Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

In this tutorial, I will walk you through the steps to create this 3D Snowy Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop. We will render the 3D text in Cinema4D, then apply the snow effect in Photoshop. Have a try!

Final Image Preview

This is my final effect for this tutorial

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault final 550x440 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

To complete this tutorial, you will need:

Software:

Photoshop & Cinema4D

Stock Images:

Bear 1- http://arrsistablestock.deviantart.com/art/polar-bear-99584420

Bear 2 – http://lindsayfabulous.deviantart.com/art/polar-bear-107694167

Bear 3 – http://sikaris-stock.deviantart.com/art/polar-bear-stock-1-245809945

Bear 4 – http://monsterbrand-stock.deviantart.com/art/polar-bear-008-363542581

SnowMan – http://jssanda.deviantart.com/art/pre-cut-png-snowman-340416921

Snow 1- http://fairiegoodmother.deviantart.com/art/let-it-snow-stock-4-153069731

Snow2 – http://mimose-stock.deviantart.com/art/snow-at-night-105467263

Snow Material – http://cinema4dmaterials.com/textures/snow-and-ice.html

Mountain Stock – https://www.dropbox.com/s/atb3ldrzlo4tt3/10296.jpg (came with an advanced Photoshop magazine CD stock images)

Let’s get started!

STEP 1

Open up Maxon Cinema 4D and go to > Windows > Content Browser > Studio:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 1 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 2

Select Render under the Studio Folders and scroll down to the Sub-polygon displacement mountain 02:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 2 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 3

Open the Mountain Render then you should get this image on your C4D which we will be using as our ground and basically create a scene around it.

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 3 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 4

Now thing is we can’t really move the camera angles cause the Render is locked into position by Eric Smit created in 2004 so it says haha.. let us select the orange icons and delete them as well as the other written stuff highlighted in orange as shown:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 4 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 5

Here is how it looks now before we begin:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 5 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 6

As from now the camera is moveable again then we should get a good position to start working on and adding text too, focus on getting the front view of the mountain peak with a good angle that’s lying low almost before the ground similar to this one:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 6 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 7

Now let’s add some typography into the scene starting with “Snow” and using a TW CEN MT Font with the depth set 55cm:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 7 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 8

Then add in the “Time” with a ChunkFive Roman font also giving it the same depth of 55cm and Height set on 79cm, if you don’t have the font you can download it on http://dafont.com:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 8 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 9

Now open the Realistic Ice Material and apply it to the Snow and Time typo as this should now be your look:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 9 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 10

Now here’s a trick that will help you shape the ice on the words, double click on the ice material and turn on Displacement. You will see strength and height which you could use to increase more size on the ice and edges too in ways of experimenting on a new nicer look:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 10 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 11

Basically we done with Cinema 4D just keep dragging the words back and forth to get a proper middle form with the Mountain and Words all in the same place also use lights to give it more depth:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 11 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 12

Now save the Image so you can use it in Photoshop and add more to your scene. Here is our image now in Photoshop with the background painted with a Grey soft light brush set on 0% hardness:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 12 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 13

Add Mountains now behind the SnowTime Scene with the Mountain Stock, basically duplicating the same image on the sides and the top part then lastly blur it using Gaussian Blur radius set on 1.6 pixels:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 13 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 14

The mountains need some brightness on them to blend well with the front landscape, Grab the Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer set on Brightness – 58 Contrast – 37:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 14 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 15

Got a nicer scene now which will need to put in a Fog using a soft brush set on 0% hardness and brush over the sides or download a Fog brush from http://brusheezy.com/tag/fog:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 15 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 16

Here’s our image looks now:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 16 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 17

Add some clouds using cloud brushes that you can download here http://brusheezy.com/brushes/2187-24-clouds:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 17 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 18

Place more Fog on the sides to make it look more reach:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 18 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 19

Let’s add some misty look on the areas around the Words mainly the dark areas:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 19 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 20

Here’s our look with a better lighter view from the areas we lighted up:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 20 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 21

Background seems to be too light let us add a brightness/contrast adjustment layer to settle down the lighting set on Brightness -16 Contrast -28 Remember to use the layer for the background images and not the Cinema4D scene we created:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 21 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 22

