theBlog @reneepearson.com
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
Getting “Back to Basics”
Update: Jan 17
The winner of the free registration in Back to Basics is commenter #43, Helene R, who wrote:
I need Back to Basics because I really want to make a digital scrapbook but I really need help to get started!
Congratulations, Helene! Send us an email to claim your prize by Friday, Jan 20th.
On Wednesday, CK’s Deena Wuest shared a great technique for outlining using Photoshop. Based on your comments, you thought it was cool, too! Deena also offered a free Creating Keepsakes magazine subscription to one lucky commenter. The winner of that subscription is Margie S (Nihao, Cupcake!).
Congratulations, Margie S (Nihao, Cupcake!)! To claim your prize, send us an email.
We love it when you share with us via comments. It helps us get to know you better, learn what you’re doing and what you want to learn.
It’s clear that many of you are entering the digital scrapbooking arena for the first time. We know it can be intimidating with so many tools and techniques to master. In my beginning self-paced workshop, Back to Basics, I offer a painless way to learn while producing your own projects. In four fun modules, you’ll discover how to use quick pages, templates and digital kits, how to create your own templates and lots more.
To encourage you to get started, we’re taking $10 off our regular $35 price for this weekend only! The price goes back on Monday, so don’t delay.
We’re also giving away one free registration if you comment today completing the following sentence:
I need Back to Basics because…
You have until Sunday at 10pm to comment. We’ll announce the lucky winner in Monday’s post. (If you purchase the workshop and win, we’ll happily give you a refund.
Wanna Learn How: Artistic Photo Background
The winner of the Creating Keepsakes subscription giveaway is commenter #5, Tracy G who commented:
I want to learn how to use shadow styles, especially for Photoshop Elements. I love the drop shadow look, but am not sure how to maximize the capabilities of Elements for this technique.
Congratulations, Tracy! Please send us an email to claim your prize.
How to Create an Artistic Photo Background
Hey RP fans! Deena Wuest from Creating Keepsakes magazine back at the table with yet another Photoshop tutorial!
I always love hearing from readers about techniques they see online or in the magazine. Often times they want to recreate a certain look but want step by step instructions because they are scared they will do it “wrong”. So I’m here today to remind you there is no “right or wrong” in digital scrapbooking; only fun and creative expression! There are probably a dozen different ways to accomplish the same look in Photoshop and no one way is better than another. Once you know a few basics, it’s all about playing, trying and experimenting with different combinations to get the look you want.
The latest question I received was regarding how to create an artistic photo background for a layout. If you are at all familiar with adjustment layers and blending modes, my short answer would be “Go play!” Try duplicating your photo layer with multiple effects. Try different blending modes. Play with opacity. Test color. Just go have fun in the virtual playground that is Photoshop. If you’re just dipping in your feet in the digital waters, today I’m going to walk through one of the many ways to take an ordinary less-than-stellar photo like this…
and turn it into this…
Here’s how! (more…)
Hot Off the Press: Photoshop Elements 10
Yesterday, Adobe announced the immediate release of Photoshop Elements 10 for both Windows and Mac. In typical Adobe fashion, there are lots of enhanced photo editing tools.
New Guided Edits, like Depth of Field and Picture Stack, provide step-by-step guidance to create awe-inspiring photos. Also, Facebook enthusiasts will now enjoy the ability to tag photos based on their Friends List, making the tagging and sharing process seamless.
The Biggest News
Photoshop Elements 10 also adds more ways to work with photos creatively, like the ability to add text that automatically follows the outline of a subject or a custom path and crop guides for the best compositions. Also, users can now apply 30 new Smart Brush effects by simply brushing over an area of the photo.
Yep, you read that correctly. Photoshop Elements 10 now includes text on a path, a feature that was previously available only to Photoshop users.
You can learn more about Photoshop Elements 10 (and sign-up for notification when the downloadable trial version is available) at the Adobe site.
If you purchased Photoshop Elements 9 after September 2, you’re eligible for a free upgrade.
Keeping it Real: Imperfect Details
Hello! Welcome back to another Keeping it Real technique for digital scrapbookers. For this round, I’ll cater to our Elements users though the technique works in Photoshop too.
Stitches, staples, brads, pins and the like all have one thing in common: holes. We typically create holes on our layouts using the items listed. Nifty! But in the digital word, not all holes are alike. No, no, no. Some digital holes are better than others. Today I’ll share one brush and layer effect combination that is sure to help your holes look real. Let’s get to it, shall we? (more…)
Easy Black & White Conversions…Really!
Here’s a technique I learned at Photoshop World a few years ago but it’s still one of my favorites. It was part of a workshop taught by Scott Kelby…the grand poobah of all things Photoshop.
I use it consistently and it never fails to produce sharper color to black & white conversions than any other technique I’ve tried. Here’s the technique along with my results. The steps and screenshots below were captured in Photoshop CS5, but they work just as well for Photoshop Elements. (more…)
Freebie Friday #1: Photoshop Brushes
Welcome to “Freebie Fridays!”
We’ve made it our mission to scour the web looking for the best free stuff to share with you every Friday. (We’ll occasionally have giveaways here, too.)
Today, I’m sending you to BrushLovers.com, where you’ll find high-quality free and premium Photoshop brushes for your designs. The operative word is high-quality. While online free brush sources are plentiful, high quality, high resolution ones are harder to find. (more…)