I'm trying to make some "embossed" looking text on a flat surface. I know the Image Popper will do that automatically, but I don't want to have the sides be straight up-and-down. So, do you think it would be easier to 1) Make an image-popped model, download it, and take it into Blender to flare out the base of the text, or should I 2) do the whole thing in Blender and forget the Image Popper? Thank you!
I don't know if Blender has the same functionality, but 3ds max has a text feature that lets you type out whatever you want, in any font and size, and it will convert it to a spline for you. From there you can use the extrude modifier to fill in the polygons and then bevel (under edit poly for 3ds max) to get beveled extrusions. I'm sure there is a similar workflow in Blender but I've never used it before...
Blender does have an extrude function, with beveling built in, but it bevels the wrong way! Instead of shaving off the top, it expands the sides out. I couldn't find any way to do what I wanted to in Blender.
Does it have an inset function? (Basically a function that bevels inward without extruding, i explain because it might not be called "inset" in bevel) with that you could inset and then just move the inner polygons upward to create the bevel.