Using the horizontal type tool (also known as the text tool) is simple enough - it's possible to just draw a box and start typing - but there are a number of other fancy things that can be done with it. We'll start with the basics, however.

Open a new document to give us a blank canvas, then select the text tool (represented by an uppercase T.)

On the options bar, open the first pulldown menu and select a font you like. Click and drag to draw a text box, and type something interesting. Pressing the return key on your keyboard will add a new line to the text. To finalize what you have written and stop typing, press enter on the right side of the numberpad.

By drawing a text box, you can limit the area where your text will appear. If you simply click once without dragging, you can type without constraints.

You may have noticed a new layer created in your layers palette.

The reasoning for this is as follows: if you create a text box on a layer that already has something in it, Photoshop will create a new layer specifically for the text. This layer cannot undergo any changes other than text edits until it is rasterized. If you ever type anything and find yourself unable to perform any other actions afterwards, either rasterize it (through the Layer menu at the top of the screen,) or return to a non-text type layer. Also, if a layer is completely empty, Photoshop will convert it to a text layer, so you will need to rasterize it or create a new layer if you want to do anything more than type on it.

Using the toolbar, change from the text tool to its variant, the vertical type tool. Draw a box (or simply left click) somewhere else on your image and type something out again. Instead of being horizontal, the text you type is now... vertical!

Return to the horizontal text you typed and click somewhere within it to select it again. The options bar for the text tool offers you a standard set of self-explanatory text properties to play around with - text style (bold, italic, etc,) font, size, and so forth.

However, on the far right side of the options bar is an icon that looks like a distorted "T" on top of an arc. Click on this.

The "Warp Text" box will open up. By clicking on the pulldown menu next to Style, you can select a shape for your text. You can manually adjust the amount of distortion below by editing the Bend and Horizontal/Vertical Distortion values.

It's shaped like a FISH. Isn't technology great?

That more or less wraps up the essential functions of the text tool. You probably noticed the "type mask" tools - these are primarily for advanced users, but will be covered briefly during the layer mask portion of the Advanced Features chapter.

Next on the agenda are the pen and shape tools. The pen tool is particularly complex, and may seem confusing at first. Have no fear - all will be explained.

Click continue below to move on...

 

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