Cinema 4d tutorials: 3d text

This is the end result of this Cinema4D tutorial (click to enlarge):

Step 1:

Open up a new file (Ctrl+N). Now add a text spline by clicking the AZ icon in the screenshot below.



You get this:

Step 2:

Now we have to change the text to something catchy, I'm going to be using "Celoxdesign". Change the text by following these instructions: Go to the objects window (it's on the right of your screen) > Click the Text spline > If the basic properties window is selected, click the object button to go to the object properties, look below for reference.



Change the font by clicking on the Font... Button next to the true type font dropdown menu. I'm using a custom font the Lowrider font which I've downloaded on dafont.com, but you can download it here. I've written the text in full caps.

Step 3:

So now that we have some preparation work done it's time to make this text look 3D. Add a extrude NURB object by clicking the following icon marked blue.



Now in the objects window drag the text spline into the Extrude NURBS object, this will give the extrude effect to the text. Your objects window should look like the one shown below.



If you did this step correctly your text should look exactly like this.

Step 4:

Now since we're going to make a laying text we have to rotate it, you can do this best if you have the other camera angles enabled, do this by clicking the square in the top right.



Select the rotate tool , now in the front view window rotate the text with the red bar, also check in the right view window if it aligns correctly with the floor.



The text isn't positioned right, we're going to add a floor later in this tutorial and if we do this without moving the text on top of the floor (that is currently transparant) then we'll hide the text under the floor.
So let's move the text on top of the floor, below is a screenshot of the front view where you can see the text clearly being under the transparant floor.



Move the text with the move tool on top of the red line which indicates the transparant floor and later on the floor we will be making.



We have to get rid of the extra views now since we don't need them anymore. We only need the Perspective window so click on the square in the perspective window to hide the other views, you may have noticed each window has it's own controls now, so make sure you don't click the wrong icon.

 

Step 5:

We're already at the material part for the text so we're coming to the kick ass end result soon. At the left bottom click on "File" then click New Material to create a new default material. Double click the new material to open the material editor, check "Color" and "Specular" (default they're checked), and change the settings of the two to the following.

Color settings:


Specular settings:


Drag the material onto the Extrude NURBS object in the objects window. If you did it correctly your objects window should look like this now.



Now you should have exactly the same as below (probably with different text ), since you can't really see the material in the work view you can render it just for learning sake, do this by pressing Ctrl+R, this will make a quick render of the view window.



As you can see the material is to dark to notice on a black background, that's why we're going to add a floor in the next step, this floor will have a reflection to it so it reflects the text, very neat stuff.

Step 6:

To create a floor click the floor object icon from the drop-down menu, illustrated with a red border below.



This is my progress in a quick render view.


It still looks pretty dark right, well this is because we only added a text with material and a floor, we're going to add some lights to the project soon (but not yet), this will really make the text come alive.

Step 7:

First we're going to add a material to the floor, so it reflects the text. Create a new material like we did before, double click it to edit it in the material editor, and check "Color", "Diffusion", "Reflection", "Specular". Then change there settings to the following.

Color settings:


Diffusion settings:


Reflection settings:


Specular settings:


Then drag the material on the created floor in the objects window, just like we did with the text. Your objects window should look like this.



And your text like this (render view)

Step 8:

Now we'll give the text a nicer perspective, do this by selection the rotate tool and the extrude nurbs object, now play with the blue bar of the rotate tool until you have something like mine below.

Step 9:

We're almost done now, just the lightning and we're done. Add a light object by clicking this icon . Move this light with the move tool waaaaayyyy to the top so it lights the whole floor and text.

Then add another light and set it in front of the text. You can do this best by using the blue and red arrow of the move tool.

This is my finished text following exactly the steps mentioned in this Cinema4D tutorial (click to enlarge):



Good luck on your future Cinema4D projects.

Posted in: cinema4d