PhotoShop Lesson

Text Enhancement Exercise (about 15 Minutes)

In this short tutorial you will learn how to rasterize text. It also covers merging layers.

1. Start new file, about 600 X 300 pixels. Resolution should be 72.
2. Change the background color to black.
3. Change the font to Red, and type "AMERICA" or any word in large letters, about 110pt.
4. Stretch the text vertically:
   • Choose the Move Tool (i.e. the arrow)
   • Click EDIT/Free Transform to stretch the text.
5. Duplicate the layer (right click it on the Layer's palette)
6. On the duplicated laer, use Text Tool; double click to highlight the text. Color it blue.
7. Rasterize the Blue text
   • Click LAYER/Rasterize/Type.
   • Use the Rectangle Marquee tool, and drag a selection across top half of it.
   • Press DELETE.
   • Deselect by clicking SELECT/Deselect.
8. Merge the two layers
   • Go to the Layers Palette. Hold Control/Command and click on both America layers.
   • Choose LAYER/Merge Layers.
9. Add a white stroke around letters.
   • Go to the AMERICA layer
   • Choose EDIT/Stroke. Change color to white, 4 pixels.
     
10. Add a filter
    • Choose FILTER/Distort.
    • Then choose Ripple. Try something else if you'd like