Thursday, November 25, 2010

TUTORIAL: getting a Christmas text

In this post, we will make our first Christmas text, so let's start with a discreet one. This effect reminds me some kinds of Christmas ornaments, mainly when put in green background.

You can get this one by using this free text maker and setting it like that:
- Text: Christmas (probably you will put the "Merry" before it);
- Font size: Normal;
- Margin: 3;
- Background color: 008000;
- Font name: Cupola.

This is the text we take (click to enlarge):

Extra tips:
- in this case, it's important use a thin font face;
- in fact, it was made using a glass text. Usually any red glass effect could be a good try;
- you can use several other interesting glass text effects going to this text generator catalog.


Thursday, November 18, 2010

TUTORIAL: a stylized chrome dollar sign

A dollar sign image can be useful when writing about any subject involving money direct or indirectly. Now let's make a beautiful and yet very stylized chrome "$".

To get the text effect, go to this free text generator and make that configuration:
- Text: $;
- Font size: Big;
- Margin: 3;
- Background color: FFFFFF;
- Font name: Bandy.

That's the image you get:

Extra tips:
- if you try it using a different font, don't forget that many fonts don't offer the character "$";
- this sign is stylized because of its shape, but we used a traditional metallic effect. In future, we will try to make a yet less usual dollar with a different effect;
- you can try a lot of cool metallic text effects in this text generator catalog.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

TUTORIAL: getting a chocolate text effect

Today we will generate a text made of chocolate. For me, the result of this effect looks like dark (bitter) chocolate covered with clear (milky) chocolate.

To make it, use this free text effect configured like told below:
- Text: chocolate (I used this text as example, you choose yours);
- Font size: Normal;
- Margin: 3;
- Background color: FFFFFF;
- Font name: Croissant.

It's the image you get (click for full-size viewing):

Extra tips:
- I think this effect always gets better with thick font faces;
- you can try it setting a brown background;
- there are many other useful text effects in this free text generator catalog.

Probably from next post on, I will start a series about text effects that can be useful for texts about Christmas.

Monday, November 1, 2010

TUTORIAL: making a rainbow style text

Sometimes what you need is a text effect with a lot of colors. It can fit a very colorful interface or call all attention in a place made mostly with two or three colors. One traditional way to get it is doing an effect that applies the rainbow idea: a gradient that evolves smoothly among several colors.

Now we make it. Open this free text effect and set its parameters like shown:
- Text: Rainbow (I used this text as example, you choose yours);
- Font size: Big;
- Margin: 3;
- Background color: FFFFFF;
- Font name: Creampuff.

The result is like this (click to enlarge):

Extra tips:
- this thick, informal style, very rounded font face is one of the more suitable for this effect. Try always to choose fonts like this;
- the slightly 3D outline border gives a professional touch to this one;
- there are many other gradient text effects in this text generator catalog.