Photoshop Tutorials 2013: Text as Shape

You can use Text as a shape i.e. you need a Shape into which you paste Text in Photoshop.

This is a free stock image. I have cut out the bottle from the background.

Step 1 : Click the Magic Wand.

Step 2 : Click the empty space with the Magic Wand. A selection of marching ants form.

Step 3 : Press CTRL+SHIFT+I to inverse the selection.

Step 4 : Click on the Paths palette. Click on the Make Work Path from Selection.

Step 5 : The Work Path has formed.

Step 6 : Go to Edit>Copy.

Step 7 : Open a New Document.

Step 8 : I am using Photo as Preset and Size as Portrait 4 x 6. Click OK.

Step 9 : The Foreground/Background Colors should be set to the default Black/White. If it is not press x and d to restore the default.

Step 10 : Press ALT+BACKSPACE to fill with Foreground Color which is Black in this case.

Step 11 : Go back to the image of the bottle. Go to Edit>Copy.

Step 12 : Click on the Black document. Go to Edit>Paste.

The Path has been pasted on the black document.

Step 13 : Press CTRL+T A selection forms. Press SHIFT+ALT and drag a corner handle to resize proportionately. Press ENTER to apply the transformation.

Now we need some Text. You will be able to generate text at http://lipsum.com/

Step 14 : You will be taken to this page when you click the link.

Step 15 : At the bottom right you will find the Text Generator. It is set to generate 5 paragraphs. Click Generate Lorem Ipsum.

It will take a moment or two to generate the text.

Step 16 : Right click and drag down to select the Text. Press CTRL+C to Copy.

Step 17 : Click the Horizontal Type Text Tool.

Step 18 : The Color of the Text should be set to White. To set the Color click where the small white hand points to.

Step 19 : The Select text color dialogue box opens. Type ffffff (6fs) in the highlighted box at the bottom.

Click OK.

Step 20 : Click the Direct selection Tool.

Step 21 : Click with the Direct Selection Tool on the path to select it.

Step 22 : Click the Horizontal Type Tool.

Step 23 : Click inside the selection with the Type Tool. The shape of cursor becomes rounded inside the selection

Step 24 : I am changing the Size of the Font to 8 points.

Step 25 : Go to Edit>Paste.

Step 26 : The Text is pasted inside the selection. There are some line breaks because of paragraphs.

Step 27 : Place the Cursor at the end of the line and press DELETE.

Step 28 ; The gap has been closed. There is another line break at the bottom.

Step 29 : Place the cursor at the end of the line. Press DELETE.

Step 30 : I have pressed DELETE twice to close the rest of the line breaks.

Some gaps nevertheless remain.

Step 31 : Right click and drag down with the Text to select all of it.

Step 32 : Go to Edit>Find and Replace Text.

Step 33 : The Find and Replace Text appears. In Find What: Press the Space bar once.

Step 34 : In change To: Leave it at zero.

Step 35 : Click on Change All. It will take take the computer awhile to process this. You have to wait.

Step 36 : This dialogue appears after processing. The number of replacements will vary from image to image.

Click OK.

The Text now replicates the shape of the bottle.

Step 37 : Click the Tick Mark in the top panel.

Step 38 : Click anywhere below the Work Path.

The path disappears.

Step 39 : Click back on the Layers palette and click on the Background Layer.

Step 40 : Click on the Foreground Color. The Color Picker comes up. I have clicked on a shade of red. If you want the exact shade type in e70606 in the highlighted box at the bottom.

Click OK in the Color Picker.