# How can I achieve this text effect?

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-can-i-achieve-this-text-effect/162841>\
**Category:** flash\
**Created:** [September 16, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-can-i-achieve-this-text-effect/162841 "2005-09-16T19:34:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bubbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@bubbob](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/bubbob)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-can-i-achieve-this-text-effect/162841/1 "2005-09-16T19:34:07Z")

</div>

Hi,

I’m looking to achieve an effect on text that is kind of a cross between a drop shadow / motion trail.

An example of this can be found at [www.pitchforkmedia.com](http://www.pitchforkmedia.com)

The effect is on the ‘Pitchfork’ logo in the top left corner. As you can see it is not merely a drop shadow - More like a smear.

I’m assuming it (the effect) is part of the font set, but surely there is a way of achieving this effect another way?

If anyone has any software suggestions that have this kind of effect, or know how to achieve this effect through a technique (something fairly painless) it would be much appreciated.

I’d like to try and keep the text as a shape rather than bitmap.

I managed to ‘create’ the effect in Paint Shop Pro, but it took ages, but when I ‘traced bitmap’ in Flash, it gives a bad result (no matter the settings).

Looking forward to any suggestions…

Many thanks