photoshop tutorial- Photoshop Type tool

Photoshop Type Tool

In photoshop there are four tools to create text.The type () and vertical type () tools let you create colored type that is stored in a new type layer.The type mask () and vertical type mask () tools let you create selection borders in the shape of type. Type selections appear on the active layer, and can be moved, copied, filled, or stroked just like any other selection.

You can also apply the following commands to a type layer .
• Transformation commands under the Edit menu, except for Perspective and Distort. (To transform just part of the type layer, you must convert the type layer to a regular layer.)
• Layer effects
• Fill shortcuts

To apply the full range of Photoshop effects (such as filters) to a type layer, you can convert the type layer to a regular layer.

Using type and vertical type tools

Select the type or vertical type tool. Click in the image to set an insertion point for the type.

photoshop type tool

3 Select the type attributes including, font, font, type size, leading, kerning, tracking, baseline shift, alignment, and rotation.

Font family is a complete set of characters, letters, and symbols of a particular typeface design. In addition to choosing a font, you can choose a type style (for example, Regular, Bold, Italic , Under Line).

Type size determines how large the type appears in the image.

Leading specifies the spacing between baselines and is measured in the units you specify in the Type Tool dialog box.If the value is small, the adjacent lines will be closer.

Baseline controls the distance that type appears from its baseline, either raising or lowering the selected type to create superscripts or subscripts.

Kerning controls the spacing between two characters. You can control kerning manually by not selecting auto, or you can turn on the kerning built into the font by the font designer. Positive kerning value move characters apart; negative values move characters closer together.

Tracking inserts uniform spacing between more than two characters in selected type. Use tracking to adjust the spacing of a selected word or of an entire block of type. Positive tracking value move characters apart; negative values move characters closer together.

Select Preview to display a preview of the type in the image.

To change the color of the type, click the color box, choose a color, and click OK.

Alignment controls the position of each line of type in reference to the insertion point in the image you clicked with the type tool.

Anti-aliasing lets you produce smooth-edged type by partially filling the edge pixels.

Rotate option :When you create vertical type, you can select the Rotate option to rotate the character direction by 90°. The Rotate option does not affect double-byte characters.

Click inside the text area at the bottom of the dialog box, and enter your text. To create a line break, press Enter while the cursor is in the text area.

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Type mask and vertical type mask tools

Select the type mask tool or the vertical type mask tool . Click where you want the type selection border to appear. Specify type attributes. Click inside the text area at the bottom of the dialog box, and enter the text you want. To create a line break, press Enter while the cursor is in the text area. Click OK. The type selection border appears in the image on the active layer.You can fill, or stroke the selection just like any other selection.

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Working with Type layer

Once you have created type, you can edit the contents, attributes, and orientation at any time by using its type layer. Double-click the name of the type layer in the Layers palette. Position the cursor in the text area of the Type Tool dialog box, and drag to select the text you want to change. Make the desired changes in the Type Tool dialog box and Click OK.

To change the orientation of a type layer:

Select the type layer in the Layers palette.Choose Layer > Type > Horizontal or Vertical to change the orientation of the layer contents.

To convert a type layer to a regular layer:

Select the type layer in the Layers palette. Choose Layer > Type > Render Layer. Converting a type layer makes its contents uneditable as text. Now you can merge two type layers together.

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