Design with text

Text can be an important design element and a creative tool. Once you have the basics of creating and editing text under your belt, experiment with some of the many text effects you can make in Photoshop.

Create text

Use the Horizontal or Vertical Type tool to add text to an image. Choose a font and font size; then type on the canvas. You can create point type, which is used for individual lines of text, or paragraph type, which flows inside a flexible text box. Paragraph type is useful when you’re creating a brochure, a website mockup, or other project with a significant amount of text. 

When you add text to the canvas, a Type layer is automatically created in the Layers panel. Individual Type layers give you the flexibility to edit type without affecting the rest of the design.

Edit text

Type in Photoshop is made up of vector-based outlines, so it stays smooth and crisp when scaled up and remains editable. You can edit many type properties, from color to kerning. You can try out different fonts, and even change the words in a Type layer. You can access all type properties in one location—the Properties panel for the selected Type layer.

Make exciting text effects

Creative Photoshop users have come up with thousands of text effects over the years. Not all text effects require deep knowledge of Photoshop. Check out some of the many inspiring things you can do to make your text special:

Embellish text with paint and textures. 

Fill text with imagery.

Put your friend on a magazine cover, using layer masking to put the title behind your subject.

The fun doesn’t stop there. Here are more text effects to explore: warp text. Use unique fonts and glyphs. Clip photographs to text. Use layer styles like drop shadows and glows to set text off from an image. Create a smudge script. Put text on a circular path. Add blurs and other filter effects. Turn letters into 3D objects. Experiment and have fun designing with text!