Photoshop CS(2) - How to wrap text around an object or image
A quick tutorial on how to get your text to hug an image. This involves paths, but is relatively simple to accomplish. If your image is complicated, the process will also be complicated, so practice with simple pictures or shapes first :-)
This tutorial requires some basic knowledge of the Photoshop CS (2) interface. You will need to know where to find your lasso tool, and how to use it, and where to find your text tool and character pallet and how to use them. If anyone thinks a tutorial on these would be useful, let me know :)
Wrap that text!
(Click on the thumbnail to enlarge)
Using your magnetic lasso tool (in the pallet on the left), select the outline of the image you wish the text to follow. Here in this image I selected the whole of her outline.
When you have a selection, go to your 'paths' pallet (it should be somewhere on the right, with your 'layer' pallet. If not, go to the top menu called 'Window', and select 'Paths' to open this pallet.) In the top right corner there should be an arrow. Click it to get the menu. Select 'Make Work Path'. Now in your paths pallet you'll see you've turned your selection into a path.
This is a useful technique for outlining a piece of an image or a shape that you wish to follow with a brush ( to do this simply right click on your path to select 'stroke path' and using the drop down menu, you can outline the path in your current brush or pencil settings! Very neat trick) or with text:
Select your text tool. If you hold your text curser over the line of the path on your image, you'll see it change slightly. Click where you wish your text to start from. Now type and watch your text follow the path (I often type my text first, then cut and paste it onto the path, as it can be difficult to type in squiggly lines). Using the 'Character' pallet, you can adjust the font size, the alignment and the spacing between letters to get the final effect you want. This may take some time and if your path is very squiggly, some fonts will be better suited to it than others. You will have to experiment, but with a little time and patience you'll soon get the hang of it.
This trick is also great for getting your text to hug a shape and to go around circles. You can also simpley 'create a path' using your pen tool, and get your text to flow in whatever direction you want.
This tutorial requires some basic knowledge of the Photoshop CS (2) interface. You will need to know where to find your lasso tool, and how to use it, and where to find your text tool and character pallet and how to use them. If anyone thinks a tutorial on these would be useful, let me know :)
Wrap that text!
(Click on the thumbnail to enlarge)
Using your magnetic lasso tool (in the pallet on the left), select the outline of the image you wish the text to follow. Here in this image I selected the whole of her outline.
When you have a selection, go to your 'paths' pallet (it should be somewhere on the right, with your 'layer' pallet. If not, go to the top menu called 'Window', and select 'Paths' to open this pallet.) In the top right corner there should be an arrow. Click it to get the menu. Select 'Make Work Path'. Now in your paths pallet you'll see you've turned your selection into a path.
This is a useful technique for outlining a piece of an image or a shape that you wish to follow with a brush ( to do this simply right click on your path to select 'stroke path' and using the drop down menu, you can outline the path in your current brush or pencil settings! Very neat trick) or with text:
Select your text tool. If you hold your text curser over the line of the path on your image, you'll see it change slightly. Click where you wish your text to start from. Now type and watch your text follow the path (I often type my text first, then cut and paste it onto the path, as it can be difficult to type in squiggly lines). Using the 'Character' pallet, you can adjust the font size, the alignment and the spacing between letters to get the final effect you want. This may take some time and if your path is very squiggly, some fonts will be better suited to it than others. You will have to experiment, but with a little time and patience you'll soon get the hang of it.
This trick is also great for getting your text to hug a shape and to go around circles. You can also simpley 'create a path' using your pen tool, and get your text to flow in whatever direction you want.