Using Photoshop to Shape Text
Photoshop CS2 has many strengths, all of which are enhanced by the remarkable versatility of the program. Not only can Photoshop CS2 fulfill all of your image editing and effects needs, it can also be used to add effects to text.
Personalized banners and striking headlines can be made by using Photoshop’s Warp Text feature. This feature enables you to wrap or bend text around and object in your image. Warping text can be done in either a horizontal or vertical direction to add distinction to your text. Photoshop has many ways in which this effect can be achieved, but we will use the following as a learning platform particularly for those who might not have used Photoshop’s text tools before.
Start off by opening an image that you would like to add text to. Select the horizontal tool from your toolbar and click in the area of the image close to where you would like to add your text to. Now type in the text you would like to add. Adding standard text enhancements such as italics, bold or underline can also be applied while in text mode.
When you are done adding your text, select and right-click this text to open the contextual menu. To open the Warp Text dialogue box, choose Warp Text. From this box, you can choose from a selection of pre-defined text warps using the Style pull-down menu. Select the warp that best fits the effect you’re trying to accomplish. If you’re undecided on the kind of warp you want, try some out to see what effect they have on your image text.
Beneath the Style pull-down, you’ll find several sliders that will enable you to fine-tune the warp effects. You can adjust the text bend, and the horizontal and vertical distortion. If you don’t want to use the sliders, you can also enter a percentage value for these three properties. When you have achieved the proper effect, click OK. The Warp Text effect will be applied to your image