Create a Folded Paper Text Effect
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Andrei Marius On April - 16 - 2010
Hi there. In this tutorial I will show you how to create a simple
folded paper text effect. Also, to improve the look of the final
result, I will show you how to create some ink blobs and stains
from some simple ellipses and brushes.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Estimated Completion Time: 45 minutes
Number of Steps: 11
This is what you’ll be creating:
Step 01
First, create a 700by300px document. Start with the background. Select the Rectangle
Tool(M), create a 700x300px shape and fill it with the radial gradient shown in the
image below. Lock this shape.
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Step 02
Seelct the Type Tool(T) and add your text. Use the Impact font then follow all the other
properties shown in the Character pallete (image #1). Select this new text and go to
Object > Expand. Fill the resulting shapes with white and place them in the middle of
your artboard.
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Step 03
Next, you need to cut some small shapes from these letters. Pick the Pen Tool(P) and
create some paths like image #1. Select them along with the letters then click on the
Divide button from the Pathfinder pallete. Create a new layer, name it “LETTER
SHAPES” and move the shapes filled with white (from image #2) inside. Create another
layer, name it “FOLDED SHAPES” and move the shapes filled with gray inside. Use the
Reflect Tool(O) to move all the folded shapes as shown in image #3.
Step 04
Add these Warp effects for each shape from the “FOLDED SHAPES” layer then go to
Object > Expand Appearance.
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Step 05
Fill the resulting shapes with the gradients shown in the image below.
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Step 06
Duplicate the “FOLDED SHAPES” layer then add these Drop Shadow effects for each
shape from the duplicate of “FOLDED SHAPES”.
Step 07
Select the shapes from the duplicate of “FOLDED SHAPES” then go to Object > Expand
Appearance. Delete all the shapes from the resulting group, except the “< Image >”
shapes. Select them all and group them (Ctrl + G) as shown in image #2. Duplicate the
“LETTER SHAPES” layer. Select this new layer and go to Compoused Path > Make.
Name the resulting shape “Letters” and move it above the < Image > group. Next, select
“Letters” along with the group the go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make. Name the
resulting group “SHADOWS” and move it between “LETTER SHAPES” and “FOLDED
SHAPES”. Later you can lower the opacity of this group 70% or any percentage you
want.
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Step 08
Let’s continue with the letter shapes. Make sure that all these shape are filled with white
then add a 1pt aligned to inside stroke (R=253 G=253 B=253). Next, add a new fill for
each of these shapes then use the liner gradients shown below image #5. Finally add the
drop shadow effect shown next to image #9.
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Step 09
Select the Ellipse Tool(L) and create a squeezed shapes like the one shown in image #1.
Fill it with R=0 G=113 B=188, change it’s blending mode to Multiply then add the Zig
Zag, the Roughen and the Inner Glow effects shown in the next images.
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Step 10
Reselect the Ellipse Tool(L) and create some random ellipses like in image #1. Fill them
all with R=0 G=113 B=188, change the blending mode to Multiply, add the Inner Glow
then group all these shapes (Ctrl + G). Select this group and add the Roughen effect
shown in the next picture.
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Step 11
Finally, open the Brushes pallete. Click on the drop down menu of this pallete and go to
Open Brush Library > Artistic > Artistic_Ink. Select the Brush Tool(B) then use the
“Fountain Pen” brush to create your text. Select these new paths then go to Object >
Expand Appearance. Next, select the resulting shapes and click on the Unite button
from the Pathfinder pallete. Fill the resulting shapes with R=0 G=113 B=188, change the
blending mode to Multiply then add an Inner Glow like the one used in the previous
step.
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Final
Now your text effect is done. Here is how it should look like.
Categories: Text Effects
32 Responses
1. Richie
This is cool. You’ve made me fall in love with Illustrator again. This is
so useful. Thanks
Reply
2. Kawsar Ali
Amazing. Really love it. Great job. Your techniques are so unique
Reply
10/15
3. keletso
Thanks for the great tutorial, im loving illustrator.
