avatar DigitalDreamer
In this tutorial, I want to show you how you can create a path for text. This is a simple tutorial to get you involved with the text tool with adobe photo shop cs2.


End result:
How to Make Text Paths Final Image

Views: 11795
Score: 8.57 / 10
Author earned: $15

Tags:pathtext

Step 1

Lets begin this tutorial by creating a new document in photo shop.

File > New >
width: 581 pixels
Height: 297
Resolution: 72
Background -transparent

Click O.k.


Step 2

With the new document created, make sure you have "Layer 1" selected and color it black with the paint bucket tool. This will be our background.

Black #000000


Step 3

Create the text you wish to use.

Font: Arial
Size: 125.28
Color: White but it's not necessary the giant text is a guideline.


Step 4

we need to spread the text apart a bit, so when we add the outline text they won't be nocking into one another.

go to
Window tab> Character

This will bring your character font properties up

(or click on the text tool then find the icon in the tool bar panal up top that looks like a menu tab like shown in the image)

Look for what looks to be horizontal arrows, we need to adjust the horizontal AV to 100.


Step 5

Now with the text layer you created, we need to convert this into a shape. Converting it to a shape will create a work path which will be needed for the text to guide along it.

Right click on your text layer >Convert to shape


Step 6

I wanted to show you here what the work path looks like when it's activated with in the layer panel.

On the left side the work path is disabled but the layer is still selected

Right side of the layer panel shows it activated
Click on the vector thumbnail with in the text shape layer to activate the work path. You will see an outline around the vector thumbnail appear, and as well around the text shape in your document.


Step 7

Since it's not a simple shape, and all the outlines are not connected each piece will need to be worked on separately.
You will need to activate the vector thumbnail to work on each outline, so it's best to work from the inside of the text then the outside.

Now that we have our shape path activated, hover your text tool over the inside of the D outline, wait till you see a T with a wavy symbol that is your text path type tool. Go ahead and click and start typing, your text should start flowing along the inner part of your D

Click on the vector thumbnail again and hover your text type tool over the inner part of the g and again wait for the text path type tool symbol to appear, click and type and watch your text flow along the inner part of your g.


Click on the vector thumbnail again and hover your text type tool over the inner part of the a and again wait for the text path type tool symbol to appear, click and type and watch your text flow along the inner part of your a.


Step 8

this is the result you should have from step 7


Step 9

Now lets work on the outer part, remember each outline needs to be separately activated before you work on them.

Hover your text type tool over the D outside outline and wait for the text path type tool to appear. Click, and begin typing.


Step 10

Results from step 9

Again reactivate the vector thumbnail to work on the next letter and wait for the text path type tool to appear.


Step 11

This is the result you should have after doing steps 9 & 10


Step 12

Go to your layers panel, and hide the text layer. We don't need it anymore, it was just a guide for us to use for our text to flow along it.

Look for your text shape and click on the eye to disable it, or just trash it.


Step 13

Select all your new text layers > Right click and duplicate, then merge together by right clicking and then go down to "Merge Layers"

this will be our extra effect


Step 14

With the merged layer selected

go to
Filters > Blur > Radial Blur >


Step 15

put these settings in for the radial blur

amount - 34
Blur Method-Spin
Quality-Best


Step 16

final results



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12 Comments:

avatar Giggleslvl: 9
vp: 108
rep: 30.1
Giggles says:

Cool tut!Thanks for posting it!

(245 days ago)
avatar vinshinelvl: 7
vp: 109
rep: 8.2
vinshine says:

yeah this one is Good.,

(245 days ago)
avatar RGBlvl: 5
vp: 1000
rep: 42.4
RGB says:

nice tut DD i like it

(244 days ago)
avatar Giallolvl: 12
vp: 1120
rep: 28.9
Giallo says:

useful

(239 days ago)
avatar FairyGardenslvl: 10
vp: 163
rep: 8.8

very interesting

(230 days ago)
no avatar
Guest says:

Will this work in PSE?

(202 days ago)
no avatar
Guest says:

nice one

(201 days ago)
avatar devangellvl: 1
vp: 109
rep: 40.7
devangel says:

nice

(192 days ago)
no avatar
Guest says:

wow is very good.......

(93 days ago)
no avatar
Guest says:

Thank you for the tutor. It's really good.

(52 days ago)
no avatar
Guest says:

a new discovery for me, thanks.

(38 days ago)
avatar DigitalDreamerlvl: 9
vp: 96
rep: 21

Thanks for all the comments, I am not sure what other programs this works in, I done this in photo shop cs2 version. I am not familiar with the other versions if they allowed to create a text path. I hope this helps those wondering.

(1 day 20 hr ago)


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