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3d text app?

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stainlessliquid

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 22, 2006
1,622
0
Are there any good and easy to use 3d programs for the mac that would be good for text? The only 3d programs I can think of are Maya/3dsmax/Cinema4d, and those seem a bit extreme just for text. I think a lot of people use Xara for text but thats windows only.

All I want to do is create a photo realistic arch of extruded text to bring into photoshop (so it looks like a sign). I may have to resort to Cinema4d, but it looks like a bitch to learn when all I want to do is do a simple effect so Im hoping for something easier.
 
rhett7660

rhett7660

macrumors G5
Jan 9, 2008
14,224
4,304
Sunny, Southern California
You already mentioned the one I use. I use it in windows in vmware. It is cheap and it does a pretty good job. Once it is rendered I bring it into photoshop and do what I need to it.

There might be others, but I haven't found one that runs on a Mac.
 
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RodoLana

macrumors newbie
Feb 12, 2008
24
0
Moons of the 7th planet
If you have access to Illustrator CS3, it does a reasonable job rendering 3D text effects which you can export to Photoshop for some finishing touches. I've had some good results with this process and though it's not a full blown 3D program, it just might be good enough to satisfy your needs.

Rodo Lana
 
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stainlessliquid

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 22, 2006
1,622
0
I dont know if Illustrator does what I want to do, I want to do something similar to the text on this:

bioshock-screen1-1-31.JPG
 
fluidedge

fluidedge

macrumors 65816
Nov 1, 2007
1,365
16
get a copy of final cut express 3.5 - it has exactly the program you need: Livetype.

Perfect for 3D text, titles, graphics etc
 
fluidedge

fluidedge

macrumors 65816
Nov 1, 2007
1,365
16
to do something like that you need livetype and a compositing program like after effects or shake.
 
fluidedge

fluidedge

macrumors 65816
Nov 1, 2007
1,365
16
sorry do you want to animate text and comp it into moving footage or create still images and still 3d text, because microsoft word can make 3d text like that and then you can composite in photoshop
 
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stainlessliquid

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 22, 2006
1,622
0
Its for a static design, I want to make curved text over a photo of a door (like its a sign). Since its going on a photo it has to be very realistic despite everything getting stylized at "arted" up. I dont want it to be gimpy and ghetto, it needs to be professional and really well done.
 
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Eric5h5

macrumors 68020
Dec 9, 2004
2,489
590
If you want it to look photorealistic, then it will probably have to be done in a 3D app. Blender does raytraced 3D text pretty easily, and is free. If you don't want to learn a 3D app just to do this one thing, then it would probably be worth hiring someone else to do it.

--Eric
 
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stainlessliquid

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 22, 2006
1,622
0
Ah, Blender is what Ive been trying to remember. I knew there was some free 3d app that people thought was pretty good. I'll try messing around with that first.

I cant pay someone to do it, no money and its for my portfolio website, I have to do it all myself. Im not under a time restraint either since its a personal project, so learning stuff is fine.
 
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