Retro Rave 3D Typography

A bold 3D typographic exploration blending retro rave nostalgia with futuristic metallic textures, created to celebrate experimental design and creative freedom.

About the project

Originally inspired by a commissioned concept exploring 3D lettering and texture for a viral creative content campaign, this project became a personal study in bold type, lighting, and motion. The goal was to capture the energy of retro rave culture - vibrant, chaotic, and metallic - while maintaining a modern, polished execution that reflected the technical precision of contemporary 3D design. Due to client confidentiality, specific project details have been adjusted, but the essence of the creative direction remains true: expressive, dynamic, and unafraid to push boundaries.

Date:

Oct 23, 2024

Client:

Confidential

Services:

3D Typography

Project Details

The design process began in Adobe Illustrator, where I constructed each letterform individually in vector format. Using a retro, angular font as the base, I customised counters, ascenders, and descenders to achieve a truly individual look, before taking the vectors into Blender to model in 3D space.

I modelled each letterform individually, experimenting with material properties, lighting direction, and reflections to achieve a realistic metallic sheen. The letterforms were arranged in a modular grid to allow for flexibility in composition, making it possible to adapt the design into multiple layouts for social and motion outputs.

Introducing subtle chromatic aberration and glow effects to create a sense of rhythm and energy, the typography balances geometric precision with fluid distortion, giving it a tactile, almost industrial quality. The peachy pink colour paid homage to underground rave visuals while keeping a contemporary edge suitable for digital use.

The Outcome

“Retro Rave” stands as a showcase of 3D craftsmanship and conceptual thinking, merging visual nostalgia with forward-thinking design. The piece celebrates experimental creativity and demonstrates how typographic form, texture, and light can work together to evoke emotion and movement, even in static imagery.