CURVED TEXT

·CURVED TEXT·

First of all open a new file say, 500 x 500 and select a shape from your Preset Shapes.
To make it easier if you're doing this for the first time, choose either the Elipse or
Circle shape. Draw your shape by dragging it around until you get the size you like.

At this point, check your settings against mine. All settings are highlighted in red.

Now, to make sure it's central on your page, go to your Objects tab and then click on
align centre. You will now see your shape go to the centre.

Now you need to add some text so choose a font, size and colour and hit your Text Tool

Check that your settings are the same as mine, as highlighted in the sample below. You need to make sure
that your Floating option is on and your Anti Alias is ticked. You should also make sure you use
the option to centre your text. This will make your text central rather than set it off to the left or right.

Take your text tool to the dotted area and slowly run it over the lines until you see it change
to the letter A with a curved line under it.

This is when you can add your text. If your text comes out in a straight line, you didn't hit the correct marker point. Undo and try again.

If you've added your text correctly it should look my sample below.

You should see lots of dotted lines around your text and the shape is still visible.

We're now going to get rid of the shape so go to your Layers area and click on where it says
Vector 1 as shown in my sample above.

Now you need to Right click on Vector 1 and then click the delete option as shown above

If you have done that correctly, you will see your shape disappear leaving just your curved text.
To make this more interesting, you can now add any special effects you want to the text whilst it still
has all the dotted lines around it. When you've done that, go to your Selections tab and click on
Select None and the dotted lines will disappear and your curved text is all finished.

You can see from my sample below I've given it a bevelled effect just to make it stand out.

If you look at the image below, you will see how you can use your Curved Text in other ways.

If you don't succeed first time round, start again and make sure you read the tutorial thoroughly.
Follow each part step by step and print off the tutorial to make it easier to follow.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

If you want your text to be at the bottom but the right way up (like a smiley face),
after you have drawn your shape, go to your IMAGE tab and click on FLIP.
This will turn your shape upside down, so when you add your text it will sit at the bottom,
the right way up instead of upside down. See sample below.