Text in Photoshop

So how do we do text in Photoshop? This tutorial will be appropriate for you, no matter which version of PS you are using.

Since there are so many aspects of Type in PS, I’ve written this tutorial so that you can go straight to the area you want to learn about. Or, if you’re one of those sequential learners — people who actually read these “how to use this tutorial” pieces — you can follow the tutorial straight through.

0. Installing Fonts
1. Creating Text
2. Committing Text
3. Moving Text
4. Changing fonts
5. Changing text size
6. Changing text color
7. Changing text orientation
8. Typing in a circle
9. Typing on any path
10. Using other warped text shapes
11. Using a Layer Style on a Type layer
12. Typing symbols
13. Typing with superscripts, subscripts, strike-through, underline, or small caps
14. Making and using a Type Layer Clipping Mask

0. Installing Fonts. Did you find a new font that you want to use in Photoshop? Here’s what you do.

Download it to your Desktop. Then Right-click it and choose Install or Install for All Users. Done. It will appear in Photoshop the next time you choose your Type tool.

1. Creating Text. Choose your Type tool and select the Horizontal Type Tool. In the Options Bar at the top, change the Size to 36 pt. Make your color something that’s not white.
   
   Click the approximate center of your canvas and you’ll see two things: Lorem Ipsum comes up in the middle of the canvas. And you have a new layer with a big T for its icon.
   
   Just start typing and that Lorem Ipsum will go away. Don’t worry about size or font just yet.

2. Committing your Text. This is a commitment you need not fear. This just tells Photoshop that you’re done with that step and want to proceed. In a text project, you may commit the text several times.

To commit, you just click the layer in the Layers palette. Or you can click the little checkmark toward the right on the Options Bar. You’ll see that the layer name has become what you typed.

3. Moving Text. Before you have committed, you can move the text by just bringing your pointer a bit away from the text till you see the Move symbol. At that point, you can drag it anywhere.

Once the text is committed, you just choose the Move tool and then drag it.

4. Changing Fonts. After Committing your text, you can do fun things like change fonts! Click the font NAME in the Options Bar.

Now use your up and down arrows on your keyboard to scroll through your fonts. You’ll be able to see your text changing fonts right there live!

You may know the name of the font you want. You can choose it directly, by clicking on the dropdown arrow next to the font name.

5. Changing Font Size. Commit your text layer. Click the Font Size window in the Options Bar. Use the up and down arrow keys on your keyboard to make the font larger or smaller.

You can also change the size by typing in the number or choosing from the dropdown.

6. Changing Text Color. Commit your text. At the right side of the Options Bar, you should see the current color of your text. Click that rectangle and then, watch in amazement as your text changes color as you surf around the color picker!

7. Changing Text Orientation. You can type vertically, though this is generally hard to read. This can be useful for signs or book titles. Choose the Vertical Type Tool and enter your text. Commit it and then change what you need to change.

8. Typing in a Circle. Ok, I know that this is why you’re actually here. In this section, you’re going to learn how to make text follow any path!

• For a circle, begin with choosing the Ellipse Shape Tool Drag out your ellipse, holding Shift to constrain it to a circle.

• Choose the Type Tool again. Check to be sure that your size is something that you’ll be able to see. I used 44. For longer bits of text, you’ll want it smaller.
• For a circle, let’s center the text. In the Options Bar, choose Center Justification.
• Bring your cursor to where you want your text to be centered. For mine, I was shooting for the top center. When the cursor assumes the shape of mine to the left, then click your canvas there. Lorem Ipsum shows up.
• Go ahead and type what you want.

• If you should need to move your text, like it’s not centered perfectly, choose the Path Selection arrow . Your pointer will change to that funny thing between my e’s to the right. Now you can just drag the text to the left or right.

9. Typing on any path. You can put text along any path! Make your Path with Pen tools or a Shape Tool (Path option) and it works the same as it did with the ellipse.

My only caveat here is that, if you’re using center justification, you must click the tool in the center of where you want your text to go. If you want to have the text begin at the left, then choose left justification in the Options Bar.

10. Using other warped text shapes. Once you have typed your text, click the Warp Text button in the Options Bar. You must play with all of these options to see what they all do. There’s much fun to be had!

11. Using a Layer Style on a Type Layer. This works just like a Layer Style on any other layer. The text even still remains editable!

Just click the fx button at the bottom of the Layers palette and go wild.

And suppose I decide that I want my text to say something else? Just click that layer in the Layers palette, choose your Type tool, click onto your existing text, and make your changes. s

I decided to make myJanee.com a little smaller. So what I did was to highlight just the text that I wanted to change. Then change the size (or whatever) in the Options Bar.

12. You’ve seen the funny symbols that people put into their images and text. Unless you’re inputting all of your text with your phone, you are faced with a keyboard that just doesn’t have ¥ ± æ Ø Ç or §.

The key to all of this wonderment is the Character Map. In Windows, you can find this in Start > Windows Accessories. On a Mac, you access your Character Map by pressing Command-Option-T.

Once you’re there, you will see your fonts listed at the top, in the dropdown. Different fonts will have different characters available. Find the character you want and then you’ll see how to make it.

In Windows, you hold Alt and type the 4 digit code for the symbol. Be sure you have NumLock on. Then type this on the number pad, not on the numbers across the top.

13. Making superscripts, subscripts and the like. These are all in the Properties folder in the Options Bar.

15. Making and using a Type Layer Clipping Mask. I call this “Postcard Text,” because it’s how they did many of the “Wish you were here” postcards of my childhood.

This sounds like a complicated thing, but, once you have your design in your head, getting it onto the canvas is a button push. Prepare to be amazed:

• Make a background. It could be a photo, a piece of art you’ve made, or even something as simple as a gradient or solid color. I’m using this to the right. (Learn how to make things like this my Amazing Gradients Tutorial.)
• Next, turn off the visibility for this layer.

• Choose a large blocky font and type out your text. Drag this layer beneath your background layer you made above.
• Turn visibility back on for your background. That’s now all you see.

• Now for the magic. Bring your pointer to right between the two layers in the Layers palette. Hold the Alt key. You should see the clipping symbol just as in my image. Click when you see that symbol.

• Et voilà! Now the real fun begins. You can move or resize your background so that the coolest stuff is showing through your letters. You can even EDIT the text itself!
• Try adding a Layer Style now. Do it on the Text layer. And you can still edit the text or adjust the background.

I hope you had some fun with these forays into Text in Photoshop. If you should create anything especially cool, please send it to me. I’ll include it in my Student Gallery.