Can’t quite get the hang of Photoshop’s text tools? Feeling a bit lost when it comes to acing that typography design project? Don’t fret! This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to use the text tools in Photoshop, and make you an expert in no time.
1. Unlock the Power of Text with Photoshop
Sometimes it’s what lies beneath that gives a design statement its voice. With Photoshop, you can unlock the power of text to give your projects a distinctive edge. Here are a few creative text effects to get you started:
1. Pop Out Effects
Bringing text out of the background creates an eye-catching 3-dimensional look. To get started, pick your type color and add a slightly darker drop shadow. Increase the distance of your shadow for a more dramatic effect, then double click the text layer to enable Blending Options. Finished!
2. Glowing Text
Glow effects grab attention and add a sense of excitement to your designs. Start with a transparent background and set your type color. Click the Inner Glow tab on Layer Styles and adjust until your text has your desired hue. To light up the background, add a faint Outer Glow with a low opacity setting.
- Experiment with alternative blending options like Color Overlay to create unique effects
- Add gradients to injected tone and depth with just one additional layer
- Play with the opacity setting for a shiny metallic-like glow
3. Textured Text
Reinvent your text with materials like denim, wood and concrete. For a realistic effect, choose a texture or background image that emphasizes the text. To blend, select the Add blending mode from the Layer palette, then cover parts of text until you achieve the perfect balance. Add a drop shadow for extra impact.
2. Get to Know the Variety of Text Tools
If you’re an author or a blogger, understanding the vast array of text tools available can be crucial to success. Text tools can help to make sure your content is proofread and formatted correctly, which can save you lots of time and energy. So ready, set, explore!
First up, web apps–specifically for markers, authors, and bloggers, there are lots of useful text tools available. From grammar checkers to spell checkers to autocorrectors, you’re sure to find the perfect app for your needs. Here are a few essential tools you should check out:
- Grammarly
- Hemingway App – This app will not only alert you to spelling and grammar errors, but it also recommends simpler alternatives and can help you reduce your word count.
- Canva – Not strictly a text tool, Canva can help you bring your vision to life. With pre-made templates and easy-to-navigate design options, you can create right within the app.
– This one-stop-shop for grammar will pick up on spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes.
And if you prefer offline software, there are many varieties of word processors that can put your text in order. Microsoft Word, Pages, and LibreOffice are some of the most popular desktop programs. Even if your laptop’s storage is full, these programs don’t take up too much space. And of course, most of them are free! Whether you’re downloading from the App Store or from an online platform, these text tools are popular for a reason–they really do make a difference.
3. Unleashing Creative Possibilities through Text
Text can be more than mere words. It can be an invitation to a new world of ideas, a stepping stone to the ultimate realization of your imagination. Unleash your creativity and turn those words into visions.
To lead your creativity to extraordinary places, you might start by experimenting with different genres. Try a poem that is purely abstract, or a story driven by emotive details. Then travel to the realms of witty dialogue, whimsical anecdotes, and persuasive opinion pieces.
Explore different lengths, forms, and syllable counts, and see what potentially lies beyond. Who knows what could come of it? How about a powerful personal manifesto or a devotional and touching letter? Maybe a play full of witty puns or a listicle of your favorite memories? A thrilling short story or a catchy ad campaign?
- Let your imagination run wild
- Take a leap and go to unexplored places
- Try something you’ve never done before
4. Working with Layer Options to Customize Text
When you’re customizing text to make it fit the look and feel of your design, there’s no better tool than layer options. For example, you can adjust the font size, color, alignment, kerning, and more–without needing to rewrite the text with a new font.
Layer options also make it easy to get creative and make your text to stand out. You can add drop shadow, glow effects, outline, and even 3D effects. To get the full picture, try experimenting and pairing different options to give your text extra flair.
And if you need some ideas to get started, here are some of the most popular uses of layer options:
- Creating faded background text to add subtle emphasis.
- Creating a geometric design by adjusting the skew transformation.
- Using clipping masks for special effects.
- Making a single-word title stand out by distorting it.
- Giving words a unique look by adjusting the stroke and shadow settings.
5. Bringing Text Behaviour to Life with Layer Styles
Making text stand out on the page is an important component of any design project. Layer styles can help to bring text behaviour to life. Once a text box is selected and the layer styles button is clicked, the options open up with a variety of options. It’s important to explore each to create the perfect look.
Colours & Exaggeration
Colours can be used to emphasis words and separate the text from its surroundings. Bright, contrasting colour can give texts a more explosive touch. Do not be afraid to exaggerate with colours when it comes to layer styles, as it can help draw focus and highlight important points of interest.
Shadows & Glows
Shadows and glows are another layer style available that can help create a dynamic look. Adding a shadow can give the text depth while a glow can add a soft radiance. Using a combination of a shadow and a glow can create an eye-catching look. Experiment with a variety of shadow and glow settings to get the effect you are after:
- Select shadow style (drop, inner, outer)
- Select shadow location and size
- Select softness
- Select contour, intensity and range
- Select opacity
With just a few clicks of your mouse, you can quickly and easily unlock the most powerful text tools Photoshop has to offer. Whether you need to construct a complex design or simply add a few words of text, you now have the tools to take your imagery to the next level. Ready to start crafting beautiful, text-focused artwork? Make sure to take advantage of Photoshop’s powerful text tools.
