Quick links to procedures on this page:

•
 
To stretch, rotate, or skew text
•
 
To add a shadow
•
 
To move the shadow
•
 
To adjust opacity
•
 
To add a blur
•
 
To set a curve style and change centering
•
 
To change the path

Applying Effects to Text

Before you drop a layer, you can apply any of the effects available in the Text panel. You can stretch, rotate, and skew text. You can apply a shadow to your text and adjust shadow attributes.

You can change the composite method for text or the shadow of a selected text layer by making a choice from the pop-up menu in the Text panel. You can specify whether you’re modifying the composite method for the text body or the drop shadow. Refer to Blending Layers by Using Composite Methods for more information about changing the composite method.

Stretching, Rotating, and Skewing Text

Stretching text affects both the horizontal and vertical size. As you stretch vertically, the text appears thinner and taller. As you stretch horizontally, the text appears flatter and shorter.

Rotating pivots the text from the end point of the text block. Depending on the alignment of the text, it pivots from the lower-left corner, lower-right corner, or center. You can also skew the text by slanting the text to the right or left.

Rotated text (right).

To stretch, rotate, or skew text Back to Top
1
 
Select text using the Layer Adjuster tool .
2
 
Choose a task from the following table:

To
Do the following
Stretch text
Drag a handle in the direction you want to stretch the text.
Rotate text
Hold down Command (Mac OS) or Ctrl (Windows), and drag one of the corner handles.
Skew text
Hold down Command (Mac OS) or Ctrl (Windows), and drag one of the center handles on either side of the text.

If the bounding box is not shown, click the Layers panel menu arrow and choose Show Layer Indicators.

Adding and Adjusting Shadows

You can apply a shadow to text. You can also select an external shadow, which places the shadow behind the text, or an internal shadow, which places the shadow inside the text.

To add a shadow Back to Top
1
 
Choose the Text tool from the toolbox.
2
 
In the Layers panel, select a text layer.
3
 
On the property bar, enable one of the following buttons:
•
External Shadow — makes your letters look as though they’re casting a shadow onto a sheet of paper held beneath them
•
Internal Shadow — makes your letters look like cutouts held above a sheet of paper that is the same color as the text
•
No Shadow — removes a shadow
You can also add a shadow by choosing one of the shadow buttons in the Text panel.
To move the shadow Back to Top
1
 
In the toolbox, click the Zoom tool .
2
 
Click the text in the document window to zoom in on the text.
3
 
In the toolbox, click the Layer Adjuster tool , and drag the shadow to where you want it.

Setting Opacity

Opacity controls the transparency of text or shadows. Your text’s shadow should be semitransparent. You can also use opacity to fade the color of text.

To adjust opacity Back to Top
1
 
In the Text panel, click one of the following buttons:
•
Shadow Attributes — to adjust the text’s shadow opacity
•
Text Attributes — to adjust the color of text
2
 
In the Text panel, move the Opacity slider to the left to increase transparency or to the right to increase opacity.

Adding a Blur

You can add either a focus blur or a directional blur to text and shadows. Focus blurs make text fuzzy. You can use the focus blur to soften the edges of text characters. With directional blurs, you can specify the direction in which the blur occurs.

To add a blur Back to Top
1
 
In the Layers panel, select the Text layer or the Shadow layer.
2
 
In the Text panel, click either the Text Attributes or the Shadow Attributes button.
3
 
Adjust the Blur slider .
If you want to apply a directional blur, enable the Directional check box, and adjust the Directional Blur slider .
The first half of the slider adds a left-to-right blur on the text; the second half adds an up-and-down blur.

Changing the Curve of Text and Centering on Baseline

You can define a curve style and path (baseline) along which your text will flow. The baseline created by a curve style is a Bézier curve, meaning that the shape can be controlled by using control handles and anchor points. Refer to Working with Bézier Lines for more information on working with anchor points and control handles.

There are four curve styles to choose from:

Curve Style
Example
The Curve Flat style flows along a straight line.

The Curve Ribbon style flows the text along a curve and keeps the letters in an upright position. When you apply the Curve Ribbon style, you can use the Shift key and the Rotate tool to control how the text moves around the baseline.

The Curve Perpendicular style places the text along the curve, with each letter perpendicular to the curve.

The Curve Stretch style actually changes the shape of the letters to fill in the space that would be left when the curve bends. For example, if text is set on a circular path, Corel Painter makes the tops of the letters heavier and thicker to fill in space.

You can control how the text is centered on the line. You can move the center point by dragging on the slider or by changing the alignment. Dragging the Centering slider also changes where the text starts and stops on a line. The Centering slider has no effect on the Curve Flat style. After you apply a curve style, you can change the curve of the path.

To set a curve style and change centering Back to Top
1
 
Choose the Text tool from the toolbox.
2
 
In the Layers panel, select a text layer.
3
 
In the Text panel, click a Curve Style icon:
•
Curve Flat
•
Curve Ribbon
•
Curve Perpendicular
•
Curve Stretch
4
 
Drag the Centering slider to the right or left.
The text moves along the curve.
You can also change the alignment of text on a path by clicking a text layer in the Layers panel and clicking an alignment button in the Text panel. For more information about aligning text, see To align text.
To change the path Back to Top
1
 
Choose Window menu Layers.
2
 
In the Layers panel, select a text layer.
3
 
Choose the Shape Selection tool from the toolbox.
4
 
Click an end point on the path.
Drag the handles to change the shape of the path.
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