In
this tutorial, you will learn how to create a wafer-inspired text
effect with the help of the 3D options and the Transform effect to
obtain the wafer layers in Adobe Illustrator. You will also create the wafer pattern from
scratch using a custom pattern brush, and you’ll finish with the shiny
melted chocolate running down on the letters. Sounds delicious!
This
text effect was inspired by the Frosted Chocolate Wafers Alphabet Letters Set available on GraphicRiver. If you want more Illustrator
styles or food vectors, head over to GraphicRiver and browse through
a multitude of amazing designs.
Tutorial
Assets
To
complete the tutorial you will need the following assets:
1. How
to Open a New Document
Launch
Illustrator
and
go to File
> New to
open a blank document. Type a name for your file, set the
dimensions, and then select Pixels
as
Units
and
RGB
as
Color
Mode.
Next,
go to Edit
> Preferences > General and
set the Keyboard
Increment to
1
px and, while there, go to Units
to
make sure they are set as in the following image. I usually work with
these settings, and they will help you throughout the drawing process.
2. How
to Prepare the Text
Step
1
Grab
the Type Tool (T) and write “WAFER” on your artboard using the
Bob Font from Envato Elements. After that, choose Expand and Ungroup (Shift-Control-G)
from the Object menu to get the individual letters.
Step
2
Now,
take the Direct Selection Tool (A) and use it to move some of the
anchor points in order to make the indicated areas a little wider.
3. How
to Create the Wafer Layers
Step
1
Now
that the letters are ready, you can select all of them and go to
Effect
> 3D > Extrude & Bevel.
Set the Rotation Coordinates and settings as shown, and then hit OK.
Step
2
Focus
on the letter “A”. Choose Expand Appearance from the Object menu
and then Ungroup (Shift-Control-G) a few times until you get all the
shapes separated. Now, select only the four thin brown shapes (the
first wafer layer) and go to Effect > Distort & Transform >
Transform. Type 2.6 px in the Vertical Move field, choose 6 Copies, and then hit OK. As a result, you will get seven wafer layers, but because they’re filled with the same color, they are not clearly visible at this
point.
Repeat
the same thing for the other four letters.
Step
3
While
the seven wafer layers for the letter “A”
are still selected, choose Expand Appearance from the Object menu to
expand the Transform effect. Now, you can select each layer
separately with the Direct Selection Tool (A) and recolor them.
Repeat
the same thing for the other letters.
4. How
to Create and Apply a Wafer Pattern Brush
Step
1
Use
the Rectangle Tool (M) to draw a small 25 x 5 px rectangle filled
with gray (1). Now, use the Direct Selection Tool (A) to select only
the top corner points and move them inwards by pressing the
Arrow keys on your keyboard five times (2).
While
the new gray shape stays selected, go to Object > Transform >
Reflect, check Horizontal, and then hit Copy. Align the second shape
to the bottom of the first one, and change the fill color to
pink (3).
Drag
the gray and pink shapes into the Brushes panel and choose New
Pattern Brush. In the Pattern Brush Options window, just type a name
for your new brush and set the Colorization Method to Tints and
Shades.
Step
2
Use
the Line Segment Tool () or the Pen Tool (P) to draw a straight path
over the letter “W” and stroke it with the new Wafer Pattern
Brush. Reduce the Stroke Weight to 0.5 pt and use pink as the stroke
color (1).
While
the pink path stays selected, go to Object > Transform >
Reflect, check Horizontal, and hit Copy in order to get a second path.
Choose a different stroke color, such as green (2). Align the two
paths so the pink and green shapes match perfectly (see close-up).
Step
3
Multiply
the pink path and arrange the copies between the green shapes. You
may need to zoom to make sure they all match perfectly. Keep making
copies of the pink path until the letter “W” is covered (1).
Now,
multiply the green path and arrange all the copies between the pink
ones. Make sure they are matching, and this will be the wafer pattern
(2).
Step 4
Select
all the pink and green paths and choose Expand Appearance from the
Object menu to get the individual small shapes. Now, use the Direct
Selection Tool (A) to select only one of the pink shapes, and go to
Select > Same > Fill Color. As a result, Illustrator will
select all the pink shapes for you, and you can easily change the fill
color to cream (1).
Next,
use the Direct Selection Tool (A) to select only one of the purple
shapes, and then go to Select > Same > Fill Color. Illustrator
will select all the purple shapes for you, and you can change the fill
color to beige (2).
Step
5
Follow
the same technique and recolor all the light green shapes with the
color indicated (1); then recolor the darker green shapes to brown
(2).
Step
6
Select
the W shape and Copy and Paste in Place (Shift-Control-V) to make a
copy of it in front of the wafer pattern. Set this copy to
stroke-none and fill-none.
Now,
select the wafer pattern along with the copy of the letter and go to
Object > Clipping Mask > Make (Control-7).
