This tutorial was written in PSPX2 but uses tools and techniques that are available in earlier versions too. You can add text around ANY shape because you will be totally in charge of the path - no presets or vector shapes needed. You are essentially creating your own vector shape in this tutorial. Don't let that scare you - it's easy! Read the entire tut before beginning to understand where we're going. Ü

Open a shape, image, photo, anything that you want to use for your text shape. I am using a leaf brush from ActionFX - I like the curvy shape ...

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Click on your PEN tool (V)

Use these PEN settings; Draw Point To Point - Bezier Curves - tick Connect Segments, Create On Vector, Show Nodes In Draw Mode

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Set the foreground Color to any contrasting color (it will be removed later) - background Transparent

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Begin left clicking along the shape - start wherever you want, end wherever you want. Each click creates a node - place them close together, you'll see why later.

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After completing the path, right click on the first node - NODE TYPE > SYMMETRIC

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Zoom in and use the nodes (the move tool will pop up) to adjust and smooth the line.

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When you're happy with it, right click the first node again - EDIT > SELECT NONE

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Click APPLY.

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Choose the Text Tool (T) - select the text you would like to use - choose background Color, foreground Transparent - then go to the beginning of the line that you just created and when you see the little A with the ) under it, click & type in the text box that opens. Make sure your text is VECTOR, NOT SELECTION or FLOATING. Adjust text size & kerning to fit the line - APPLY - SELECT NONE.

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Turn off the vector layer (the line) -

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Drag the Promoted Selection layer to a blank area on your canvas and save ... or in earlier versions of PSP, the text will be inside the vector layer (click the + to open) - delete the line layer - RIGHT CLICK on the Vector layer and Convert to raster layer.

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Save as .png

download the tutorial word art here -

box.net :: 4shared :: mediafire

Some examples ... around an element

on a photo ...

Have fun with your new skill!!

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