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How to make 3D letters?

raindog308raindog308 Posts: 0
edited December 1969 in The Commons

So I found a really cool tutorial for text I'd like to follow...

http://10steps.sg/tutorials/photoshop/create-a-3d-flowery-text-effect/

Unfortunately it requires Illustrator, which is a product I don't own. I have Photoshop, but not the version with 3D tools.

And despite fifteen bajillion gigabytes of 3D content, I don't have any letters.

I do have Poser and DAZ3D, but I don't think they have a way to create 3D text - lots of other primitives but not text.

So what is a good way to create 3D text...I like the effect but not enough to buy Illustrator for it :-)

Comments

  • ghastlycomicghastlycomic Posts: 2,531
    edited December 1969

    Hexagon creates 3D text, but it doesn't create a nice quad geometry so the text it creates will only work with software that can handle N-polygons.

  • TheKDTheKD Posts: 2,696
    edited December 1969

    Free solution, I would go with blender. Paid solution, best bang for the buck along with ease of use, I would say carrara.

  • kyoto kidkyoto kid Posts: 41,212
    edited December 1969

    ...Carrara, much easier to grasp and it has a 3D logo function.

  • KatteyKattey Posts: 2,899
    edited December 1969

    Wings 3D can also do 3D text (quite nicely, if I recall correctly) and it is free application.

  • Jay_NOLAJay_NOLA Posts: 1,145
    edited December 1969

    Carrara is what I use.

    Hexagon's font selector doesn't work right on my computer. I can't scroll through fonts easily, as it takes several minutes to just scroll down to just the next available font.

    I've also made images of the text I wanted using Elements and used Bryce to turn the image into a 3D model of the text on my image file.

  • GrazeGraze Posts: 418
    edited December 1969

    raindog308 said:
    And despite fifteen bajillion gigabytes of 3D content, I don't have any letters.

    http://www.daz3d.com/send-a-message-letters

  • TaozTaoz Posts: 9,973
    edited November 2013

    If it's for website logos and such, this is an excellent program:

    http://www.xara.com/eu/products/xara3d/

    Export options are limited though (no .obj for example):
    --

    x3dexport.jpg
    643 x 204 - 33K
    Post edited by Taoz on
  • Faeryl WomynFaeryl Womyn Posts: 3,662
    edited December 1969

    And here is two sets of alphabets with numbers, for free.

    http://www.sharecg.com/v/6664/gallery/11/Poser/Letters-and-Numbers-1-for-Poser

    http://www.sharecg.com/v/7957/

  • ruekakaruekaka Posts: 346
    edited December 1969

    I did some tests with
    http://www.armanisoft.ch/elefont/Elefont.html
    and modified it with Silo (Hexagon crashed while trying to import the export file).
    The results where not to bad.

  • zawarkalzawarkal Posts: 1,018
    edited December 1969

    I just got the font to mesh express converter sold here at daz. It is very easy to use and will use any font on your computer. I read about all the free things I could have used after I actually made my purchase, even tried to use hexagon while toying with returning the product... but hexagon kept crashing for me. FMEC was so easy to use that I just decided to keep it.

    http://www.daz3d.com/font-to-mesh-express-converter

  • ShelLuserShelLuser Posts: 749
    edited December 1969

    Bryce also provides a very cool way to create 3D objects from 2D pictures, though it is a bit more trickier because it'll need the colour scheme of the picture to determine the relief.

    But it's relatively easy; create a terrain (mountain), then edit it and load your picture in the evaluation tab (in the editing tools). Then check the pictures tab and make sure to have the same picture in both picture boxes. Then you'll soon see a 3D version of your logo (or whatever you pasted) in the 3D Preview.

    One thing to keep in mind is the lighter/dark relief difference. It is possible that the logo will be "cut" (inlay?) from the main terrain. If that is the case and you want a full 3D object which only contains the logo then you'll need to use an inverse version of the original picture.

  • TjebTjeb Posts: 507
    edited December 1969

    I forgot all about Elefont. Used it way back in the 90's

    So I tried it again and indeed Hexagon had trouble importing it, so I used Poseray to convert, then import the obj in to DAZ.

