Add, remove, or rearrange material layers

You can add multiple material layers to create more complicated textures for 3D text. For example, if you combine an Aluminum substance layer with a Grey Granite substance layer, your 3D text takes on a metallic ore finish that may or may not exist in nature. Likewise, you can add paint layers, finish layers, distress layers, and emit layers to create highly realistic (or highly fanciful) textures that show signs of aging, dirtiness, radiance, and other real-world qualities.

The order in which material layers are applied affects the appearance of the object. For example, you might add a wood surface layer, a paint layer, and various distress layers to create a material that looks like it’s made of painted wood that has been aged and worn. Each layer affects the layers stacked beneath it in the Appearance pane, and rearranging the layers creates different results.

You can also remove, rearrange, or temporarily disable material layers.

Add a material layer to a 3D texture

In the Layers list, Timeline, or Canvas, select a 3D text object.
In the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector, click Add Layer (in the Options section), then choose a new material layer option (Substance, Paint, Finish, Distress, or Emit) and subtype from the pop-up menu.
The new material layer and its adjustable controls are added in the Appearance pane.
To add another material layer, repeat step 2.
Adjust material layer controls in the Appearance pane to achieve the look you want.
For a description of all material layer controls, see Material controls overview.

Enable or disable a material layer

You can temporarily turn off or turn on any material layer to see how it’s affecting the overall texture.

In the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector, click the activation checkbox to the left of the material layer name (Substance, Paint, Distress, and so on).
When the checkbox is highlighted blue, the material layer effect is visible in the Canvas. When the checkbox is dimmed, the effect is turned off.

Rearrange the stacking order of material layers

The stacking order of material layers in the Appearance pane affects a 3D texture’s appearance in the Canvas. You can rearrange the stacking order to create different looks.

In the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector, drag a material layer name (Substance, Paint, Distress, and so on), to a new position in the stack.

Remove a material layer

In the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector, click a material layer name (Substance, Paint, Distress, and so on), then press Delete.

Tip: To select and modify multiple material layers at once, Shift-click or Command-click the layers. This is especially useful if you want to delete or rearrange all the layers at once.