How to Create a World AIDS Day Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator

In the following steps you will learn how to create a World AIDS Daytext effect in Adobe Illustrator.

For starters, you will learn how to add two simple pieces of text and how to adjust them. Using multiple fills inside the Appearance panel, some basic effects and the 3D Rotate effect, you will learn how to add the 3D look for your text. Finally, you will learn how to create a simple, flat background.

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

1. How to Create a New Document & Add Text

Hit Control-N to create a new document. Select Pixels from the Units drop-down menu, enter 850 in the width box and 560 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 that Create Document button.

Step 2

Pick the Type Tool (T) and open the Character panel (Window > Type > Character). Select the Insaniburger font, and set the Size to 130 px and the Tracking to 50 px.

Move to your artboard, click on it, and add your text about as shown below. Make it black.

Step 3

Using the same font and color attributes, add a second piece of text as shown in the following image.

Step 4

Select your pieces of text, focus on the Swatches panel (Window > Swatches), and click that [None] swatch to remove the black fill. This should basically make your text invisible.

Step 5

Make sure that your two pieces of text are still selected, focus on the Appearance panel (Window > Appearance), and add a new fill using the Add New Fill button. Select this fill and set the color to R=255 G=70 B=80.

2. How to Apply the 3D Effect

Step 1

Make sure that your pieces of text are still selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel. Add a second fill, drag it below the existing one, and select it. Set the color to R=202 G=23 B=30 and then go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Enter the attributes shown below and then click that OK button.

Step 2

Make sure that your pieces of text are still selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel. Add a third fill, drag it below the existing ones, and select it. Set the color to R=202 G=23 B=30 and then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Enter a 3 px Offset, click that OK button, and then go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Enter the attributes shown below and then click that OK button.

Step 3

Make sure that your two pieces of text are still selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel. Simply click that "Type" piece of text from the top of the panel and go to Effect > 3D > Rotate. Enter the attributes shown in the following image and then click that OK button.

3. How to Add a Background

Step 1

Pick the Type Tool and focus on the Character panel. Select the Century Gothic font, make it Bold, and then set the Size to 43 px and the Tracking to -10. Add the "World AIDS Day" text, set its color to R=202 G=23 B=30, and go to Effect > 3D > Rotate. Enter the attributes shown below and then click that OK button.

Step 2

Pick the Rectangle Tool (M) and simply click on your artboard to open the Rectangle window. Set the Width to 860 px and theHeight to 570 px and then click that OK button to create your rectangle.

Fill it with R=252 G=242 B=243, make sure that it covers your entire artboard, and easily send it to back using the Shift-Control-[ keyboard shortcut.

Congratulations! You're Done!

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

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