In Photoshop, we have the ability to add text to an image, and alter its appearance using the formatting tools in the Options bar. For this exercise, we’ll add the text “Angelica: World’s Best Dog” to Smiling edit.psd, the file we added a lens blur filter to previously. In the process, we’ll learn how to format text and add layer styles.
NOTE: Photoshop is not recommended for design projects that contain large amounts of text, such as a research poster or other text-heavy documents. Programs like Illustrator and InDesign are better suited to manipulating large amounts of text that incorporate graphics and other design elements.
Using the Type tool
To add text to the image, we’ll use the Type tool. Each use of the Type tool adds a new layer to the image that contains the text we’ve added to the file. These layers can be moved, edited, or otherwise modified, allowing for virtually unlimited flexibility with typography.
Let’s go ahead and add text to our image, then format its appearance once it’s been added to the document. We'll also use the Move tool to move the text into position after we've formatted it.
To activate the Type tool, in the Tools panel,
Click
To position the cursor,
Click on the dog's name tag near the bottom of the image
To add text to the image, type the following:
Angelica: World’s Best Dog
To select the text, on the keyboard, press:
Control key + A
To change the font size, in the Options bar,
Click, Click 60 pt
To center the text, near the middle of the Options bar,
Click
To change the font to Forte, in the Font name field,
Click, Click Forte Regular
NOTE: If the font Forte Regular isn’t available on your system, select a different font of your choosing.
To open the Color Picker dialog box, near the bottom of the Tools panel,
Click
To change the color to white, in the Color Picker dialog box,
Click in the upper left corner of the color field, Click
To deselect the text,
Click outside the canvas
To activate the Move tool, in the Tools panel,
Click
To move the text into position,
Press & Drag the text so it is centered near the bottom of the image
When positioning the text, a pink guide will appear when the text is in the exact center, as shown in the following image:
We now have text added to the image — however, the text over the dog's tag is a little hard to read. We can help the text stand out more by using a Layer Style to add a drop shadow to the text.
Adding visual effects using Layer Styles
A Layer Style is a great way to add a quick effect to text or an image. Many common layer styles that are used to enhance text are drop shadows, outer glows, beveling and embossing, and gradient overlays. Today, we’ll add a drop shadow to the text to help it stand out from its surroundings. We can find the Layer Styles options in the Layers menu on the Menu bar.
To select the text layer, if necessary, in the Layers panel,
Click
To open the Layer Styles dialog box, in the Menu bar,
Click Layer, Point Layer Style, Click Drop Shadow…
To change the opacity of the drop shadow, near the top of the Drop Shadow group in the Layer Style dialog box,
Press & Drag the Opacity slider until the value reads 75%
To adjust the angle the light is coming from, in the Angle field,
Press & Drag the value, type: 120
To change the amount of distance between the text and the shadow, in the Distance field,
Press & Drag value, type: 16 Tab key
To soften the edge of the shadow, in the Spread field, type:
25 Tab key
To adjust the size of the drop shadow, in the Size field, type:
32 Enter key
The text now stands out from the background a bit more, and is easier to read as a result.
The completed portrait should look similar to the following image:
Let’s save our finished work and close the file before continuing on to the second part of the course: creating a composite photo.
To save the file, in the Menu bar,
Click File, Click Save
To continue saving the file, in the Photoshop Format Options dialog box, if necessary,
Click
To close the file, in the document tab underneath the Options bar,
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