A Digital Demo--Page Eight, Text
Kalamazoo College
Richard Koenig

Office Location: Light Fine Arts 203, Phone: 337.7003

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Notes on Type

When you use the type tool, a new editable type layer will be created. Many things can be changed on this layer after its been created, which is splendid. You'll see a new layer created when you add text, just double-click on that layer, and you can make changes very easily.

Now, this editable layer is object oriented, not raster-based. This means that you can't do some effects (such as filters) on type until the layer has been rendered into pixels (menu bar, layer, rasterize, type). But make sure you're done with changes, such as size and position, before you do this. Or better yet, make an extra layer of your type (layer palette, duplicate layer) in case you mess it up with effects.

Another thing about this editable layer--it will not work on an image that is in the "index-color" mode. Sometimes one has to change the mode of an image to rgb, work on the "look" of the piece, then change the mode back to "index color" when you think it's finished.

Usually it is a good thing to use the anti-alias effect for your type. This will smooth out the edge of the type once it is rendered into pixels.



Text



use type tool, change font, color and size in dialog box.

copy bones from the web and save to "visufun" folder



open "bones" in photoshop
change the mode to rgb
tool box, type tool, click within image area
look up at options bar:
  • font
  • style
  • size
  • anti-alias options
  • alignment
  • color
  • warp options
type something in the image area
highlight some of the text and change its size--make it big for this demo
    important: you must highlight it or changes won't take place
now look at the layers palatte
you can play with its opacity here
or try a blending mode--try "difference" (but you can only do the entire layer with this blending-mode effect)
you might want to also lighten the background under the text--try the following
  • highlight the background layer
  • go to layers palette menu, new, adjustment layer
  • choose brightness/contrast
  • try brightness +50, contrast -50



Type Effects


add some type to dad and his boat, then add some effects

copy boat and save to "visifun" folder



open boat in Photoshop (this one is already rgb)
tool box, color picker, make a color for the type
you'll see that the type tool loads the foreground color automatically
try a nice burgundy
tool box, type tool, click the image somewhere

put in "hey"
move around with the move tool
now try the vertical type tool--click on that in the options bar and type "dad"
or, type horizontally and rotate with menu bar, edit, transform, rotate 90 degrees CW
menu bar, layer, layer style, emboss, play with depth
copy that effect to the "hey" layer by dragging the effect to the other layer in the layers palette

flatten and save dad if you like



Image/Text


With this demo, we'll look at the the gradient tool, the outline type tool,
more layer effects, and talk about color basics just a bit.


copy the following two images, limestone and ornithology



open the images in photoshop, make sure both are rgb

prep ornithology
    activate "orn.jpg" and add a new layer in the layers palette
    go to the tool box and choose two complimentary colors in the color picker
    activate the top (blank) layer and select the gradient tool from the tool box
    double-click on that tool and make sure the options palette says "foreground to background"
    go to the image with the gradient tool and draw a line with the gradient tool from one corner to the opposite
    you'll see the color appear over top the image
    lower the opacity of the gradient layer to 50% (options palette or layers palette) or use softlight
letters of rock
    move to the limestone picture, activate
    choose the outline type tool and type "biotic"
    make the type bold and very large (170), one word
    don't use the move tool, but carefully use the type tool to move it
    when you have it positioned over the texture to your liking, then the move tool in the toolbox
    you'll see marching ants around the text now, hit apple "c" to copy it

    back to the orn.jpg now...activate it
    copy the type into that picture with "command v"
    click on the move tool and adjust the limestone's position
    click on the text layer and go to menu bar, layer, effects, drop shadow
    done



In-Class Exercises

  • straight-up text




  • straight-up text in 3d




  • create corny elements




  • create layered text effects







In-Class Exercise: if you want to try some of these, here are some insructions to get you started:

  • create a graphic, using only text and your imagination

    • gradient tool
      outline type tool

  • create some phony-baloney graphic elements over an image

    • new layers
      gradient tool
      ellipse tool
      filter: sphereize

  • build up some text(ure)

    • text tool
      duplicate layers
      complimentary colors
      new layers
      opacity
      feathered selection

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