Photoshop Top 40, Feature #38: Vector Type

Submitted by deke on 28 July 2009 - 12:07am.

Photoshop Top 40 marches on with Feature #38, "Vector Type."

The idea is this: Most everything in Photoshop is made of pixels. Don't get me wrong, pixels are fantastic. For the present, they're the only means we have to render a continuous-tone image in the digital realm. But they are ultimately finite. And they don't respond positively to enlargement.

Type is something altogether different.

Although Photoshop shows type in pixels, the program renders it as vectors, meaning that you can enlarge your text all you want without any degradation in quality. Not to mention edit the text, format it, and blend it with a photographic image in ways no other program permits.

Learn how in this surprisingly real-world--if occasionally tongue-in-cheek--video. I explore text wrap, masking, scaling, and more in delicious detail.

Thanks to Andrejs Pidjass of bargain image vendor Fotolia for the alluring photograph!

(For a list of all Photoshop Top 40 videos thus far, click this link.)

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Comments

Interesting video

Submitted by webman on 5 October 2009 - 5:08pm.

Interesting video. I am a beginner of photo shop, it help me a lot.

No need for that hi res

Submitted by zmippie on 5 October 2009 - 11:03am.

Except maybe for full black text on a light-colored background, the super duper high resolution will not be neccessary for most text that is rasterized for CMYK-output. Because of the rasterizing process, the edges will be crumbly anyhow, so the pixels aren't noticeable. This holds true for black text on a somewhat darker mixed background too.

I did a bunch of tests to illustrate this, and a lot of old school prepress folks I showed those test were very surprised they couldn't in fact see any difference.

Text layers question

Submitted by Ian Shou on 10 September 2009 - 2:23am.
Thanks for all the awesome videos and your willingness to download your brain publicly! ok, now I have a question, related to Type: is there a way to merge Type layers, but keep the resultant layer still an editable Text layer? this is the scenario: I often type text layers on a project, so now I have all the different text layers with a few words on each. I'd like to take all of the text, and "merge" it, or just move it (a la illustrator, REAL vectorized type) to one single layer... when I select alll the text layers and do a "merge Layers", I do get all the type on one layer, but now that layer (and thus, all text on it) is now rasterized, and not editable... is there some super esoteric trick to move text from one layer to another and keep it editable? I figure if anyone will know, it'd be you (or Russell Brown...oops, did I just blow my chance of you answering my question?) thanks again... you totally rock!

who wouldn't love this

Submitted by djplaster on 8 September 2009 - 9:10pm.
who wouldn't love this feature!

Wait, confused...now

Submitted by gr33nsauce on 5 September 2009 - 11:57am.
So from what I am getting is that Photoshop text is vectored instead of rasterized...So lets say I finished this in Photoshop if I import it into Illustrator would then the text layer be automatically vectorized? Please be gentle and don't flame me I is still learning...

DekePod on iTunes

Submitted by sgarriepy on 19 August 2009 - 12:23pm.
Did you stop posting these to the iTunes store? For some reason I can view some videos you post here but others come up blank? But pulling them from iTunes has never been an issue.

Tutorials

Submitted by LDavid on 16 August 2009 - 4:38am.
Hi Deke. Interesting video. I want to know if you can send my a list of tutorials for photoshop, I am a beginner. Thanks Visit my Free Energy Blog for tips on how to save money on your utilities. free-energy.boomproduct.com/blog

Up resing

Submitted by Petra on 15 August 2009 - 3:14am.
I'm sure that's the name of a Bob Marley album. But anyway, I'm finally catching up on these tutorials again, and have a question about up resing (up rezing?) - up something to 600 dpi. I understand how it will make the text smoother and more defined, but what will that do to the photo? Will the photo still print as well? This question brought to you by the late, great Les Paul: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D4YYI8G5EM

Thanks for sharing this

Submitted by subhassen12 on 9 August 2009 - 4:03am.
Thanks for sharing this info, keep up the good work :)

Thanks

Submitted by jessicalevis on 7 August 2009 - 2:38am.
One of my friends was looking for this very thing. I'll send this link to him. Thanks again!

Wow! what an amazing tool...

Submitted by agunawanika on 6 August 2009 - 12:04pm.
I've got to try it! Thanks for the info!

Useful

Submitted by lillybaby123 on 3 August 2009 - 9:34am.
Great! I could imagine this tool can be so powerful. Thank you.

Just started to learn the

Submitted by Karrenhiggins on 3 August 2009 - 8:52am.
Just started to learn the ins and outs of photoshop. And i have come to realization that i don't believe many photos i see now LOL. I mean you can do almost anything with this.

Photoshop CS4 one-on-one - German Version??

Submitted by vanceregnet089 on 3 August 2009 - 8:37am.
You do a great job. I love your work. Nice tuturials. I would know when the book Photoshop CS4 one-on-one is available in German language ?? Greets vanceregnet089

Nice!

Submitted by MikeStoffs on 3 August 2009 - 7:42am.
Thanks, I have always wondered about masking - and actually seeing it done as opposed to reading how to do it, makes a HUGE difference!

How come they dont use

Submitted by nastytoe on 3 August 2009 - 2:25am.
How come they dont use vector images also? I know that fireworks does this, but it would be a really nice feature to have in photoshop. I guess you cant really vector a photo thats the problem.

Thanks for the great video.

Submitted by adamtrider on 3 August 2009 - 12:21am.
Thanks for the great video. Being new to photoshop. This video is making the learning much quicker thanks

I took photoshop for the

Submitted by frchgrl on 2 August 2009 - 8:28pm.
I took photoshop for the first time last weekend and was blown away (although I'll never trust a photo again! lol.) Have more to learn I know and seeing this makes me even more excited.

Thanks for the great info

Submitted by svetlana12 on 2 August 2009 - 5:14pm.
I am fairly new to photoshop(I know...I am always the last to catch on :) so this was something I did not know about. Thanks for the information -Svet

vectors always better

Submitted by givenup on 2 August 2009 - 4:39pm.
in my opinion i love vectors based images caus its a lot smaller than a pixel based image dont forget the awesome pen tool i think its the best tool in photoshop just that thanks

Thanks

Submitted by steve114 on 2 August 2009 - 3:27pm.
I'd completely forgotten this - good to be reminded and dust off those dying brain cells!

Great job

Submitted by ArthurMasons999 on 2 August 2009 - 10:51am.
Great job thanks for sharing.

Thank you

Submitted by knickershack on 2 August 2009 - 10:32am.
A new learning curve is always welcome ;-)

Thanks

Submitted by Jim M on 30 July 2009 - 8:52pm.
Your are the man, Jim M

Praise

Submitted by artwacker on 30 July 2009 - 6:28pm.
Sweeeet!. I do miss you sticking it to the man on Deke pod though. That candle will only burn so long.

Thank you

Submitted by Soul on 28 July 2009 - 1:21pm.
This is something that is so very useful to learn if you do not already know it. Even if you already know it, it is so very useful to be reminded. To be shown so crisply and effectively really is outstanding. Thank you, Deke.