# PhotoShop technique help: extruded text? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 18, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-technique-help-extruded-text/404540 "2007-05-18T02:28:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-technique-help-extruded-text/404540/1 "2007-05-18T02:28:58Z")
Can anyone tell me if there’s a way, in PhotoShop (broke freelancer here; still got 6.0), to create an “extruded” effect in text? (See [example](http://www.amazon.com/WKRP-Cincinnati-Complete-First-Season/dp/B000MXPE6U/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-5633711-0711355?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1179454400&sr=8-1).) Need to be able to do it in “layer properties,” because the text needs to remain editable. I can do every other friggin thing I want to do in layer properties, but I can’t figure out how to do extruded text. Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2007, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-technique-help-extruded-text/404540/2 "2007-05-18T02:53:52Z")
Not really. You can play with bevelled edges and shadows to try your best, but what you’re really after is a 3D effect, that Photoshop doesn’t really do as well as you are hoping. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2007, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-technique-help-extruded-text/404540/3 "2007-05-18T02:56:51Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] Not really. You can play with bevelled edges and shadows to try your best, but what you’re really after is a 3D effect, that Photoshop doesn’t really do as well as you are hoping. [/QUOTE] Yeah, that’s about where I’m at. Hard to believe PowerPoint has it all over PhotoShop on text effects. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2007, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-technique-help-extruded-text/404540/4 "2007-05-18T03:09:16Z")
Well, pseudo-3D effects like that are normally not what most designers are after, but if need be they know how to do it without using ‘styles’. Or they use something like Illustrator to do it with instead. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2007, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-technique-help-extruded-text/404540/5 "2007-05-18T03:09:59Z")
Text effects in Photoshop are kind of an afterthought. You’re lucky to have 6.0. I found a [$99 plug-in](http://www.vertigo3d.com/hottext/index.html). ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2007, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-technique-help-extruded-text/404540/6 "2007-05-18T04:28:12Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] Yeah, that’s about where I’m at. Hard to believe PowerPoint has it all over PhotoShop on text effects. [/QUOTE] Because the typical kind of things you do in PowerPoint is more text-related than the typical kind of things you do in Photoshop. Personally, I’d do it in Illustrator. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2007, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-technique-help-extruded-text/404540/7 "2007-05-18T23:51:45Z")
Right. I have PhotoShop only at this work computer. As I indicated, I’m aware it’s possible in other programs; I need to do it in PhotoShop. Thanks all for your input.