Text on a Vector Path

To start with you will want to open an image 200X200 pixels in size.

 

 

 

 

 

Your tool palette should look similar to the one on the left with the arrow tool selected and your new image will look like the one on the left. This is the default PSP6 startup condition. 

If your layer palette is not open, go to the "View" menu and click on the "ToolBars" option. You will then see the ToolBars dialog that will allow you to choose what toolbars are shown on the PSP6 desktop.

 

Several important things to have open are the Layer Palette, the Tool Bar, the Tool Options Window and the Tool Palette. Make sure those options are checked and we'll move on with the tutorial.

To start with your layer palette will look like the one on the left. You should have only a background layer. To keep all my editing options open I always add a new layer just above the Background layer and name it as a blank layer.

Since new layers are raster layers unless you specifically create a vector layer I name the layer "Blank raster layer". This is just a reminder of what the layer is for. I don't change anything else on this dialog. You get to this dialog by clicking on the "new" icon on the layer palette. After you do this your layer palette should look like the one below.

 

On the toolbar, click on the shapes tool, represented on the left with the red circle around it. On the Tool Options palette choose a circle as the shape type, and a line width of at least 2. Make sure that "Create as vector" is checked. It doesn't matter if you have the style as stroked or filled because we'll delete this when we're done anyway.

 

Now, set your cursor in the middle of the blank image and draw your circle. Make sure to leave enough room for your text to go around the outside of the vector circle. You should see something like the image on the left. You can instantly tell if you are using a vector image by the outline around your shape. 

 

 

Your layer palette should now reflect a new layer, even though you didn't manually create one as we did for the raster layer. As soon as you create a vector shape a new vector layer is created for you with the vector shape on it. You will know it's a vector layer by looking at the left side of the layer palette and seeing the square symbol next to the name layer 2.

Now on the toolbar, click on the "A" which represents the text tool. Run your mouse over your image. The normal text tool cursor is a crosshair with an "A" in the right bottom quadrant of the crosshair. As you slowly move the cursor over the edge of the vector circle you should see a small semi circular line appear under the "A" in the cursor. This signifies that it's time to click on the image to place the text on it. If you don't see the crosshair with the semi circle under the "A" you may be moving your mouse too fast. Slow down and try again until you see that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once you click the Text Entry dialog will open so you can type in the text you wish to appear around the curve. Clicking on ok will place the text on the circle and will create what I call a "temporary layer" in your layer palette called floating selection (if you have chosen in the Text Entry box to use "Floating Text").

The next thing to do is move that text to it's own layer so it stays by itself and the layer can be edited without altering any of the rest of your image you may have.

You do this from the Selections menu. Click on "Promote to Layer". That will place the text on it's very own layer and change the name of the layer to "Promoted Seclection" as shown in the image below.

 

 

 

For the purposes of this tutorial we'll get rid of the vector shape now. If I were working on a total image...I would never remove the layer. I would save the original as a .psp file and then duplicate it using the "Window" menu. There is an option in that menu that allows you to duplicate an image. Once duplicated I would then remove the vector layer or turn it off and "Merge all Layers" from the Layers Menu. You don't have to go through all the steps I am going to talk about, but I thought it gave me an opportunity to show you something about layer visibility as long as we're here. On the Layer Palette below you will see several red x's. Those get there by clicking on the eyeglass icon. Those red x's represent that a layer is invisible. Turn off all the layers but the vector layer. Making sure the vector layer ("Layer 2") below is highlighted and click on the garbage can. You will get a warning that will ask if you are sure. Click ok. If by change you delete the wrong layer...go to the "Edit" menu and click on "Undo". This will replace the layer you just deleted.

Your Layer Palette should now look like the one below and after turning all the layers back on your image should look similar to the one below.

You are not limited to circle shapes when it comes to text on a path. You can use any of the shapes or create your own.

Below I'll show you quickly text on a vector line.

You'll need to choose the line tool from the toolbar. On the Tool Options dialog make sure you have "Create as Vector" checked.

 

 

In order to create a curvy line as shown on the left, you will need to make sure that "FreeHand" is selected in the Tool Options dialog for the line tool.

Using your mouse or a graphic tablet draw the line the way you want your text to run.

Following the same instructions as for vector shapes, place your text on the line and delete the vector line layer.

Your text should now look curvy just as your line was curvy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

TIPS:

If when placing text on your vector circle shape it comes out on the side of the circle instead of the top, go to the "Image" menu and select "Rotate". You will be presented with a dialog that will allow you to choose the angle at which to rotate. A 90 degree rotation will move your text where you need it to be.

When working with text and especially with small text sometimes the "marquee" around the text makes it hard to see. You can go to the "Selections" menu and choose "Hide Marquee". This does not turn off the selection, it just turns off the marquee so you can see the text better.

 

Have fun creating text on paths in PSP6!

Copyright Vikki Olds, All Rights Reserved