Select the soft brush once more set on 0% hardness and a light grey color so you can brush around the sky reducing so much lighter sky look and creating a nicer cold atmosphere:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 22 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 23

Great look so far, lets add some color to the C4D landscape starting with the Color Balance adjustment layer set on Midtone only with Cyan: -20 Magenta: 0 Yellow: +8:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 23 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 24

Now a little of some brightness/contrast adjustment set on Brightness: +2 Contrast: 22:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 24 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 25

Use a Color balance again now on Midtone Cyan: -13 Magenta: 0 Yellow: +8:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 25 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 26

Lastly add some light set on Overlay blending mode using a soft light brush on 0% hardness brushing such areas as shown:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 26 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 27

Here is our image looks so far:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 27 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 28

Now moving to the background scene we need to make a bluish atmosphere also using the color balance adjustment layer on Midtone set on Cyan: -27 Magenta: 0 Yellow: +22:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 28 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 29

Here’s another preview:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 29 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 30

Now our scene looks awesome, let us add in the first polar bear to our scene and rescale {CTR+T} it as shown below:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 30 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 31

Use a soft light brush on 0% hardness and brush up the dark areas on the bear to brighten them up:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 31 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 32

Here’s an outcome of doing so after you have brushed the dark areas on the polar bear:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 32 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 33

Time for some color using the color balance we going to make the polar bear look like it is in the snow looking bluish starting with the Midtone set on Cyan: -18 Magenta: 0 Yellow: +13:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 33 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 34

Then select Highlights and set the settings as follows Cyan: -7 Magenta: -2 Yellow: +6:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 34 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 35

Now add in a Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer set on Brightness: 58 Contrast: -5:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 35 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 36

Lastly set your blending mode on soft light and create a shadow using the same soft brush we use if the shadow isn’t enough just duplicate the same layer again and again to increase the shadow strength:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 36 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 37

Now let`s add another polar bear into our scene and resize it also:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 37 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 38

It’s very important to make the feet blend well with the ground therefore we going to apply the same method we used to use a soft brush set on 0% hardness to brush up the areas shown:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 38 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 39

Zoom in if you have to, and then add some brightness to those feet:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 39 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 40

Again same step as before using the Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer to brighten up the bear from its original color set the settings on Brightness: 27 Contrast: -2:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 40 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 41

Set the color balance adjustment layer as follows to set the right color for the scene just on Midtone set Cyan:  -54 Magenta: -11 Yellow: +21:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 41 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 42

Create a shadow for the polar bear too:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 42 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 43

Now repeat the same method we used on the 2 polar bears to the rest of the other polar bears and the snowman too, No other layer has been added just the Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer, Color Balance and adding brightness on the feet with a shadow on it:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 43 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 44

I recommend using a Fog brush on creating a mistier look in the sky set the color on pure white:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 44 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 45

Add in snow the one named (snow at night) into the image and set the Blending mode to Screen:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 45 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 46

Now duplicate the snow image (CTRL+J) and add some motion for the snow to have some kind of direction and a windy look let’s grab a Motion blur filter and set it on Angle: 30 Distance: 5:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 46 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 47

Then time to add in the other snow image titled (let it snow) and set it to Screen also as blending mode then drop the Opacity to 25%:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 47 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 48

Now for some final touch ups we basically need to use only the Adjustment layers as my usual secret ingredient of ending photo manipulations let’s start with Brightness/Contrast set on brightness: -19 Contrast: 50:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 48 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 49

Now add Vibrance set on Vibrance: +44 Saturation: +2:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 49 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 50

Color Balance set on Midtone only change Cyan to +3

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 50 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 51

Change the same color balance tone to Highlights now set Cyan: -1 Magenta: -3 Yellow: +5:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 51 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

STEP 52

Add Photo Filter set on blue as color #097197 with Density of 34:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 52 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

FINAL STEP

Add another brightness/contrast adjustment layer and set brightness: -21 Contrast: 17. Also erase some areas on the sky using the adjustment layer mask to not look very bright:

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault 53 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

And Congratulations we are done! Here is our final image for this tutorial: (click to enlarge)

snowy 3d text tutorial psdvault final 550x440 Create 3D Snow Text Effect Using Cinema4D and Photoshop

Hope you enjoy this tutorial! Till next time, have a great day!