Create Stunning 3D Titles in After Effects from Scratch Using 3D Path Effects

If you’re looking for a trendy typography style to impress your audience, the 3D Title Path technique is sure to inspire your creativity. You can produce incredible fullscreen title animations, and the 3D Path technique can be used in many different ways to create new and exciting typography sequences.

In this tutorial, you’ll:

• Understand how to use Mask Paths in Adobe After Effects to create cool title animations.
• Learn how to copy and paste paths between layers in After Effects and create a 3D look.
• Check out Motion Array’s incredible collection of 3D title templates, which you can download today.

Part 1: How to Create Trendy 3D Title Paths in After Effects from Scratch

Creating 3D elements in After Effects can seem a bit complicated at first, but once you master the 3D Path technique, you’ll find plenty of ways to improve your other compositions.

Step 1: Create Your Title Shape

The first step is to create the layers you need. While both are created using text layers in After Effects, they have very different functions, so it’s important to remember which is which.

1. Create a text layer with the shape you want to wrap your title around — adjust the size, font, and weight until you’re happy with the shape.
2. Rename the layer Shape.
3. Create a second text layer and add your message, adjust the look, and rename the layer TItle.
4. In the Timeline, select the Shape layer and go to Layer > Autotrace.
5. Make sure the Tolerance is set to around 5 in the popup box and hit OK.
6. Hide the Shape layer.
7. For the traced Layer, toggle down Mask > Mask 1.
8. Select the Mask Path and hit Command/Control + C on your Keyboard.
9. Select the Title layer and hit Command/Control + V to paste the Path to your title.
10. Select the Title layer and toggle down Text > Path Options.
11. Next to Path, click on the dropdown menu and choose Mask 1.

Step 2: Adding Movement to your Title

Your title will now be contained within the Path shape which can be a cool effect to use. The next step is creating the 3D wrap-around style movement.

1. In the Layers panel, make the Title 3D.
2. Toggle down the Title menu and click Animate > Enable Per Character 3D.
3. Click Animate again, and this time choose Rotation.
4. Toggle down the Rotation options and set the X Rotation to 90 degrees.
5. Toggle down the Path Options and find the First Margin property.
6. In the Expression box, type Time*50.

Step 3: Making it 3D

If you’ve successfully completed the second step, you won’t be able to see your title. Don’t worry; all you need to do is adjust the angle.

1. Create a Null layer.
2. Select your Shape, Title, and traced Layer, and Pick Whip them to the Null Layer.
3. In the Layers menu, enable 3D for the Null.
4. Open the Null Transform properties and play around with the Rotation, Position, and Scale. 
5. You can add Keyframes to any of the properties to create different effects.

Top Tip: You can also use a Camera to add movement to your scene. To learn more about using AE Cameras, check out this handy guide.

Part 2: Cool Effects with the 3D Path Technique

Creating a 3D title path is fun, but it is still a pretty basic effect. Check out some of our top customizations for your 3D Title animation.

Add a Border

Adding a border can really help your title stand out, and you’ve already got most of what you need to create one.

1. Turn the traced Layer back on so it is visible.
2. In the Effects Control Panel, search for Stoke and add it to the Layer.
3. In the Effects Controls Panel, change the Paint Style to On Transparent.

Create 3D Character Looks.

If creating a 3D Path isn’t enough, you can also add a 3D look to the individual characters in your title.

1. Select the Title layer and hit Command/Control + D to duplicate it.
2. Double-click on the Title layer to highlight the text.
3. In the Character Panel, adjust the color to be darker/lighter than your first Layer.
4. Using the Position tools, offset the Title layer so it appears as a highlight/shadow on the characters.

Use a Shape Instead

We’ve taken you through all the steps to produce a 3D Path from a Text Layer, but you can create this effect from any shape layer to logos. The key to the 3D title effect is the Mask Path, so you can do this with any element you can Auto Trace.

Part 3: Top 3 Motion Array 3D Title Templates

If you don’t have the time to create 3D title effects yourself, why not choose from the hundreds of fantastic designs available at Motion Array? You can learn more about how to use templates to create 3D text in After Effects in this helpful tutorial. Here are some of our favorites from the catalog.

Grotesk Typography Titles

The Grotesk Typography Titles includes 5 full-screen text elements, each with a quirky animated style. The 5 designs include circular Rotation, a cool tube-style structure, and a warpy wormhole look — ideal for creating opening title sequences or fun social media updates.

React Typography Stories

The React Typography Stories pack includes 4 incredible designs, ideal for fullscreen titles, digital posters, and typography videos. The designs include a trippy kaleidoscope-style animation with flower petal shapes, doughnuts, and 3D rings.

Crazy Typo

Crazy Typo is the perfect name for this massive collection of 20 fullscreen titles. Ideal for backgrounds and transitory titles, the designs focus on perspective, with wormholes, spheres, and crazy knotted shapes.

Creating titles for your projects doesn’t need to be boring; you can make tons of fantastic effects with some know-how and patience. If you want more cool title animations to inspire your work, check out our 25 Top-Notch After Effects Text Presets & Effects for Creatives. If you want to continue to develop your After Effects skills, read our tutorial on creating 3D title animations using environment layers.