Adobe Fireworks CS3 Glass Text Tutorial
Tutorial Written by: Thierry Lorey (Fireworks Zone)
This great tutorial will show you how to produce shiny glass letters. This is what you will have designed when you complete this tutorial.
Figure 1: The completed tutorial
1. You will need to install the 'Coca-Cola' font before doing this tutorial, (but you may use any font you like). You can get it free at www.dafont.com
2. Create a new document 500x500 pixels, canvas colour white, resolution 72.
3. Create the text Coca-Cola with these settings:
font size: 96
Anti-Alias: smooth
Colour: #FF0000
Figure 2: The Text.
4. With the font selected, make a copy by pressing Ctrl+C followed by Ctrl+V. Now move the pasted font up by holding down the Shift key and using your arrow key to move the font upwards as shown below. Note: holding the Shift key and moving by using the arrow keys moves the selected object 10 pixels in any direction as opposed to 1 pixel by just pressing the arrow keys.
Figure 3: The Two Copies.
We will be working with the 'copy' for now.
5. We now need to convert this text to paths by doing the following. Select the sub-selection arrow tool.
Figure 4: The Subselection Tool.
Select your text (the copied text).
Then go to Text > Convert to Paths (as shown below), or use the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+P
Select you text and Modify > Ungroup. Your text is now converted to Paths (vectors) and is ready for the punching step.
Figure 5: Text converted to Paths
6. Now we're going to create a linear effect across the text. With the text still selected Group your text and ... change the Fill Category to a Linear gradient. We could have applied the Linear Gradient earlier in Step 4 before converting the text to Paths.
Figure 6: Gradient added.
7. Select the subselection arrow again and click on your text. Now select thePen Tool.
Figure 7: Pen Tool
8. As we only need the top half of the text to produce the glass effect, we're going to use the Pen Tool to cut away the lower half of the gradient text. Create the following shape with the pen tool. To do this,
Select the pen tool, Click once on the workspace (point 1), Continue by clicking once at the points shown below.
Don't worry about the gradient fill for this shape as we will be removing this shape in the next step (as you get familiar with this technique you will notice that Point 7 wasn't needed to complete the shape).
(a) select text,
(b) hold down the Shift key,
(c) select the shape.
Both objects should now be selected. You should have an image identical to the one below.
Figure 9: Creating the Shape.
9. Now we need to use the Punch feature to eliminate the lower half of our shape. To do this select Modify > Combine Paths > Punch
To produce the following...
Figure 10: Result of the punching
Figure 11: The text with the glossy area.
10. Move this selection over your original Coca-Cola text.
All that's left is to apply a Drop Shadow to the original text. Select the original text and add the following settings:
Distance 2, Opacity 65, Softness 2, Angle 315
That's it! You can modify the gradient and shading to whatever you prefer but your image should be similar to the one below. I added the red ribbon effect using the Pen Tool.
Figure 12: The completed tutorial
Adobe Software Training Online from Total Training
Total Training provides customers with a Video Training Series that is promoted by a Partnership with Adobe Systems (Worldwide). You can't go wrong with the incredible series of DVD software that this company provides. Total Training provides a one of a kind offer to let you try all of their online products for 2 days with a special guest pass. You will be on your way to being an Adobe expert in no time!
If you would like something that is a bit more contemporary, why not settle down and read a good book. This Adobe Fireworks CS3 is written by the Adobe Creative Team. It provides great information for learning the ins and outs of the program. If you have the mindset to read attentively, I personally recommend this book.
