How to Create a Dripping Text Effect in DesignScape

Have you ever thought about creating a dripping text effect in DesignScape? You can use this text effect to make your designs pop! Combine the dripping text effect with some paint splatter vectors to create cool designs. Want to give DesignScape a try but not a Gold Plus Member yet? Then sign up for a free 30 Day Trial of the Gold Plus Membership today!

Before we get started, create a new project in DesignScape and load fonts you may need. We wanted our text to be bold and fun, so we loaded the mixed-case font, Allspice.

Step 1 - Add Text

Select the Type Tool (T) and pick your font. Then click on the canvas and enter your text.

Step 2 - Convert Text to Shape

Right-click on the text layer in the Layers panel and select Convert to Shape.

You will see that after you have converted the text to shapes, the letters will have a blue outline when the layer is selected.

Step 3 - Add More Anchor Points if Needed

We will be moving the anchor points and adjusting their handles in the next step to create the drips, so more anchor points need to be added if there are none where you need them.

Zoom in (Z) on a letter and select the Path Select tool (A). The edges of the letter may look jagged when zoomed in, but that’s ok.

With the Path Select tool, click on the letter to see its anchor points. The anchor points are the little blue squares on the blue path around the letter. If the letter doesn’t have very many anchor points, select the Pen tool (P), and click on the letter’s path where you want to add more anchor points.

Step 4 - Create Drips Using Direct Select Tool

Right-click on the Path Select tool and choose the Direct Select tool (A) this time.

Then click + drag an anchor point down with the Direct Select tool to create the bottom end of a drip.

The drip may come to a point. This type of anchor point is a corner point. To change it to a smooth point, double-click on the anchor point. Doing so will add handles to the anchor point and smooth out the path creating a curve.

Adjust the handles of the anchor point to change the path and its curve. The handles are the white circles you see when an anchor point is selected. Try to smooth out the curves of the drips.

Vary the length of the drips and the angles of the paths, and add more anchor points using the Pen Tool (P) if needed. No two drips should be exactly the same.

If your letters have holes, like ‘D’ or ‘B,’ or have other undersides aside from the bottom of the letter, like ‘E,’ ‘S,’ or ‘C,’ don’t forget to add drips to those undersides as well. See the following image for a better understanding.

Step 5 - Repeat Steps

Repeat Step 3 and Step 4 for the rest of the letters.

Step 6 - Add Layer Styles to Text

Double-click on the dripping text layer to open the Layer Style dialog for that layer.

Bevel and Emboss

Click on Bevel and Emboss to enable it. Then adjust the settings to your liking. We used the following settings:

• Style: Inner Bevel
• Technique: Smooth and Down
• Depth: 100%
• Size: 10px
• Soften: 0px
• Angle (top): -132°
• Angle (bottom): 62°
• Use global angle: Unchecked
• Contour: Linear
• Mode 1: Screen
• Mode 1 Color: White
• Mode 1 Opacity: 100%
• Mode 2: Multiply
• Mode 2 Color: Black
• Mode 2 Opacity: 80%

Drop Shadow

Click on Drop Shadow to enable it. This layer style is optional, but we’ll add it to make the text look more 3D. Change the settings to your liking. We used the following settings:

• Blend Mode: Multiply
• Color: Black
• Opacity: 46%
• Angle: 52°
• Use global angle: Unchecked
• Distance: 8px
• Spread: 0%
• Size: 13px
• Contour: Linear
• Noise: 0%
• Knock out drop shadow: Checked

Color Overlay

You can leave the text color as is and skip this part, or click on Color Overlay to enable the layer style. Click on the color picker icon to open the Color Picker dialog and change the text color. We chose a shade of orange.

Our finished dripping text effect design is shown below!

That’s all there is to creating a dripping text effect in DesignScape! Why not use what you have learned from this tutorial and create a sublimation design in DesignScape.