Getting started: Creating text

You can use this tutorial with Adobe® Photoshop® Elements versions 7 and 8.

Add editable text to any image in Adobe® Photoshop® Elements. Then, format the text by changing the font, color, point size, style, and more. After formatting the text, move or rotate it.

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Requirements

To complete this tutorial, install the following software:

Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 or later

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Adding and formatting text

You can add text, such as a title or speech bubble, directly to your existing photos.

1. Start Photoshop Elements.
2. Open a photo in the Editor workspace, and make sure Full Edit is selected.
3. In the Layers palette, select the Layer where you want to add the text. A new Text layer appears above the selected layer.
4. In the toolbox, select the Horizontal Type tool.
5. Click in the photo where you want the text to appear.

   Before you begin typing, it is a good idea to set the options for the text. You can do that in the Options bar, as shown in Figure 1.

   

   (View full size +)

   Figure 1: A. Font, B. Style, C. Size, D. Anti-aliased, E. Format, F. Alignment, G. Leading, H. Color, I. Warp, J. Orientation, K. Cancel/Commit

6. In the Options bar, click the arrow to the right of the font field, and select Arial.
7. Click to open the Font Style menu.

   You can choose styles like italic, bold, and semi-bold, if your font has those options available.

8. Select Regular.
9. Click to open the Font Size menu, and choose 30.

   Notice the anti-aliasing option to keep the edges of the text smooth. There are also options for bold, italic, underline, and strike through formatting. For multi-line text, you can align the paragraph to the left, right, or center. You can even adjust the leading, or space between each line.

10. Click the arrow to the right of the color field. A palette of color swatches appears, as shown in Figure 2.

    

    Figure 2: Color swatches

11. Select a text color, and click away from the color palette to close it.
12. Type to add your new text.

    The text you add has a black underline. Whenever you add text or edit text you have to commit the change, or tell Photoshop Elements you are finished.

13. In the Options bar, click the Commit button (green check mark).

    The black line below the text disappears. Another way to commit the change is to select a different layer or change tools. If you look in the Layers palette, you see the new text layer, as shown in Figure 3. A text layer is a special type of layer because the text remains editable. You will learn how to edit text in another tutorial.

    

    Figure 3: Text layer

Positioning Text

After adding text, you will probably want to adjust its position on the photo.

1. Make sure that the text layer is selected.
2. In the toolbox, select the Move tool.
3. Drag the text to where you want it.

   The Move tool creates a bounding box around the text, as shown in Figure 4. You can use the anchor points on the bounding box to size the text.

   

   Figure 4: Bounding box

4. Drag a corner of the text bounding box to make it larger or smaller.
5. Drag the circle at the bottom of the bounding box to rotate the text.
6. When you are satisfied with the size and position of the text, click the Commit button (green check mark).

   The text remains editable as long as the type layer is in the file. So, if you are going to save the file, do so in a format that lets you keep layers, such as a PSD. If you save in JPEG format for example, the text is no longer editable.

Where to go from here

If you enjoyed this tutorial, check out these other resources to help get you started using Photoshop Elements.

Photoshop Elements Essentials for Windows tutorials on lynda.com

Photoshop Elements shows on Adobe TV

Photoshop Elements Help and Support

Editing text

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