Ginormous text tutorial

[januaried]

Here is a repost of The Text Tutorial, requested by about a gazillion people. We will be going over the different methods of using text in Photoshop and in GIMP, effects you can use to make text look better or more readable, and you can download some of my favorite fonts here

Comments

[rhye]

The Gimp's built-in text options are poor, true, but there is a very easy-to-add plug-in called FreeType which has a much wider range of options. I would recommend anyone using Gimp to download and install FreeType or some equivalent.

As for making text bold, italic, etc., in the font drop-down menu in gimp, each mode of the font is listed as a separate font. So you would choose "Arial Bold" instead of "Arial" from the drop down menu.

Very thorough tut!

[januaried]

Oooh, thanks! I'll have to check that out!

[weatheredlaw]

I was just reading through this tut and saw this and downloaded FreeType. How on earth do you get it to work on GIMP? I mean...I know GIMP pretty well, but plugins often go over my head....

[firstillusion]

Wow! Talk about a comprehensive tutorial. Excellent tutorial, I wish I would've had it when I started making icons. I hope every new icon maker sees it and learns from it (especially about anti-aliasing and using a colour that does something for the icon instead of ruins it).

[januaried]

Thanks very much! XD

[p_evans]

this is by far the most detailed font tutorial i've seen!

*adds to memory*

thanks!

[januaried]

Thank you! :D

[calzamante]

This is amazing, thank you so much. Am adding to memories to devour carefully later on.

[januaried]

Thanks for commenting! :D

[naginis]

Great guide! Totally memming, thanks!

(And, yay for Smallville!)

[januaried]

Welcome! And yay indeed for Smallville :)