    Second pic are examples made with Blufftitler. Very affordable software primarily used to create video intro's
    http://www.outerspace-software.com/

    BluffTXT.jpg
    980 x 980 - 92K
    Elefont.jpg
    860 x 490 - 69K
  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675
    edited December 1969

    are you wanting something for speech bubbles?

    or in scene signage?

    spelling out stuff in props can be a time consuming process.

    you don't need illustrator,
    with PSE or PS, text on a plane or uvmapped cube with a transparency map is easier.


    photoshop elements. -
    type your text on an image
    duplicate the image
    to make your transparency layer -
    make the white background black
    and the letters white.

    transparencyMap.jpg
    972 x 656 - 124K
  • zawarkalzawarkal Posts: 1,018
    edited December 1969

    had a quick go with Font to Mesh and created some stationary using a brush from your listed tutorial... though did not go to the trouble to just select the face of the text only

    FOTWstationary.jpg
    1800 x 2000 - 339K
  • MattymanxMattymanx Posts: 6,949
    edited December 1969

    These are Star Trek styled but they are 3D fonts - http://mattymanx.deviantart.com/art/Star-Trek-3D-Font-Pack-339642352

  • SpitSpit Posts: 2,342
    edited December 1969

    Zawarkal said:
    had a quick go with Font to Mesh and created some stationary using a brush from your listed tutorial... though did not go to the trouble to just select the face of the text only

    Thanks for mentioning Font to Mesh. I checked it out and discovered I got it back in 2008 and forgot about it. Sheesh. Grabbed it from my Prod Library (2008 was a couple machines ago) and it works great. Just took a while (I always have trouble with this) to figure out what to put in the import dialog in Studio. I settled on 'Custom' with a scale of 4000. It comes in in view and further scaling/positioning can be done from there.

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,905
    edited December 1969

    Zawarkal said:
    I just got the font to mesh express converter sold here at daz. It is very easy to use and will use any font on your computer. I read about all the free things I could have used after I actually made my purchase, even tried to use hexagon while toying with returning the product... but hexagon kept crashing for me. FMEC was so easy to use that I just decided to keep it.

    http://www.daz3d.com/font-to-mesh-express-converter

    Is this for just Poser or can I use it in DAZ Studio? It says DS but want to be sure.

  • aprilsunshine7_4526d47d74aprilsunshine7_4526d47d74 Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    I've got it, but haven't used it yet. I think (based on my memory) that it's an independent windows program. You save the result and import it, as Spit mentioned.

  • SpitSpit Posts: 2,342
    edited November 2013

    Yeah, it's an independent program. Do your thing and save the .obj then in Studio (or whatever) you import it.

    Post edited by Spit on
  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,905
    edited December 1969

    Do my thing, eh? Thanks Spit, well put. :) (Although when I do my thing, it could be dangerous.)

  • zawarkalzawarkal Posts: 1,018
    edited December 1969

    wonderful, glad to have reminded you

  • Coon RaCoon Ra Posts: 200
    edited December 1969

    raindog308 said:
    So I found a really cool tutorial for text I'd like to follow...

    http://10steps.sg/tutorials/photoshop/create-a-3d-flowery-text-effect/

    Unfortunately it requires Illustrator, which is a product I don't own. I have Photoshop, but not the version with 3D tools.

    And despite fifteen bajillion gigabytes of 3D content, I don't have any letters.

    I do have Poser and DAZ3D, but I don't think they have a way to create 3D text - lots of other primitives but not text.

    So what is a good way to create 3D text...I like the effect but not enough to buy Illustrator for it :-)

    Blender, Inkscape, DrawPlus Starter Edition - free. I suppose and hope inkscape should convert existing fonts (possible copyright violation) to vectors or export it as rester graphics. Also you could use inkscape and DrawPlus Starter Edition to create your own fonts. I created several script and decorative typefaces for personal use, it's not easy but inspiring. Not sure if blender can create 3d objects from installed fonts but it imports svg graphics.

    Silo v.2 on Steam - very cheap (at least at my side, cant tell of steam version functionality). Easy to start working. Cannot recall if it imports vectors but you may build letters upon raster images with polygon tools and then extrude to make it 3D. Export as obj.

    Render your letter set either in DS/Poser or in Luxrender that is free like DS.

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