Text problems with Trapcode 3D stroke

[Ben Griggs]

Hi,

Just to clarify, Trapcode’s 3D stroke only works on masks not outlines. So, type out your text then select it, then go to Layer->autotrace. Supposing you have the default user colors the text will now be outlined in yellow (mask) instead of blue (outline) Mess around with the trace features as it tries to use as few curves as possible while tracing.

This will give you a new layer “auto-traced layername” then you can hide or delete the original text layer.

Apply 3d stroke and go at it as usual.

I have seen this question a few times and nowhere is it exactly said how to get a mask from any object like that. The only problem about it is the text cannot be changed without starting it all over with the tracing.

[Ben Griggs]

A few links,

I figured out the above from this page
https://livedocs.adobe.com/en_US/AfterEffects/8.0/help.html?content=WSE109AE3D-1512-4ab6-AC80-78CC82E05A26.html

Trapcodes 3D Stroke tutorials on their site
https://www.trapcode.com/products_3dstroke.html

and what I call “eye candy and inspiration page” from Trapcode
https://www.trapcode.com/gallery.html
Just to see the possibilities

Best,
Ben

[Ruthie Hendershot]

Thanks so much for response, because that’s a way to do it within After Effects that I couldn’t figure out–it’s tricky. I finally realized it had to be a mask, and found another way using Illustrator. If you draw anything in AI, then do Ctr-C into clipboard, then go back to After Effects and click on the solid layer you should have already made (click on object, NOT timeline), then Crl-V it makes a mask. In Illustrator I outlined my text. Trapcode 3D stroke then does all its cool manipulations.

Still wondering where to download PDF manual or such for Trapcode products? I was going to buy a bundle while I’m a student.