7 Adding Text
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Paint Shop Pro 9 does a fairly good job of handling text but not nearly as good as Photoshop 6 or later - advantage Photoshop!

First choose the text tool (or just press T) and then set the most important text options: direction, font, size, style and alignment. The 'create as' option should normally be set to 'vector' since this is the most editable form of text. Set the foreground/stroke colour (the outline colour) and the background/fill colour in the materials palette (for text with one solid colour you could set the stroke and fill colours to be the same or simply set the stroke width to zero). Now click the image where you wish to place your text and start typing - your text will appear in a text edit box and also in the image itself, with the options you have chosen. If you want to change the properties of existing text then don't forget to select the text in the text box before you change the options. Once the text looks OK press the apply button. If you want to change the text then click the solid part of the text again with the text tool and the text edit box will re-open. You also see some handles - use the corner or side handles to resize the text, the centre handle to move the text without switching to the move tool and the rotation handle to rotate the text.

Notice in the layers palette that there is both a vector layer, probably called 'Vector 1', and the actual text layer (you may need to click the + sign next to the vector layer in order to see the text layer).

As explained in the Layers lesson, information about layers can only be recorded if you save your picture in the PSP format. Once you are sure that your image is finished, however, you should save it in the very compact JPG format.

What special effects can be applied to text? The effects that you are likely to use most often with text are found in Effects > 3D Effects - see the examples below. Often the use of these effects requires that your text vector layer be converted into a raster layer. Once this is done you will no longer be able to open the text in the text editor for editing, unless you undo the effect that you have applied.

The above effects are to be found in Effects > 3D Effects but many other effects can be applied such as Effects > Distortion Effects > Ripple.

Now let's get some practice with the text tool. Copy this image into Paint Shop Pro, then add text to try to make it look like the picture underneath.

 

Three animations are available to show you how the three blocks of text were added. These animations have an audio track but you can also use the animations without audio since 'callouts' are also included. If you are in European School 3 as you read this, use the first set of links below to retrieve the animations from the school server. Otherwise use the second set to get the animations through the internet (broadband connection required). The best way to view the file may be as an SWF file playing in Media Player Classic, for example. Media Player Classic allows you to adjust the size of the animation and to have animation 'always on top' so that you can watch the animation while you work in Paint Shop Pro. To view the SWF file in that way you may need to download it by right-clicking the link and choosing 'Save target as...'
 

  in school, from server outside school, via internet
Part 1: European School 3 (2.5 minutes, 8.5MB) web page SWF file web page SWF file
Part 2: EE3 (2.75 minutes, 10MB) web page SWF file web page SWF file
Part 3: Come to Ixelles... (3 minutes, 9MB) web page SWF file web page SWF file

Some additional hints:

First, use the text tool to create the text "European School 3" using Bauhaus 93 font, size 90, with a drop shadow. When you try to apply the drop shadow you will have to allow the vector layer to be converted into a raster layer. This is bad in the sense that you won't be able to edit the text anymore but good in the sense that it will force Paint Shop Pro to put the next block of text into a separate vector layer. Always make sure that each new block of text is created in a NEW vector layer by making sure that a raster layer is active when you add the text. If you don't do this (i.e. if you add a text block while a vector layer which already contains text is active) then any effect such as drop shadow will always apply to ALL the text blocks in that layer.

For the EE3 down the left side, change the direction from 'horizontal and then down' to 'down and then right' and use Impact Font size 200, bold. To change the spacing (kerning) of the letters, make sure the text is open in the text entry box (by clicking the text with the text tool), then use the kerning adjustment in the tool options bar (it may be hidden due to lack of space in the bar). You may need to also stretch the text sideways. Finally, apply the effect Effects > Texture Effects > Sculpture > Pastel Blue Splatters.

For the sloping text, use Harlow Solid Italic size 80 bold, then rotate the text, then add the effect Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel width 3.

Once you have finished, you should save the image into your folder as a jpg (compressed) image. If you think you may want to do more work on this image then you should save it in the PSPimage format so as to save a maximum amount of information along with the image.

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