix** · 19 January 2005, 06:14 PM

Mike, I got as far as the alpha channel part. Also I tried the marquee on/off and saw no difference. But I did get a rather nice looking output. Not as nice as yours, yet....
Marie

**Mike Bailey** · 19 January 2005, 06:22 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> I tried the marquee on/off and saw no difference. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It makes no difference, just gets rid of the dancing ants so you can see what it looks like without them.

Are you familiar with the alpha channels?