Text on a Path

As many of you have noticed – I have really been playing with my type lately. There are several ways to do this – the easiest is being to buy a collection like Valarie Randell's Collection Text on a Path. In a recent LO called Together I used Syndee’s Nuckles new Borderline2 Template and had my text follow the curves. Here is how I did it. You must have Photoshop CS3 to do this as Photoshop Elements does not have vector features like this – Sorry.

So lets look at the LO I am creating today of Princess-in-Training – my little trooper! I am going to use Thao Cosgrove's Ornamental Ink Brush Set right on my image. Here is where I am in the Layout.

BTW - you can click on the images to enlarge them.

Fig 1

I am going to select my freeform pen and draw a line that follows the curve of the swirl. I like to make sure that I have the rest of my LO pretty much set so that I don’t have to move the text once I do it.

Fig 2

Here is what it looks like after I draw the path I want to follow.

Fig 3.

I am now going to get my type tool and line it up with the path I just drew. I left click with my mouse and a text box appears with my cursor ready to go. One trick is to make sure that you have left justification checked - otherwise you might get frustrated.

Fig 4

Now I type some text.

Fig 5

See how easy that was – and fun :D

I will let you in on another secret – to draw my line, I use a Wascom Bamboo tablet and pen. They are a ton of fun and so addictive.