| Begin by opening a new file.
Click on the File Menu, choose New and click on it. In the dialog box (like the one
to the right), set the width and height big enough to accomodate the text you intend to
create. A resolution of 72 pixels per inch is fine for most things that will be displayed on a computer screen. These are also going to be displayed on a white background, so the rest of the box is selected correctly for our purposes. Click on the OK button, and a blank, white editing window will appear. Also open your source file if you haven't already done that. |
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Click on the Text Tool (a "T" on the toolbar), and hold your mouse down until the Outline Text Tool (a "T" outlined by marching ants ...like the one to the left) appears. Slide your pointer over to it, selecting it. |
| Once you have selected the Type
Outline Tool, click in the middle of your Untitled image window. A Type Tool dialog
box will appear. Choose a font, set a size, set your alignment to the center setting. Thin fonts and small sizes won't allow much of your source file to show inside the type, so choose thick and/or large type as much as possible. In the large type editing window (where you see the top of the word "Cool" to the right), type the word or phrase you want to use, then click on the OK button. |
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After you click OK, you should see text outlined by marching ants in your Untitled image window. You can fill that outline with anything ....a color, for example. We're going to do something different, though. |
| Next, make sure you can see both your
source file ("coolwater.jpg" in our example) and your untitled image window
....you'll be switching back and forth between them. Select the Rubber Stamp Tool (see the white shaded box to the right), then click on the title bar of your source file. |
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Hold down your Alt key (Opt key on
Macs) and click on the far left of your source file ("coolwater.jpg").
Then let go of the Alt key and click on the title bar of your Untitled image. This
is the easiest way to switch back and forth between the source file and your Untitled
image. Position your pointer at the upper left of the outlined type, hold down your mouse button (left mouse for PC), and drag your mouse back and forth over the outlined type. The data from your source file will transferred to the type. When it's done, close your source file, and click on the Rectangular Marquee tool. |
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Click and drag around the outside of your type, selecting it. Choose Crop from the Image file menu, and your new image will be ready to save. |
| Give the new file a name, like "cooltype.jpg", save it as a .jpeg file, and it's ready to place on your web page. Remember, of course, too many images can slow down the loading of your pages, so use effects like this sparingly. |
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