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Wanna Learn How — Create Your Own Text Paths
The winner of the Creating Keepsakes subscription giveaway is commenter #1, Julia M in MI who commented:
I am new to the blog, so I hope I am not mentioning something that has been done before. I have not learned how to do extractions. I would like to learn that technique. Thanks for the chance to win!
Congratulations, Julia M in MI! Please send us an email to claim your prize.
Hey RP fans! Deena Boese from Creating Keepsakes magazine back at the table with another Photoshop tutorial! This week’s tip comes from the request of last month’s tutorial reader Sharon Grey. She wrote:
While text paths look complex, they are actually super simple! The secret lies in a little icon in the options bar called “Paths”. I’ll introduce you in a bit! First, a little disclaimer/history lesson.
Photoshop has always had the capability to create text along a path. Photoshop Elements, however, has taken a little longer to jump on board. I was excited to see that the new release of Photoshop Elements 10 provides text path capabilities! Users of PSE 9 and earlier, however, aren’t so lucky. If this is you, be sure to check out the DOWNLOADS section at the end of the post. I’ve created a downloadable text path that will work in PSE!
Now, back to using text paths.
Shaped text adds great interactive movement to a page and engages the reader. It can also serve as a great design element on a page and is perfect for those layouts where journaling space is limited. Here’s a layout where I wanted my photos to remain center stage so I added my journaling in a rectangle text path which highlights, instead of distracts, from my photos.
The Undeniable Bond by Deena Boese, as seen in the February 2011 issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine.
But text paths aren’t just limited to straight edges. You can create paths along circles, ovals, or any custom shape you desire. In this layout, the text path follows an oversized exclamation point.
Mom! by Deena Boese, as seen in the June 2009 issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine.
Wanna learn how simple it is to create your own text paths? Read on!
1. In Photoshop, create a new layer and select the ELLIPSE TOOL (U). Make sure the PATHS icon is selected in the options bar.
2. Select the HORIZONTAL TYPE TOOL (T) and choose your font, size and text color. Ensure the alignment is set to LEFT ALIGN TEXT. With your cursor, click at the beginning of your path where you want the text to start.
3. Type your text and adjust the point size and tracking to create the perfect fit. Once completed, you can use the MOVE TOOL (V) to move and rotate your finished text.
And now you know! Once you’ve mastered the basic shapes, try experimenting with the Custom Shape Tool for endless shaped-text possibilities or use the Pen Tool to draw your own designs! I hope you have fun discovering creative ways to use this fun and easy technique in your layouts! For easy reference, I’ve included a PDF handout you can download and add to your “Wanna Learn How” library. And as a bonus gift, I’ve also included this word art graphic you can download for FREE!
As I mentioned before, if you own Photoshop Elements 9.0 or earlier, I’ve included a PSE compatible circle text path template just for you.
As always, we want to hear from you! Have you seen a digital technique that made you say, “Oooh! I wanna learn how to do that!”? Leave a comment to let us know what techniques you want to see here. I have a free one-year subscription to Creating Keepsakes magazine in my hands that will go to one random (and lucky) commenter. So be sure to drop us a line to be entered in the drawing!
Good luck!
DOWNLOADS
How To Wrap Text Around A Shape
Word Art Graphic
Circle Text Path for PSE