This will be great for practicing and i’ll try it now
Reply
4. Oktay
Great, very useful tutorial. Thanks!
Reply
5. PsdDude
It looks pretty cool ! Nice work !
Reply
6. AEXT.NET MAGAZINE
Great tutorial! Well done, bro!
Reply
7. Becky
If only I saw this before I created those posters.
This would have helped me so much.
thanks either way
Reply
8. S.
Does anybody try to create the entire alphabet I’ve some difficulties to
do some letters in a coherent way… thks
Reply
9. shiv
just great . i love this illustrator very beautiful i m new to this thanks
Reply
10. Nader
greaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat
Reply
11. Nikola Lazarevic
Splendid tutorial, well done Marius!
Reply
12. Clipping Path Services
Great tutorial. Simply awesome. Marius, hope you don’t mind if i
share this tutorial in my blog. Thanks for sharing this wonderful
vector tutorial.
Reply
11/15
13. fasal salam
Great tutorial! Well done
Reply
14. eRiCA
Marvelous tutorial!
Reply
15. Graphics and Web Design Firm
What a creative use of Illustrator. Really I found here a unique style.
Thanks for your creative job
Reply
16. James
Fantastic.. Now lets do it again.
Reply
17. Adept Clipping Path
Cool!!!!!!! Thanks for tutorial.
Reply
12/15
18. Michele
HI everybody! this is a great tutorial! I am a novice with Illustrator.
I’m trying to follow the tutorial, but after doing expand, I can not add
strokes with the pen tool. the selection around the text disappears,
when I try to put the first stroke with the pen tool. can anyone help
me? Thankssssss.
Reply
Andrei Marius
Hi,
It’s normal to lose the selection when you add a new path.
Just continue and create the rest of the paths then select all
those fresh paths along with the text shapes.
Let me know if it worked or if you have other questions.
Thanks.
Reply
Michele
thanks a lot for the reply. his explanation worked out great!
now there’s another problem. (I think, for my abilities,
there will be a problem at every step:)) to the second point
of step 3,
(Create a new layer, name it “LETTER SHAPES” and move the shapes
filled with white (from image # 2) inside. Create another layer, name it
“Folded SHAPES” and move the shapes filled with gray inside. Use the
Reflect Tool (O) to move to the folded shapes as shown in image # 3.)
I can not “bend the parts of the text” because the Reflect tool, rotate
the text.
Reply
19. Andrei Marius
Hi Michele,
I assume that the entire text bends because you select all the shapes.
Take it step by step. Use the Direct Selection Tool(A)(if the shape is
part of a group) or the Selection Tool(V). Most likely you have some
groups in your Layers panel. If you try to select a shape that’s part of a group
using the Selection Tool(V) you will end up with the entire group selected. Use the
Direct Selection Tool(A) to avoid this problem or simple get rid of that group.
Select the from the Layers panel and simple hit Shift + Control + G.
Let me know if if it worked.
Reply
13/15
20. shyamal
greeeeeeeeeeate tutorial. awsom
Reply
21. GraphicLady
Great tutorial, but I’m stock on the 2nd part of 1…I don’t know how to
separate the white color. Can someone please guide me though.
PLEASE! [email protected]
Reply
Andrei Marius
Hi,
Where exactly did you got stuck? Which step?
Reply
22. mtosh
crazy tut. i really like this
Reply
23. junnubabu
it’s very coll……………..
Reply
24. Mariz
great job….
Reply
25. Eric Stoddard
Really easy to follow tutorial – just copied it step by step and I got the
desirable effects!
Reply
26. Teknopedia
Awsome! I love this unique style
Reply
27. Oliver Lily
Awesome techniques. I applied in my project. Thanks for showing the
great job
Reply
28. Sumon
Awesome vector tutorial post in your website.It’s hepls me a
lot.Thanks to shearing this.
Reply
14/15
29. psdeen
Thanks for sharing your work
Reply
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