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I thought I’d share some tips for working with text in PSCS2 in this article. I have to say using Photoshop’s text tool is my least favorite aspect of working in Photoshop. It’s very slow (and I know that it is a common complaint) and in some respects it is quite clumsy to work with.
The following tips should make it a little easier for you though!
1) Sample your font!
In the font drop down menu, you will see a list of font names and next to each font name the word “Sample” which is written in the particular font. Some of them can be very hard to see though so to make it easier, opt to preview them and the larger size. To do this press CTRL +K on your keyboard to access preferences and choose Type from the menu option, Under Font Preview Size select Large and OK.
2) Changing Font Size
The font size drop down menu in Photoshop gives you an option of choosing font sizes between 6 and 72pt. You can make it even larger or smaller by highlighting the font size box and typing in your choice of font size
3) Font Changes
If you like to try a variety of fonts, you can highlight the text and using the drop down menu select a font at a time to view. A quicker way however is to have the text layer selected (not highlighted) and your text tool chosen, click on the text name in the font box so it is highlighted. Now just use the up and down arrows on the keyboard to scroll through your installed fonts and have them reflected on screen.
4) Font Changes (2)
If you want to find a font quickly and know what letter the font name starts with you can jump to it simply by highlighting the font box and typing the first few letters of the font (or even just the first letter) – this will bring you to that fonts starting with those letters in the list. This makes finding a font in a very long list much easier!
5) Font Favorites
Do you have a font that you use all the time? You can create a preset so that you can use it easily without having to wade through your lists of fonts (particularly if like me you have around 2000 installed fonts).
Make sure your text tool is selected and choose a font, style, a size, and an orientation. From the T in the far right corner select the drop down arrow and then the smaller arrow to access the menu. Choose New Tool Preset
The settings you have chosen will be listed. You can change the name for the preset eg “Journaling” or just press OK. You can create as many presets as you wish.
To use the preset, select the preset name from the list and then click and start typing on your canvas. You can still modify the settings, and if you no longer want the preset, simply delete it from the list.
6) Moving Text while Typing
You can move a text layer while the text layer is active instead of having to return to the Move tool to reposition it. Hold down CTRL and click in the text box and a solid bounding box appears with the cursor becoming a small black arrow. Reposition the text box and release and you can continue typing where you left off. ( you can also scale it by using the corner handles)
7) Make a Text Layer Active quickly
If you need to edit a text layer then you can make it active quickly. Select the text layer in the layers palette and double click on the text thumbnail image. Automatically the text is highlighted, the text tool is selected on the tool bar and you can replace the text by just typing.
8) Warping Text
You can use the standard Warp Text feature found in Photoshop with some adjustable features but you can also use Transform> Warp with text.
First you need to covert your text to a shape – this will allow you to maintain crisp text without losing the quality. Layer> Type> Convert to Shape. A vector layer mask will be applied to the text.
Now select Edit> Transform Path> Warp
and you can warp your text as desired.
9) Change Lowercase to Uppercase
Highlight the text you wish to change, and open the character palette from the Options bar. Look for the TT symbol and click it. Lowercase text will be converted to capital case, deselect it to return to small case.
10) Just for fun
Use CTRL + click on the text thumbnail to create a selection of your text. Create a new layer and then hide the original text layer. Select the brush tool, any brush and brush over the text selection. Deselect to be left with your brushed on text on a new layer.
I hope you have found these tips useful for creating you next layout!
(First published June 2007 - Scrapbook-Bytes Tidbytes)
© Copyright by Scrapbook-Bytes.com
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