How to create a retro-style text effect in Cinema 4D and Photoshop

• 7 January 2010
• by Sebastiano
• Photoshop
• retweet

In this tutorial I’ll explain how to easily create a 3d text and merge it into a retro-style scene. We will use Illustrator for the text, Cinema4D to make this text 3D and Photoshop for all others remaining steps.

In these days I came across nice retro-style posters and this inspired me to realize this tutorial. I noticed that all these images are characterized by strong contrast and few details. Here you can see some of the images I used as a reference point:

And this is my result:

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Support Material

• Pyramids image
• Old paper texture
• Edistys Font (free)
• Folded Stained Paper Texture by Ty Sintaxera

Step 1

Open a new document in Photoshop. The size I chose is 1500×1000 pixels. Paste in the Pyramid image. Scale and rotate it (Press Ctrl+T to activate the transform tool).

Step 2

Now we have to create a strong contrast. So duplicate the image and set the duplicated to overlay. Duplicate again but this time set the duplicated image to multiply.

Step 3

Press Shift+alt+ctrl+E to merge all the visible layers into a new layer. Apply to this layer a curve adjustment (ctrl+M) and a saturation adjustment (ctrl+U)

Step 4

Lets create the text. Open illustrator and write something using the edistys font. Now go to object>Expand. Save the AI file and make sure to save as an Illustrator 3 file (3 is the software version) so that it’s compatible with Cinema 4D.

Step 5

In Cinema 4D go to File>Merge and open the Illustrator file.

Step 6

In the object window you can observe that there are 5 paths (one for each letter). Select all the paths (hold shift to select more than one path) and right click>Connect. Notice that we have created a new path. We will work with this, so eliminate all the other layers.

Step 7

We have to give depth to the text. So select the Extrude Nurbs object. Then in the object window drag the path inside the Nurb.

Step 8

Select the Nurbs object in the object window. Modify the caps options from “cap” to “fillet cap”.

Step 9

In the materials window add a nukei material. Then apply the material by dragging it on the text.

Step 10

Double click on the material icon to open its options window and switch the reflection intensity to 60%

Step 11

Add one or more light objects (Object>Scene>Light)

Step 12

Create a new material and in the colors menu upload the pyramids image.

Step 13

Create a sky object (Object>Scene>Sky) and apply to it the last material created. You should see something similar to this:

Step 14

It’s time for rendering. For the render settings follow the screenshot below. Note that we checked “Alpha channel” and “Separate Alpha” so that in Photoshop we could easily extract the text using alpha channels. After have updated render settings go to Render>Render to Picture Viewer and save as a Photoshop file.

Step 15

Open the just created PS file. We have to extract the text: go to the channels’ window. At the bottom there’s the separate Alpha. Ctrl+click on this channel to select its pixels. Now switch to the layer window, go to select>Inverse and press delete. The text is now isolated.

Step 16

Copy and paste the text in our main Photoshop canvas. Right click on the text layer and select Blending Modes. Add satin with the default options.

Step 17

At this point I really hate the color. The best way to change it is to apply a gradient map. So go to Image>Adjustments>Gradient Map…and choose a gradient going from red to blue to yellow.

Step 18

Now we have to increase the contrast, so apply also a levels adjustments:

Step 19

Create a new layer and switch its layer blending mode to overlay. With a soft white brush (hardness 0%) start painting over the text to enhance some parts of it. To make the effect stronger, duplicate one/two times the layer.

Step 20

Repeat the step 20 but this time set a nice pink as foreground color

Step 21

Paste in the folded stained paper texture. Press shift+ctrl+U to desaturate it and ctrl+i to inverse the colors. Set the layer blend mode to screen. Increase the contrast with the curves (ctrl+M and create a “S” like in step 3). We are going to achieve a nice result!

Step 22

Paste in the old paper texture. Set the layer to overlay and reduce the opacity to around 70%.

Step 23

Create a new curves adjustments layer (Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Curves)

Step 24

Press shift+ctrl+alt+E to merge all the visible layers into a new layer. Sharpen this layer (Filter>Sharpen>Sharpen). Yes, we’ve finished!

Create an awesome broken plate typography effect

• 22 November 2010
• by Sebastiano
• Photoshop
• 49retweetTOP5K

In this tutorial I will explain how to realize funny letters that look like broken plates. We will start in Illustrator modifying the original font, then we will switch to Photoshop in order to play with textures and layer styles. Also we will deal with selection tools and simple methods to create 3d illusion always in Photoshop.

