Photoshop Text Runarounds?

How do I create text runarounds in Photoshop CS

General Image Editing
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K Torres from Washington, USA, using Photoshop CS with Mac OS 10.3.8, writes in with:

[Quote:] This is probably a really simple thing, but I cannot figure it out. I am designing a brochure. I would like to put a rectangular picture in the middle of one of the 3 brochure sections and make the text flow around it. That is, I would like to type and avoid typing over the picture in the middle without having to hit the space bar or manually format the way the type is laid out. I have figured out how to use the pen tool, have no problem putting type on a path or constraining it within a box, but I cannot figure out how to constrain it and avoid typing in the center. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated!

Reply:

Technically, you can't. You're using the wrong program for the assembly of images and paragraph text. Since you have Photoshop CS you probably also have Illustrator -- which is a much better program for this. You could also use any of the desktop publishing programs like InDesign, Quark XPress or PageMaker.

In lieu of these programs, understand that Photoshop 7 and CS can generate Paragraph text as a block.

Rather than clicking with the text tool, click-and-drag with the text tool to pull out a rectangle. You'll immediately see a blinking cursor ready for your text.

Generate runarounds by creating a series of text blocks that avoid the graphic. Keep in mind that Photoshop's text blocks have no means of being shaped. Rectangular blocks are all that are available to you.

Generate your first text block (See Picture #1)

Now, copy the next gulp of text and drag out the second text block (See Picture #2)

You may wish to use your Ruler Guides with column markers so you can build the series of text blocks to the guide. Now, drag out the third text block, paste in the text and continue with the project. (See Picture #3)

This is cumbersome and slow-going. Any major editing will require moving the text through the boxes.

Photoshop was never intended for this kind of work, and [IMHO] were added to spread marketability of the program to a wider audience. For best results use a real desktop publishing program.

KEYWORDS . . .

Comments

[Ciprian Tudorici]

There is a much better way to do this. You can use the pen tool to create any shape you would like, it just doesn't matter the form of this shape. Using the text tool, you can type inside of this shape. The text will automatically follow the shape's form.
If you use the shape tool as a path, create a shape for this path. If you are using the shape tool with the fill option, than you can easily set the fill to 0% avoiding the unwanted color from the shape.

Good luck!

[Ciprian Tudorici]

There is a much better way to do this. You can use the pen tool to create any shape you would like, it just doesn't matter the form of this shape. Using the text tool, you can type inside of this shape. The text will automatically follow the shape's form.

Good luck!

[Stefan]

Thank you for the solution for this problem!! I searched for Hours to solve this problem!!!

[Stefan]

Thank you for the solution for this problem!! I searched for Hours to solve this problem!!!

[Eric Powell]

Actually you can do a run-around, it took me a long time to figure out, but here it is. Use the rectangle tool, to create a box, then holding ALT you can subtract from the box. Subtract a square around the image you want to avoid typing over. Right-click, "Create Workpath", then select the text tool and click within the box