Timothy Hogg shares a tip he uses to create text with a shadow effect.

“This tip is really a no-brainer, but some might find it useful for changing the look of a finished plot. We do a lot of map creation in AutoCAD Map 2007, and I find this technique of creating a form of shadow text to really stand out in conjunction with raster imagery, as the effect appears to make the text float in the air and cast a shadow on the ground below.

“I simply copy one or any selection set of text entities and use my eye to slightly offset the copied text to the lower right or upper left of the original. I then change the color of the copied text to a contrasting color value and use Draw Order to place it below the original text but above the raster aerial photo image.”

NOTES FROM CADALYST TIP PATROL: Very nice tip. You may need to experiment with the colors you choose until you find the right combination. You may need to vary the shadow color depending on what is behind it. This trick works on line drawings too when there aren’t any images behind the text.