Sliced Text in Illustrator

We have several tutorials on creating different text designs, but today, we’ll show you how to create sliced text in Illustrator. This tutorial will cover dividing the text into pieces and moving them, arranging the layers in the correct order, applying an effect to make it look more realistic, and more.

In this tutorial, we used the Adobe font, Myriad Pro Bold, but some other good font options are these bold letter fonts available on Font Bundles. If you like the font in the image above, it’s called Bold Marker and is a Plus Product. If you’re not a Plus Member yet, we have a 30-day free trial for the Gold Plus Membership available.

Step 1 - Create a Rectangle Filled With a Gradient

Select the Rectangle Tool (M) and draw a rectangle covering the entire artboard.

Then use the Gradient panel to fill the rectangle with a gradient.

Step 2 - Lock the Layer 1 in the Layers Panel

Lock Layer 1 by clicking on the empty space to the right of the eye icon in the Layers panel. You will see a small padlock icon when the layer is locked. This will lock the gradient layer.

Step 3 - Create a New Layer

Then click the Create New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel.

Step 4 - Add White Filled Text With the Type Tool

Select the Type Tool (T) and set white as the Fill color. Change the font and its settings in the Control panel. Then click on the artboard and type your text.

Step 5 - Align Text to the Center

Center the text by using the Horizontal Align Center and Vertical Align Center buttons in the Control panel at the top. Make sure that Align to Artboard is selected.

Step 6 - Expand the Text

Select your text and go to Object > Expand.

Make sure the Object and Fill boxes are checked in the Expand dialog and click OK.

Step 7 - Draw a Wavy Line Across the Text

Click outside the text to deselect it and then select the Paintbrush Tool (B).

Use black as the Stroke color and draw a wavy line that goes all the way across your text. Make sure the line is longer than your text.

Then Copy (Ctrl/Cmd + C) the wavy line and Paste in Front (Ctrl/Cmd + F). Click the arrow next to “Layer 2” in the Layers panel and then the eye icon to hide the copy.

Step 8 - Cut the Text Using Divide

Select your text and the wavy line. Then go to the Pathfinder panel and click on Divide.

Right-click on top of your text and choose Ungroup.

Then select the top portions of the letters and Group (Ctrl/Cmd + G) them together. Do the same with the bottom portions.

Slightly move the bottom portion down and to the side to create a gap between the top and bottom portions.

Step 9 - Show the Duplicate Path and Line It Up With the Bottom Potion

Click the empty eye icon square in the Layers panel to show the duplicate wavy line and reduce the Stroke width to .25pt. Then move the duplicate wavy line and match it up exactly with the top of the lower portion of the text.

Toggle in and out of Outline Mode (Ctrl/Cmd + Y) to ensure you placed it in the correct position.

Step 10 - Extend the Duplicate Wavy Line to the Edge of the Artboard

Select the Add Anchor Point Tool (+).

Click on one side of your wavy line to add an anchor point close to the edge. We added the anchor point to the left side of the wavy line.

Then select the Direct Selection Tool (A).

With the Direct Selection Tool, pull that end of the wavy line to the edge of the artboard. You can adjust the handles to smooth out the curve if needed.

Step 11 - Create a Closed Path Using the Pen Tool

Copy (Ctrl/Cmd + C) and Paste in Front (Ctrl/Cmd + F) your wavy line again. Select the Pen Tool (P) and click on the anchor point at the edge of the artboard. Hold the Shift key to make a straight line and click on the bottom left corner of the artboard. Next, click the other bottom corner, and lastly, click on the anchor point on the other end of the wavy line to close it.

Note: if you added an anchor point in the last step on the right side of the wavy line instead, you’d create the closed path in the opposite direction in this step.

Step 12 - Make a Clipping Mask With Duplicate Gradient Layer and Closed Path

Unlock your gradient layer and make a Copy (Ctrl/Cmd + C). Lock the gradient layer again.

Then select Layer 2 and Paste in Front (Ctrl/Cmd + F). The duplicate gradient layer must be under the closed path layer. Click + drag the duplicate gradient layer under the closed path layer in the layer list if needed.

Now select the gradient layer and the closed path layer. Then go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make (Ctrl/Cmd + 7).

Step 13 - Add a Drop Shadow

In case the order of your layers is not correct, select the lower portion of the text, right-click on top of it and choose Arrange > Bring to front. Then, select the wavy line and move it a couple of clicks down, so you don’t see it under the masked gradient.

Make sure the wavy line layer is above the top portion layer. You can do this by selecting the top portion, right-clicking, and choosing Arrange > Sent to Back.

With the wavy line selected, go to the Appearance panel (Window > Appearance), click the Effects dropdown menu, and navigate to Stylize > Drop Shadow.

We selected the following for the options in the Drop Shadow dialog but set them to whatever works for you.

• Mode: Multiply
• Opacity: 100%
• X Offset: 0 mm
• Y Offset: -2 mm
• Blur: 1 mm
• Color: Selected and set to black

Increasing the Stroke width may also help. Play around with the settings until the effect looks similar to the following image.

Your sliced text is now complete!!

Wasn’t that a fun tutorial?! Now you know how to create awesome-looking sliced text in Illustrator, and remember, we have plenty of other text design tutorials for you to check out, so head on over to the Design School website!