Preview:

Click to enlarge

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Step 1

The idea is simple: we have to create letters that look like plates, then realize the broken effect. So create a new document in Photoshop (mine is 1920×1200 pixels with resolution 72pixels/inch) and add a gradient overlay going from a light grey (#979797) to a darker one (#0e0e0e).
*Note for Mac users: Ctrl=cmd

Step 2

The texture used for the background is taken from our Wooden grunge textures set. This set contains 8 high-resolution textures that I obtained by combining wood and grunge images in Photoshop. Merge a texture of your choice into the canvas and, if necessary, re-size and rotate it (Ctrl+T).

Step 3

Desaturate the texture (Shift+Ctrl+U) and set the layer blending mode to overlay with opacity 70%.

Step 4

To complete the background, add a gradient map layer (Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Gradient Map) going from a light brown (#c8ab85) to a darker one (#371c04). Set this layer to overlay. At this point you can select and group (Ctrl+G) all the layers of the background.

Step 5

Before creating the “plate styled” letters, let’s see how these letters should be illustrated with the help of some reference images.

As you can notice from the following images, we have to create letters characterized by 2 shapes: a border, and the central area.

It’s difficult to create 2 shapes like the ones shown above – one shape inside the other and with the borders of the 2 shapes equidistant – in Photoshop. In example, if we create a letter B in Photoshop, and then we select its pixels and go to Select>Modify>Contract to create the inner shape, the result is not satisfactory (screenshot below). While if you copy and paste the letter and then re-size the copy, the borders of the 2 letters are not equidistant. You could try to create the inner shape with the Pen tool…but it’s so laborious! This is why we will use Illustrator for this purpose.

Step 6

Create a new document in Illustrator, the size is not important. Then write something, (“broken” in my case) using a rounded font. I’ve used Junegull, that is a cool free font. Font size is 200pt.

Step 7

Go to Type>Create Outlines to turn the letters into shapes. Then press Ctrl+G to ungroup the letters so you can work with each letter without problems.
With the Pen tool (P), create 2 shapes so that cover the letter apertures:

Step 8

Select the letter B and the two shapes, then press the unite button from the pathfinder (Window>Pathfinder) to create a unique shape.

Do the same with the letters R and O.

Step 9

Select the letter B. Here is the trick to create the inner shape: go to Object>Path>Offset Path and enter -10 as value and Round as joins option.

Step 10

We’ve so created the two shapes that we need for the first letter. We have to import them in Photoshop. Start with the first shape. Select it, press Ctrl+C, then switch to the Photoshop document and press Ctrl+V.

Do the same with the second shape (I’ve used a different color so you can easily recognize the 2 shape).

How to align two shapes? In order to align 2 or more shapes in Photoshop, you have to select them from the layers window, then use the align tool in the option bar (top).

Step 11

Select both the shapes, press ctrl+T and enlarge them. Then put them on the left. Hide the visibility of the inner shape. We will start modifying the larger one.

Step 12

Right-click on the layer thumb and select blending options to get access to the styles. Take in mind the photo we’ve seen before of the plates. This shape will be used to create the border.
Let’s start by adding a linear gradient going from #f9f5f2 to #e3e0db.

Then select Bevel&Emboss to add depth to the letter:

Finally add a soft inner shadow:

Step 13

Now make visible the inner shape and again open the blending options window. Start by adding a gradient going from #e3e0db to #e8e5e0.

Secondly select Bevel and Emboss with the following settings:

Step 14

Now that the styles are complete, select both the layers and press Alt+Ctrl+E to merge them into a new layer. From now go on, we will use only this layer, so hide the visibility of the 2 shapes layers. It’s time to realize the broken effect. With the pen tool in Paths mode create a path that covers the first piece you want to cut out. Notice how the path follows the form of the “plate”.

Press Ctrl+Enter to activate the selection, then press Shift+Ctrl+J to cut out the piece into a new layer.

Step 15

Repeat the same method to create different pieces, then move the layers at your pleasure to create a distance between them.

Step 16

Select one of the piece layer, press Ctrl+T to activate the Free Transform Tool and rotate it a little bit. Do the same with the other layers, so the final result will look more realistic.

Step 17

The technique to add the 3d illusion is very simple. Select one of the plate piece layers. Duplicate it by pressing ctrl+J, then move the duplicated layer below the original one. Press 3 times the bottom arrow on your keyboard to move down the layer.

Add a dark grey (#83817f) color overlay and a drop shadow to finalize the effect.

Step 18

Do the same with the other pieces. While necessary, zoom in and create small shapes with the Pen tool (P) in Shape layers mode to join the layers above with the ones below.
Here is the first letter:

Step 19

Now that you’ve learned the technique, you can apply it to create the other letters and finalize the composition. The process, as you have noticed, is very simple. So give a try and share your result with a link in the comments!
This is mine: