How to make Curved Legal Text Tutorial

[AmigaMan]

1: Create a new document in Photoshop

Label Template
1400px X 1400px 300dpi Transparent
[attachment=16084:1.jpg]

2: add guides
View > New Guides

Horizontal 700px
Vertical 700px

if you only see 0 CM you can change this by R+Click and selecting Pixels so we can see what we are doing we'll make a new layer and fill it with black
[attachment=16085:2.jpg]



3: we now need to make a Path for out text to sit on, first we will use the Elliptical Marque Tool (this is under the Rectangle Marque Tool R+Click)
we now have a few setting at the top of the screen we need to change, you can use the settings below or just experiment. Tip: the path will be resizeable once finished
Style: Fixed Size Width: 1350 Hight: 1350
[attachment=16086:3.jpg]
click somewhere in the top left of our new document, you will now see the circle marque, click inside it and whilst holding down the left mouse button you can drag the marquee around, try to get it central if you can, but at this time its not important.


4: R+Click and select Make Working Path with a Tolerance of 1.0 you will notice now we have a solid outline.
If you have the Paths pallet out (Window > Paths) click on the tab to see the new Working Path.
[attachment=16087:4.jpg]



5: now go over to the toolbox and select the Fonts Tool (Horizontal Type Tool) and position the cursor over the path, you should notice the cursor change when its over the path from a dot-outline box to a dot-outline wavy line you might want to zoom in to get a better look.
click on the path and you will now see the flashing text cursor with a small O under it, this is where your text will start, select a font that is installed, I'm using Arial Regular 36px for this tutorial but you can use whatever font you have to hand but be sensible. 27px is a good place to start
[attachment=16088:5.jpg]



6: now the astute among you will have noticed that the text is on the wrong side of the path and facing the wrong way!... clever you ;o)
select the new Type Path in the Paths pallet and go to the menu Edit > Transform Path > Flip Vertical
[attachment=16089:6.jpg]



7: To center our Text Path select the Type tool again and click on the text now hold down the Ctrl key (Option ? Mac) you will see a bounding box appear if you zoom all the way in (I have zoom set on the mouse wheel) you will see a center reticule click and drag somewhere near it to bring it over the crossing guide lines (do not click on the reticule itself or you will just move it and not the path.)
now we have our path centered you can zoom out
[attachment=16090:7.jpg]



8: To adjust the starting point of the text select the Type Tool and click on the text then hold down the Ctrl key and bring the mouse cursor outside one of the corner drag squares you will see the cursor change from a sold triangle to a bent double arrow if you L+Click and move the mouse whilst still holding down the Ctrl key the path will rotate around the center axis point
[attachment=16091:8.jpg]

you and change the diameter of the path by Free Transform and holding down Shift and then recenter it or a better way would be by selecting the Path and holding Ctrl+Shift+Alt and dragging one of the corners.

you can incorporate this into a Template if you like.

[JollyRoger]

A very handy tutorial Amigaman:) Nice work! :arms:

[AmigaMan]

thanks JR

I made it for a mate as he kept forgetting how to do it... so I thought I'd update it and post it here as well.

I also noticed after I 'd already posted it that theres a Tutorial section under Downloads... Doh! you can move it there as its a better place for this kinda thing.

[lynne]

Excellent TUT Amigaman thank you.....

Been climbing the wall on how to do this but just couldn't fathom it out but your TUT explained it nice and clear for me

[Stringelax]

Why are the simplest methods always hidden?
I was always working with the Type tool with the arc below it. But this works only for an half circle.
Now I understand the label template I recently downloaded. (It had the same path)
I already knew how to put text in a path and now I’m complete.
Thanks.