************
Introduction
************

.. admonition:: Reference
   :class: refbox

   :Mode:      Edit Mode
   :Menu:      :menuselection:`Add --> Text`

*Text* objects contain some text,
and are in the same object type family as *Curves* and *Surfaces* ones,
as fonts are vectorial data (they are made of curves).

Blender uses a "Font System" to manage mapping letter codes to geometry representing them in 3D Views.
This font system has its own *built-in* font, but it can use external fonts too,
including *PostScript Type 1*, *OpenType* and *TrueType* fonts.
And moreover, it can use any objects existing in the current blend-file as letters.

.. figure:: /images/modeling_texts_introduction_examples.jpg
   :width: 460px

   An example of an extruded text.

*Text* objects allow you to create and render 2D or 3D text,
with various advanced layout options, like justifying and frames.
By default, letters are just flat filled surfaces, exactly like any closed 2D curve.
But, just like *Curves*, you can extrude them,
and apply :doc:`modifiers </modeling/modifiers/introduction>` to them
(e.g. to make them :doc:`follow a curve </modeling/modifiers/deform/curve>`).

.. tip::

   You can convert a *Text* object, either to a curve, or directly to a mesh,
   using :ref:`object-convert-to` in Object Mode.

.. note::

   A maximum of 50,000 characters is allowed per text object. However,
   be forewarned that the more characters a single text object has,
   the slower the object will respond interactively.