Typography

[Blindkingofbohemia]

I don't really know if this is the correct place to put this question - please feel free to move it if you wish - but I was wondering if there's anyone out there who is really skilled with font creation and colouring et cetera, who could teach me to create an effect like the tarnished gold shown here: http://pics.mobygames.com/images/cov...1562739-00.jpg
My book is almost ready to send off to be printed, and I was hoping to make the title look something close to that. Is anyone aware of a method of producing that result? Or should I just sniff around until I can contract someone to do it for me?

[Redrobes]

You would most likely need a 3D app like Blender which is free or 3D studio max, Maya etc to set up some 3D text and then you light it and texture it to suite. You can get away with photoshops built in 2D lighting for stuff including font lettering but I think the 3D route gives you much more control.

Do text is 3D is usually not too hard since the apps normally have a vector font (like true type TTF) to 3D import. Then you can bend or extrude them a bit then its just a case of texturing and lighting. The texturing can usually come from a 3rd party texture house like CGTextures (check out the bottom of http://www.cgtextures.com/textures.php?t=browse&q=579) and then lighting is usually not too hard either.

[ravells]

Using a 3d app is one way as redrobes says, but another way would be to use something like gimp or serif drawplus. I make this in Serif drawplus in less than 5 mins. It's just a case of using a metallic texture and using a bevel effect on the text. it's a quick and dirty one but with a little more time you can make it look much better.

[Blindkingofbohemia]

Holy mother of mercy. That looks incredible.

[jbgibson]

Oh, and did Ravells mention there's a free version of DrawPlus?. I don't remember the features it leaves out, but I think I've done similar stuff to the nice metallic title above.

[Blindkingofbohemia]

Hey Ravells, or anyone else, is there any chance you could walk me through how you achieved that? I just can't figure out how to do the bevel, let alone anything else lol.

[Gamerprinter]

@Blindkingofbohemia - it depends on which software you are using. I am currently writing a series of Map Tutorial Guide books, almost complete with the first one - all my tutorials extensively use bevels in every design. Although I use Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 9, software very similar to Rav's choice of Serif DrawPlus. You can do bevels in Xara, Serif, Photoshop, Illustrator, Inkscape and many other applications, but there is no bevel tool in GIMP. GIMP and Photoshop use bump mapping to create spectacular 3D depth effects instead of using bevels, but much more time consuming and complex (very cool though). Still bevels are powerful and with vector apps like Serif and Xara, a breeze to do. In those apps, there is a bevel tool on the tool icons on the main program window. Once selected a variety of adjusting options let you change the size, type, light angle, light direction, contrast to display your bevel. Photoshop has a Layers Panel that contain many graphics effects like bevel, feathered edges, etc. Inkscape requires using a bevel filter with less than satisfactory results, but it can make bevels. I include the steps to create bevels and other effects with PS, GIMP, Illustrator, Inkscape and Xara in all my tutorial guides. Something to look forward to in the near future (early next year release.)

[Blindkingofbohemia]

Also, I'm looking forward to these tutorials! Are there any up anywhere? I've been devouring all the guild tutorials I can find

[Blindkingofbohemia]

Thanks Gamerprinter. I've been using Serif Drawplus x4, but the bevel effect in that seems to give the whole piece of text a raised edge, like it was embossed or something, rather than a central raised part, which is what Rav had. I guess I'll look into those other ones you mentioned

[WillyWombat]

Here's a tutorial I found for Drawserif by doing a quick google. Hopefully it helps some.

Wax Seal