In this tutorial, we will continue the holiday project by adding the first part of the 3D rotation of the holiday text. It will rise from the snow to a standing position. This is a simple 3D task in Motion^R that doesn't even require the use of 3D cameras.

We will be using the 3D Transform tool to rotate the text graphic. But first, lets temporarily lock the snow Indent, Shadow, Company and BG sub layers in the Photoshop 1 group.

1. Open your project and lock the Indent, Shadow, Company and BG layers.
   
   The total text animation will last 4 seconds and we will use the Record feature to create the Keyframes on the Timeline that will control the animation. Now, we will work on the first 2 seconds of the animation.
   
   But first we need to turn on the Grid overlay on the Canvas. From the Menubar, click View - Overlays - Grid. Notice the position of the text within the Grid. You will need this later.
   
   
2. With the Playhead at the first frame on the Timeline, start recording keyframes by clicking the Record button on the Toolbar.
   
   
3. With the Text layer selected, expand the Selection/Transform Tools menu by clicking on the arrow next to the Transform icon in the Toolbar. Select the Anchor Point tool. In the Canvas, you will see a box surround the text and the red and green arrows appear at the center of the text.
   
   We want to rotate the text message layer but by default the rotation Anchor Point is at the center of the graphic. We want the text to rotate at the bottom edge. So let's move the Anchor Point.
   
   
4. On the Canvas, drag the green arrow downward until the red arrow overlays the bottom line of the surrounding box.
   
   Now, we will use the 3D Transform tool to rotate the text to appear that it is laying on the snow.
   
   
5. Select the 3D Transform tool from the Toolbar and place your cursor over the controls on the Canvas, until you see a vertical red line. Drag downward on this red line as the text moves forward until flat on the snow.
   
   Now that the text is laying on the snow, we need to match the position and the slant of the letters with the indentation using the Distort tool.
   
   
6. Switch to the Distort tool and adjust the letters to match the indentation in the snow by dragging the bottom blue corner handles outward.
   
   Don't worry if you can't get the text to match exactly with the indentation. The indentation will not be visible until the letters have started rising, giving the appearance that the letters left the indentation in the snow.
   
   That sets the starting position of the text for the animation. We are still recording, so lets move to the 2 seconds position on the Timeline and set the ending position of the text.
   
   
7. With the Playhead at the 2 seconds position, switch to the 3D Transform tool. Drag upward on the red line until the text is vertical.
   
   
8. Switch to the Distort tool and drag the top left handle inward until the left side of the surrounding box is vertical. Repeat this for the right handle. The text should be in its original upright position.
   
   
9. Turn off the Record button and test the animation.
   
   

The text should rise from the snow to a vertical position. You should have two keyframes (small red dots) under the Text Layer's Object Bar on the Timeline.

But we want the text to continue moving backwards until it almost touches the snow behind the letters. In the next tutorial, we will extend our animation 2 more seconds for the second half of the animation.

Tutorial Example:


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