Colorful text in Illustrator

 In this lesson we will learn to create 3D-Text in Illustrator CS4. We will do our fill (floral pattern), to apply beautiful gradients, using basic tools and forms, and much more.The main purpose of this lesson is to show that in Illustrator, you can achieve amazing results (a combination of fonts and colors), and to understand the basic principles such as perspective and lighting.

The final result:

Step 1: Create a document

Create a new document in Illustrator, size 500 × 500pt.

Step 2: Create the first letter

Choose a good, bold font for the text-it will give us more surface area to play with letters. We will create the letters one by one, you can select different fonts for each letter in order to achieve interesting results. We will use the font Impact .

Type the first letter of the word you want to create with the help of Text Tool (T) . Our first letter is «D». Click the Selection Tool (V) and select the drive letter and select Type> Create Outlines .



Step 3: Add 3D-effect

Let's add a 3D-effect of our letter. To do this, select the drive letter and go to Effect> 3D> Extrude & Bevel .



In the Extrude & Bevel check out a preview, so you can see, the letter will look like until we change the parameters of Extrude & Bevel . We will have these settings:



Perspective plays a very important role in the creation of any 3D-object on a flat surface. Here, the important role played by the size and distance. If you increase the distance between us and the object, we see that the size of the object fell. Thus, we can achieve the illusion of depth to our text.

If you are satisfied with the preview, click OK, to apply the settings to your letter.
Step 4: working on the components of the letter

Expand the type of letter, selecting Object> Expand Appearance .



Then ungroup the elements of the letter to all its parts were separated. This will give us the opportunity to use the colors and gradients for each element of the letters separately. You can ungroup objects by selecting Object> Ungroup (Object> Ungroup ) (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + G). You may need to execute the command "Ungroup" a few times, because our letter contains a lot of detail.

If you increase the size of the bit with the Zoom Tool (Z) , we can see that some parts are divided into even smaller pieces. Simply select the items you want and combine them as needed (Pathfinder (Window> Pathfinder ).




Step 5: Adding Gradients

To start, try to imagine a light source: we will be on top of our letters. Now you need to do some of the letters are darker and some lighter. Thus, we will create shadows and highlights on the surface. Every time you add a gradient fill to an object, think about where the light falls.

But first make sure that the window is open gradient ( Window-> Gradient or press Ctrl / Cmd + F9).

To the front of the letters, use the radial gradient.



On the left side, using a linear gradient. Feel free to play with colors until you get the desired result.




For the inner part of the letter, we will also use a linear gradient.




Step 6: Add the glare

Let us now detail the our letter, stressing its edge. Select the front of the letter, copy it (Ctrl / Cmd + C) , and then paste twice (Ctrl / Cmd + F) .

Select a top copy with the Selection Tool (V) and move it 1px down and right (Use the arrow keys).Now, hold down Shift , click on the other copy to select it. In the options bar Pathfinder , click Subtract Minus Front .



Change the fill color of an object so that it becomes lighter than the color of the gradient of the letter.





Step 7: Create another letter

Now that we've covered the basic steps for creating 3D-characters, let's fix a material and try to create another letter. The remaining 3D-characters you create for yourself.

Our second letter is "e." For this we will use the font Cooper Std .

Repeat the previous steps again, this will help you figure below:



















After that, place the "e" so that it is combined with the «D». Later, we will draw the shadow of our letters.




Step 8: Create a floral pattern

Let's create a good fill for our third letter («S»).

Choose another bold for the following 3D-characters, just as we did for the letter «D» and «e." Apply a linear gradient on the left side of the letter.

For the front side, we'll create a simple floral pattern. For this purpose we use the Ellipse Tool (L) on the toolbar, draw a small circle of pink.

Select the Rotation Rotation Tool (R) , and holding the Alt / Option . In the window that appears, set the angle of 60 °, and then click Copy. This will create a second circle of pink.



Repeat this several times using Transform> Transform Again (Ctrl / Cmd + D) . Now we have three circles. Again, use Transform , to create a circle.

Use the Selection Tool (V) , to select all the petals and the panel Pathfinder , click the Unite .

Create another circle in the center of the petals. Set the fill color of a white circle. Place the white circle inside our flower and align it horizontally and vertically ( Align (Window> Align or Shift + F7 )).



Make several copies of the flower and place them as shown below. Draw a rectangle using theRectangle Tool (M) and set the fill color of beige. Then send the beige box down (Transform> Arrange> Send to Back) , so that he was under a layer of flowers.



Then drag them to the panel Swatches - so you create a pattern that can be applied to the letters (as an option, you can add any other colors and patterns at your option).

Activate the front of the letter «s» and click on our flower pattern in the panel Swatches , to use it as fill.

Then set the pink color of the contour and size of a pixel to refine the edge of the letter.



Use your imagination and try to make more pleasant and colorful designs for the remaining letters.
Step 9: Create a shadow between the letters

If you want to create realistic images, the shadows are very important. Even if you have a 3D-object, without a shadow, he will not look realistic. The letters, which are fairly close to each other, have cast a shadow on each other.

Let's start with the «D» and «e." First, we must make a copy of «D» - just select it and press Ctrl / Cmd + C , and then press Ctrl / Cmd + F , to insert a copy of the above.

Ungroup the copy (Ctrl / Cmd + G) . After ungrouping, all the details have yet to be selected, click on the Unite panel in Pathfinder , to combine them into one object.



Let's do the same with the letter "e".



Use the arrow keys to move a copy of the letter "e" on the left 2px. Turn it clockwise.



Hold down Shift , click on the button, a copy of «D», to add it to our choice, and then click IntersectionIntersect in a panel of Pathfinder .



Select the newly created object, send it back (Object> Arrange> Send Backward) . Then change the fill color to dark red.



Use the same technique to keep the shade for the other letters. Just make sure you set via the fill color slightly darker shade than the color of the letters.



For the shadows on the top of the surface, which has several colors, you need to ungroup the shade and apply different shades of color for each part.




Step 10: The Hanging letter

As seen in the final image of this tutorial, we "hung" the letter «g», because it has an ideal form for this purpose and is positioned to the right place.

For starters, let's make sure that your letter «g» is above the other letters (that is, on the top layer).Use the Line Tool (/) and hold down Shift , to draw a vertical line.



Grab your Pen Tool (P) and draw a loop (see below) around the letter «g».



Select (Object> Expand) , to change it.



We need to do to the ends of the loop did not exceed the limits of the letter «g». To do this, first copy the letter «g» and paste in front. Ungroup the copy. For ungrouped object copied the letter «g», clickUnite in the panel Pathfinder , as shown below.



Now activate the letter «g» and the loop and click on the intersection of Intersect in a panel ofPathfinder . You will be only that portion of the loop, which is located inside the «g».



To make it more realistic, let's add a shadow. Ungroup the letter «g» and then the inner part (see below).




Copy the selected object and paste it on top. Copy the loop and also insert it sverhue. Select both copies of the intersection, and then click Intersect in a panel of Pathfinder . This will allow us to retain only the part that is inside the «g».



Change the fill color of the inside of the loop on the light gray (darker shade of white). This makes our lighting as realistic as possible, since the inner part gets smaller light sources.



Use the same procedure to create another loop.




Step 11: Create a shadow at the bottom of

Let's create a shadow under each letter. We must do this manually, since it is the best way. For letters with sharp corners, use the Pen Tool (P) . For circular letters, use the Ellipse Tool (L) . After that, select a light gray color for the fill.




The final result