Task 5 How to Warp Text

Warping text takes the idea of text on a path to a new level. This Photoshop feature allows you to distort the contents of an entire text layer, twisting, bloating, or stretching it into a wide range of effects. There are 15 different warping effects to choose from, and all allow bending as well as horizontal and vertical distortion.

1. Create the Text

   Follow the instructions in Task 1 to create a text layer.

   

2. Select Warp Text

   In the Options bar for the Text tool, click the Warp Text button. The Warp Text dialog box opens.

   

3. Select Warp Text Option

   From the Style menu in the Warp Text dialog box, select the desired warp variation. In addition, enable the Horizontal or Vertical radio button to determine the axis for the distortion.

   

4. Warp the Text

   Adjust the Bend slider as desired to create the initial warp shape, as determined by the selection you made in Step 3. You can also experiment with the Vertical and Horizontal Distortion sliders to further pinch or stretch the effect. Click OK to apply the distortion.

   

5. Edit the Text

   Warped text remains editable at all times. To edit the text effect you just created, select the Text tool from the toolbar. Move the cursor over the warped text and click to create a blinking text insertion point. Type as you normally would to edit the text. You can also drag to select a section of text for resizing or adding color.

   

How-To Hints

Circular Type

To create the effect of type in a circle, select the Arc option from the Style menu in the Warp Text dialog box and apply the effect as described in this task. For a true circular text effect, do not apply any of the vertical or horizontal distortions.

Cool Animation

Text warping provides a great starting point for doing GIF animations for the Web. Check out Part 12, Task 4, "How to Build Filter-Based GIF Animations" for step-by-step details.