How to Emboss Text in Illustrator

What You'll Be Creating

In the following steps, you will learn how to make text look embossed in Adobe Illustrator.

For starters, you will learn how to create a simple background of your text design. Next, you will learn how to add some text and easily adjust its appearance. Moving on, you will learn how to emboss text in Illustrator. Finally, you will learn how to transfer the properties of your embossed text to other pieces of text.

For more inspiration on how to adjust or improve your final text effects, you can find plenty of resources at GraphicRiver.

What You Will Need:

You will need the following resource in order to complete this 3D text effect:

• Knicknack font

1. How to Create the Background

Hit Control-N to create a new document. Select Pixels from the Units drop-down menu, enter 850 in the width box and 680 in the height box, and then click that More Settings button. Select RGB for the Color Mode, set the Raster Effects to Screen (72 ppi), and then click Create Document.

Pick the Rectangle Tool (M) and focus on your toolbar. Remove the color from the stroke, and then select the fill and set its color to R=124 G=109 B=254. Create a shape the size of your artboard (850 x 680 px) and place it as shown in the following image. Now that the background is prepared, let's learn how to make text look embossed in Illustrator.

2. How to Add the Text

Step 1

Pick the Type Tool (T) and open the Character panel (Window > Type > Character). Select the Knicknack font and set the size to 130 px.

Click on the artboard and add the "EMBOSSED" piece of text. Set its color to white (R=255 G=255 B=255). Place it as shown in the first image.

Using the same tool and text attributes, add the "TEXT" and "EFFECT" pieces of text and place them as shown in the second image.

Step 2

Select the "EMBOSSED" text, focus on the Swatches panel (Window > Swatches), and click that [None] swatch to remove the white text color.

Move to the Appearance panel (Window > Appearance) and add a new fill using the Add New Fill button. Select that new fill and set its color to R=97 G=83 B=242.

3. How to Emboss Text in Illustrator

Step 1

Make sure that your "EMBOSSED" text stays selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel.

Add a second fill and select it. Change the color to R=104 G=90 B=253 and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Enter the attributes shown below and click OK. Don't forget to check that top-middle reference point (highlighted in the following image).

Step 2

Make sure that your "EMBOSSED" text stays selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel.

Add a third fill and select it. Change the color to R=142 G=127 B=254 and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Enter the attributes shown below and click OK. Remember to check the top-middle reference point.

Step 3

Make sure that your "EMBOSSED" text stays selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel.

Add a fourth fill and select it. Change the color to R=136 G=121 B=254 and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Enter the attributes shown below in the left window and click OK. Remember to check the top-middle reference point. Go again to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Enter the attributes shown below in the right window and click OK. This time, remember to check the bottom-middle reference point.

Step 4

Make sure that your "EMBOSSED" text stays selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel.

Add a fifth fill and select it. Change the color to R=124 G=109 B=254 and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Enter the attributes shown below in the left window and click OK. Remember to check the top-middle reference point. Go again to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Enter the attributes shown below in the right window and click OK. This time, remember to check the bottom-middle reference point.

Step 5

Make sure that your "EMBOSSED" text stays selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel.

Be sure that the top fill is still selected and go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow. Enter the attributes shown below and click OK.

Step 6

Make sure that your "EMBOSSED" text stays selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel.

Add a new fill and drag it to the bottom of the panel. Select it, set the color to R=97 G=83 B=252, and go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter the attributes shown in the top-left window (in the following image), click OK, and then apply the other two Drop Shadow effects shown below.

Step 7

Make sure that your "EMBOSSED" text stays selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel.

Add a new fill and drag it to the bottom of the panel. Select it, set the color to R=97 G=83 B=252, and go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter the attributes shown in the following image and click OK.

Step 8

Make sure that your "EMBOSSED" text stays selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel.

Add a new fill and drag it to the bottom of the panel. Select it, set the color to R=97 G=83 B=252, and go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter the attributes shown in the following image and click OK.

Step 9

Make sure that your "EMBOSSED" text stays selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel.

Add a new fill and drag it to the bottom of the panel. Select it, set the color to R=97 G=83 B=252, and go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter the attributes shown in the following image, click OK, and this will be your embossed text.

Step 10

Focus on the Layers panel, expand your layer, and use those target icons to easily apply the Appearance attributes used for your "EMBOSSED" text to the other two pieces of text. Target icons are the little round icons displayed at the far right of each individual layer or shape.

Hold the Alt button on your keyboard, click the target icon that stands for your "EMBOSSED" piece of text, and then drag it onto the target icon that stands for your "TEXT" and "EFFECT" pieces of text.

Congratulations! Your Embossed Text Is Ready!

Here is how your embossed text should look. I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial and can apply these techniques in your future projects. Don't hesitate to share your 3D text in the comments section.

Feel free to adjust the final text design and make it your own. You can find some great sources of inspiration at GraphicRiver, with interesting solutions to improve your embossed text.

Want to Learn More?

Check out the following text effects:

• 
  Illustrator Brushes
  How to Make a Tentacle Art Brush in Adobe Illustrator
  Diana Toma
• 
  Illustrator Brushes
  How to Make a Pickle Pattern Brush in Illustrator
  Diana Toma
• 
  Adobe Illustrator
  New Course: Create an Isometric Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
  Andrew Blackman
• 
  Text Effects
  How to Create a Coconut Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
  Diana Toma
• 
  Text Effects
  How to Create an Isometric Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
  Andrei Marius
• 
  Text Effects
  How to Create a Cool Cut-Out Text Effect in Illustrator
  Andrei Marius
• 
  Text Effects
  Use a Pattern Rope Brush to Create a Rope Text Effect in Illustrator
  Andrei Marius
• 
  Text Effects
  How to Create a Russian Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
  Diana Toma
• 
  Text Effects
  How to Create a 3D Text Art Effect in Adobe Illustrator
  Andrei Marius
• 
  Text Effects
  How to Create a Spain-Inspired Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
  Andrei Marius