Create a cool Fading 3D Trail on your text!

Follow these simple steps to make your text look attractive. You can also try this effect using Fireworks MX 2004.

Step 1 Type your text on the canvas. In this tutorial a different color is used for each character in the text so that the final visual effect is eye-catching.

Step 2 Select text and click on Modify>Convert to Bitmap . This converts the image to a Bitmap.

Step 3 Select the text and click on Filters >Eye Candy >Motion Trail.

Step 4 Now the Motion Trail window appears as below. You can view a circular image with a point, click on the point and move over the circle, you can see the value under 'Direction' keep changing. This value adjusts the position of the trail. I have given the Direction value as 87. As you keep adjusting the point you can simultaneously view the resulting effect in the preview screen at the right side of the window.

Step 5

Length - Click on the small triangle below the bar to adjust the length of the Trail. I have set the value to 110 as I do not wish the text to have a long trail. This is left to your choice, depending on the type of design for which you are creating this effect.

Taper - This option adjusts the tapering width of the trail. I have set the value to 60.

Overall Opacity - This option adjusts the transparency of the trail. The lower the opacity, the prominent the text. I've set the value to 60 as I want the text to be readable.

Step 6

Smear Color from Edges - If this option is checked, the Trail pulls the color from the edge of the text, else takes the color from the whole area of the text. In my tutorial I have checked this option.

Draw only outside selection - When this option is checked the trail will appear only outside the text. I haven't checked this option.

The end result will look something like this.

Step 2 in this tut isn't needed because when you click on your text and then go to Filters>Eye Candy>Motion Trail it will say that it has changed the text into a bitmap... or it should... also depend on the OS system... Like i know for sure that you don't have to do step 2 on a MAC...

Other than that... good tut...