Curving Type in Photoshop

Amy from Indiana, USA, using Photoshop 7.0 with Windows xp, writes in with:
[Quote:] Ok, I just recently switched to 7.0 directly from 5.0 and I'm still trying to find all the new stuff. I'm currently working on a logo that has a curved banner that will eventually have type on it. How do I get the type to follow the curve of the banner? Is that possible in this new version?

Amy, unfortunately Photoshop is just not quite as handy at type manipulations of this sort as Illustrator. But here's what you can do...

If you don't have Illustrator, which would handle this task easily, your best bet is to generate the type first, then match your banner to the type.

First move however is to key in your text, and then choose menu:
Layer > Type > Warp Text, or simply click the Warp Text button to the right side of the Type color chip.

Since we cannot 'see' your curve, we cannot tell you which Warp to select nor the coordinates to utilize. You'll have to poke around until you see a combination which comes close to your banner.

After the type is right, it should be an easy matter to adjust the banner to match. I would use the Pen tool and simply trace the baseline of the type. Now you've got the curve. Duplicate the path for the top of the banner, connect the ends with bannerish sides and you're ready for filling, stroking and decorating.

Comments

[Xocai]

HI,

I tried Curving Type in Photoshop. Its not workout for all type of text...If text length vary, the curve style vary....Why?

[Andrew]

Hi,

I'm new to the more advanced features of photoshop. I'm trying to curve a 2D image and I am not sure if this is possible with photoshop 7. I have long narrow image of a DNA strand which I would like to paste onto another image. However, I would first like to bend the image so that it is roughly S-shaped. Is this possible? I had hoped that it would be possible to apply displacent nodes to the image and pull them left or right to make the curve (I have some experience working with 3D software). I know nothing about meshes in photoshop - is it possible to stick it to a mesh and bend the image? Is there another program that I could use for this application.

Your assistance is greatly apreciated.

[rocio garcia]

I am trying to type an e-mail address with the text tool in photoshop (cs2). It does not regognize the @. Please let me know how to type @.
Thank you

[bastien]

Is it me or the warp type of ps 7 is not accurate? all i am trying to do is to put the copyrights issues arround the edge of a DVD and despite hours of messing arround there is absolutely no way photoshop will give me a simple, perfect curve (arch option 100% should give half a circle) the text is stretched in some places, squeezed in some other and the curve is quite simply not a straight curve, Am I the only one to have this problem, if anyone as found a solution (other than using illustrator) please let me know.
sheers

Try this:

In the Arc dialog of "Warp Text" move the "Bend" slider until it looks right. Horizontal and vertical distortions should be set to zero.

You can watch as this happens so long as the text is selected. Toggle off and on "View" by using the "Hide" command Ctrl/H or Cmd/H.

:-)

In PS CS you can attach text to a specific circle path.

[randy]

I have a short line of text inside a border and I want to be able to put smooth bends / folds in the banner of text like scrolls, almost like when a flag blows in the wind and it has a wave pattern where parts of the flag are behind other parts?

[Teresa]

Curved banner? Hmmmmm? I'm no PhotoShop expert, but can't you simply have the text follow a vector path. Look at my banner on my blog: http://simplydivine.typepad.com/otherstuff/. That's what I did. Then again, perhaps I'm misunderstanding the question. If so, I'll butt out. :-)

[Editor Comment:] Quite often there are different ways to do the same thing in Photoshop. We went for the "Warp Text" function since the user was new to this version, and Warp offers a dialog for selecting and implementing the effect. It also offers a preview so you can watch as you change the curves -- making it the easiest solution for this situation.

Thanks for your suggestions!