This is HOW to Design Live Text Effects in Illustrator

In this article, you will learn how to create custom, fully editable text effects using Adobe Illustrator. Follow along with these steps to achieve a stunning design.

Step 1: Set Up Your Artboard

Start by creating an artboard sized at 600 by 300 pixels. Open your Swatches panel from Window > Swatches, and make sure you have four global swatches available. If you do not see the Swatches panel, go to Window and enable it.

Step 2: Create and Customize Your Text

Select the Type Tool, click anywhere on the artboard, and type your text. Choose your font; in this tutorial, the font "Visby" is used, but you can choose any font you like. Adjust the font size to 130 points and center your text both horizontally and vertically.

Step 3: Add and Modify Fills with the Appearance Panel

Open the Appearance panel by going to Window > Appearance. Add a new fill using the bottom icon in this panel. Choose the light gray swatch for the fill color. Duplicate this fill and change the bottom one to dark purple. Add an offset path effect (Effects > Path > Offset Path) with a setting of 5 pixels.

Next, add a transform effect (Effects > Distort & Transform > Transform). Move the text horizontally and vertically by 1 pixel and set the number of copies to 10.

Step 4: Duplicate and Customize Fills

Duplicate the fill again and change the color to the mid purple swatch. Expand the options and increase the number of copies. Repeat this process with the lighter purple to ensure all your purples are a consistent width.

Step 5: Create Background and Add Final Effects

Select the Rectangle Tool, create a background, and fill the artboard. If snapping is an issue, enable Smart Guides with Command (or Control) + U and resize the rectangle. Right-click, go to Arrange, and select Send to Back.

Add another new fill to the text, drag it to the bottom of the stack, and set it to white. Apply an offset path of 10 pixels and a transform effect with 1 pixel move and increased copies to cover the design.

Step 6: Final Adjustments and Effects

Convert your text to outlines (Type > Create Outlines), then use the Direct Selection Tool to round off the corners.

Apply a free distort effect (Effects > Distort & Transform > Free Distort) and adjust the right control points to skew the text. Ensure you select the group before applying this effect.

For the background, open the Gradient panel, apply a radial gradient, and adjust the mid purple and super dark purple colors. Tune the gradient's midpoint and adjust its shape.

Finally, lock the background (Object > Lock > Selection), center your final design, and you’re done!

Keywords

Adobe Illustrator
Custom Text Effects
Editable Text
Appearance Panel
Offset Path
Transform
Global Swatches
Free Distort
Radial Gradient
Create Outlines

FAQ

Q: How do I enable the Swatches Panel in Adobe Illustrator?
A: Go to Window and select Swatches from the drop-down menu.

Q: What if my background does not snap into position?
A: Enable Smart Guides with Command (or Control) + U to improve snapping accuracy.

Q: Can I keep the text editable after applying these effects?
A: It’s possible, but for perfect results, you may need to convert the text to outlines.

Q: How can I adjust the color of a gradient on the background?
A: Use the Gradient panel, double-click on the swatches to select new colors, and adjust the gradient type and positions as needed.

Q: Why do I need to round the corners after converting text to outlines?
A: Rounding the corners helps fix janky and inconsistent edges, ensuring a smooth and uniform border.

This wraps up your tutorial on creating stunning, fully editable text effects in Adobe Illustrator. For more design tips and tricks, check out additional resources and videos on our platform.