I’ve
explained the process of creating the wafer pattern for the letter
“W”. Apply the same method to create the pattern on the rest of
the letters.
5. How
to Color the Wafer Pattern Squares
Step
1
First,
select the W shape, and then Copy and Paste in Place (Shift-Control-V)
to make a copy of it. Give it any fill color (1).
Now,
select the two groups of shapes that make up the wafer pattern from
under the existing mask and Copy and Paste in Place (Shift-Control-V)
to make copies of them. Press Unite in the Pathfinder panel, and then
go to Object > Compound Path > Make (Control-8). Fill the
resulting wafer
compound path
with pink (2). Before you continue, make two copies of it for
later use, but hide them for the moment.
Select
the blue W shape along with the wafer compound path and press Minus
Front in the Pathfinder panel. You will get a group of blue squares
(3).
Step
2
Follow
the technique explained above to obtain the blue squares on the other
four letters as well (1). After you are done, fill each group of
squares with the linear gradient shown at a 90º Angle (2).
Drag these groups of squares between the wafer pattern and the actual
letters in the Layers panel.
6. How
to Create Shading on the Wafer Pattern Squares
Step
1
Focus
on the letter “W” and make a copy of the wafer compound path visible
again (1). Copy and Paste
in Front (Control-F)
this compound path and move it 1 px upwards by pressing the Up Arrow
key on your keyboard once (2).
While
both wafer compound paths stay selected, press Minus Front in the
Pathfinder panel. As a result, you will get a group of reversed
V-like shapes at the top of the wafer squares (3).
Step 2
Fill
the group of shapes obtained in the previous step with brown; then go
to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and apply a Radius of 1 px
(1).
Name
this group “shading” and drag it under the existing mask and
under the wafer pattern in the Layers panel (2).
7. How
to Create Highlights on the Wafer Pattern Squares
Step
1
Make
the second copy of the wafer compound path visible again (1). Copy
and Paste
in Front (Control-F)
this compound path, and this time, move it 1 px downwards by pressing
the Down Arrow key on your keyboard once (2).
While
both compound paths stay selected, press Minus Front in the
Pathfinder panel. You will get a group of V-like shapes at the bottom
of the wafer squares (3).
Step
2
Fill
the group of shapes obtained at the previous step with the color
indicated, and apply a 1 px Gaussian Blur (1).
Name
this group “highlight” and drag it under the existing mask and
under the wafer pattern in the Layers panel (2).
Step
3
I’ve
explained how to color and how to add shading and highlights on the
wafer squares for the letter “W”. Apply the same method to add
details on the other four letters.
8. How
to Create Texture on the Wafer Letters
Step
1
First,
let’s create a mask shape. Select all the wafer layers and then Copy
and Paste in Place (Shift-Control-V) to make copies of them in front
of everything. Press Unite in the Pathfinder panel and, after that, go
to Object > Compound Path > Make (Control-8).
Step
2
Next,
select the letters and Copy and Paste in Place (Shift-Control-V)
to make copies of them. Go to Object > Compound Path > Make
(Control-8) to obtain a new compound path out of them (1).
While
the red and pink compound paths stay selected, press Minus Front in
the Pathfinder panel; then go to Object > Compound Path > Make
(Control-8). We’ll use the resulting compound path to mask the
texture next (2).
Step
3
Use
the Rectangle Tool (M) to draw a rectangle that covers the letters.
Select gray as the fill color; then go to Effect > Texture >
Texturizer and apply the settings shown (1).
While
this rectangle stays selected, also select the mask shape obtained in the previous step and go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make
(Control-7) (2). Set the rectangle to Blending Mode Soft Light (3).
Step
4
Make
copies of the five letters and then go to Object > Compound Path >
Make (Control-8). Fill the new compound path with gray and apply the
Texturizer effect using the same settings (1). Set the Blending Mode
to Overlay and reduce the Opacity to 40%.
Make
a copy of the same compound path in front and remove all existing
appearances. Use it to mask the texture to get sharp edges (2).
9. How
to Create the Melted Chocolate
Step
1
Let’s
cover the top of the wafer letters with delicious melted chocolate.
Look
at the wafer letters and imagine chocolate running down on them. Use
the Pen Tool (P) to define that melted chocolate on each letter (1).
Next, join the paths between them (2) and, at the end, close the
shape at the top to cover the letters (3).
Step
2
While
the chocolate shape stays selected, add a New Fill in the Appearance
panel above the existing brown one. Use the radial gradient shown;
then go to Effect > Sketch > Chrome and apply the settings
shown. Set the Blending Mode to Soft Light.
Step
3
With
the chocolate shape still selected, add a New Fill at the top of the
Appearance panel and use white as the fill color. Go to Effect >
Stylize > Inner Glow and apply the settings shown. Set the
Blending Mode to Multiply (white becomes transparent).
Step
4
Make
a compound path out of the wafer layers and another compound path out
of the letters, as you did before (1). While both shapes stay
selected, press Unite in the Pathfinder panel, and then go to Object >
Compound Path > Make (Control-8) (2).
Step
5
Select
the chocolate shape and Copy and Paste in Place (Shift-Control-V) to
make a copy of it in front of everything. Remove all existing
appearances and just give it a fill color (1).
While
the blue and pink shapes stay selected, press Intersect in the
Pathfinder panel and then go to Object > Compound Path > Make
(Control-8) (2).
Use
the Delete Anchor Point Tool (-) and the Add Anchor Point Tool (+) to
distort the resulting shape, especially at the top. Add a lot more
anchor points and move them randomly to create an irregular edge (3).
Step
6
Select
the chocolate shape along with the pink compound path from the
previous step (stroke-none, fill-none) and go to Object > Clipping
Mask > Make (Control-7).
10. How
to Create a Shadow Under the Melted Chocolate
Step
1
Make
a copy of the chocolate shape and move it behind the original
chocolate but in front of the wafer letters. Remove the existing
appearances because we have new ones. Select dark brown as the fill
color and apply the Drop Shadow effect using the settings shown.
Step
2
We
need a mask shape now. Make a compound path out of the wafer layers
and another compound path out of the letters, as you did before (1).
While both shapes stay selected, press Unite in the Pathfinder panel
and then go to Object > Compound Path > Make (Control-8) (2).
Step
3
Go
to the Layers panel and find the mask shape that you used for
the chocolate. Copy and Paste it in Place (Shift-Control-V) because
we need a copy of it (the orange shape) (1).
While
the blue and orange shapes stay selected, press Unite in the
Pathfinder panel and then go to Object > Compound Path > Make
(Control-8) (2). Use this new compound path to mask the copy of the
chocolate shape with the Drop Shadow effect applied to it (3).
11. How
to Add Details and Shine on the Melted Chocolate
Step
1
Grab
the Pen Tool (P) and draw a few paths following the top edge of the
chocolate (1). Give all of them a 5 pt black Stroke and use Width
Profile 1 in the Stroke panel. Next, go to Effect > Blur >
Gaussian Blur and apply a Radius of 2 px; then set the Blending Mode
to Multiply and reduce the Opacity to 25% (2).
Group
(Control-G) all these paths and drag the group under the existing
mask used for the chocolate in order to mask the blur that goes over
the top edge.
Step
2
Take
a closer look at the chocolate and at the details created by the
Chrome effect (1). Follow those details and draw a few paths on top using the Pen Tool
(P) (2).
Give all of them a 2 pt white Stroke and
use Width Profile 1 again. Apply a 2 px Gaussian Blur; then set
the Blending Mode to Overlay and 75% Opacity (3).
Step
3
Draw
more paths on the chocolate as shown in the image below, where there is a
bigger empty space (1). Give them a 4 pt white Stroke and use Width Profile 1 again. Apply a 4 px Gaussian Blur; then set the
Blending Mode to Overlay and 25% Opacity (2).
Step
4
Let’s
add more shine. Draw a few paths following the bottom edge of the
chocolate (1) with the Pen Tool (P). Give them a 4 pt Stroke using
the color indicated and use the Black Blend Art Brush 100×3 (info
below). Next, go to Effect > Stylize > Feather and apply a
Radius of 4 px (2).
I
have an entire tutorial dedicated to Blend
Art Brushes and
how useful they are. I use them in my drawings all the time. You can
find out how to create and save the Black
Blend Art Brush 100×3 that
we are using today in How
to Create a Set of Multi-Use Blend Brushes in Adobe Illustrator.
Since
the Colorization of the brush is set to Tints, when you select
another stroke color, the brush becomes that color as well, despite
its name.
Step
5
Let’s
add even more shine. Draw more paths closer to the edges of the
chocolate (1) using the Pen Tool (P). Give all of them a 3 pt Stroke
and use the Black Blend Art Brush 100×3 again. Go to Effect >
Stylize > Feather and apply a Radius of 4 px to make them smoother
(2).
12. How
to Add a Shadow Under the Wafer Letters
Go
to the Layers panel and find the shape that you have used to mask the
shadow under the melted chocolate. Copy and Paste it in Place
(Shift-Control-V) because we need it again (the gray compound path).
Move
this copy to a new layer called “Shadow” under the letters, and
then apply the Drop Shadow effect twice.
These
are the settings for the Drop Shadow effects:
Congratulations!
You’re Done
Here
is the final image of the wafer text effect that gets covered with
delicious melted chocolate. I hope you enjoyed this sweet tutorial and
learned new techniques. Don’t forget to share an image with us if you
decide to recreate it.
Keep on drawing and learning with the recommended tutorials from below.
