Using Vector Designs & Customizing Text in Photoshop

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Using Vector Designs & Customizing Text in Photoshop

By Outpatient Paginated View

This tutorial will help demystify the lesser known vector side of Adobe Photoshop. We will learn how to produce and alter a vector shape plus we'll get you started on the basics of altering text so no longer will the look of your images containing text have to be defined by somebody else's font.

As most of you know, even the current version 7 of Photoshop does not import any vector formats (with the exception of a direct cut 'n paste from Adobe Illustrator). It does open many vector based formats (PDF, AI, EPS) but when it opens them it automatically flattens and rasterizes the image. This destroys the vector objects and turns the data into a pixel based image. However Photoshop does give you a set of tools for creating your own vector objects that can be quite handy for certain types of images. Today I'll show you just a few of those tools and how powerful (and fun) they can be.

Vectors in Photoshop are simply groups of points, lines, and curves used to define objects within your image. Same as vectors you might find in any "normal" vector based graphics program (Adobe Illustrator, Macromedia Flash, Corel Draw, CAD programs, etc.).

In this tutorial we will create a very basic two layer image to demonstrate some of the possible uses of vectors in Photoshop. Each layer will contain a simple layer mask that will define what parts of the layer are visible. However, instead of the mask layers being the typical grayscale image, we are going to use vector masks to define what is hidden and what is visible on each layer. Your final output will be completely dependent on the choices you make, but here's an example of something we might end up of with:

So let's get started?
First, let's make a vector shape. I'm going to use the Polygon Tool.

Then I'll set the Polygon Tool's options to be a "star" and to "indent sides by" 50%. I'll set the number of sides to the polygon to be 75. Note: when you have the Polygon Tool in the "star" mode, the number of sides will actually be the number of points on your star.

Then we just click and drag to create the star. However, before we do that, let's look over the different vector modes and make sure we are using an appropriate one. We have three modes; Shape Layers, Paths, and Fill Pixels. We can ignore Fill Pixels for now (and honestly I don't know if this mode is very useful at all). Shape Layers will automatically place your vector object on a solid color filled layer as a vector mask. And Paths will allow you to simply create vector shapes all by themselves. You can then use those shapes for whatever you want (to make a vector mask, to define the shape of a selection, etc.) We're going to use Shape Layers in this example.

So, I have my Polygon Tool all set, now I'll create my shape. Simply click and drag.

And there you have it. A seventy-five pointed star. As is standard in Photoshop, when creating the object you can use the SHIFT, ALT, and CTRL keys to control aspects of the object (for example holding SHIFT will keep the aspect ratio perfectly square). Making this object has created a solid color fill layer using my current foreground color (black) and it's using the vector shape as a layer mask for this layer.

Ok, so, you may be wondering, what is so cool about vectors? What's the big deal?

Well for one thing, working with vector shapes you can do some pretty cool stuff. Watch?

I am fond of my many pointed star here, but it is a little mundane. Let us tinker with the shape and try to give it a little more pizzazz. First thing I am going to do is switch to my Direct/Path Selection Tools. (The Direct Selection Tool allows you to select individual nodes or points of the object, while the Path Selection Tool will select an entire object. Both these tools work by either clicking directly on points or shapes, or by dragging a selection "fence" around multiple points/shapes.)

Then, to make the vector shape much easier to work with, I'm gong to turn off this layer's visibility so the color won't obscure our view of the shape. To do this, 1.) click on the layer visibility icon to turn off it's visibility, then 2.) click on the thumbnail of the path for that layer.

After that the only thing I see is the vector shape I'm working with:

Now using the Direct Selection Tool I'm going to highlight/select just the inner points of my star. This particular shape makes it difficult to fence in all the points we want to select in a single move. That's no problem. Similar to the marquee selection tool, just hold down SHIFT to add more points to your existing selection.

Starting from the center of the star I'll select approximately a quarter of the inner points. Then holding SHIFT, I'll select the remaining three quarters, one at a time:

Here's my star with the inner points selected:

Then I'll right-click and do "free transform points".

And as you can see here, I can now manipulate the inner points while the outer points remain anchored. Cool huh?

Now, that gives our basic pattern a little more pizzazz, doesn't it?

Ok, on to making our second layer. This next technique can be extremely valuable when you need to produce unique lettering, such as in one of our corporate contests where so often a company is seeking a logo. Our second layer is going to be comprised of a custom text shape that no font can reproduce.

First thing we need to do is make a text layer and choose a font you want to start with (the simpler the font the better).

Then convert that text layer to a shape layer. This option is in the Layers drop-down menu. Follow along?:

Now, what was previously a font with an unchangeable shape has become vector shapes that you can manipulate any way you see fit. Again, cool huh?

With this technique you can take common fonts (that any John Doe can use) and transform them into your own custom, stylized text that nobody will be able to duplicate (except other Photoshop gurus of course).

Now I'm going to use my Direct Selection Tool and see if we can't change these letters into something that is a unique shape yet remains readable as text. I'll keep it simple for this demonstration.

After moving a few anchor points around and combining a few shapes, I've ended up with this:

If I turn on this layer's visibility then we once again have solid text.

And then I'll turn on my first layer's visibility, and ? behold?

Hmmm. Well that really isn't so great is it? :) Not to worry. Photoshop's Layer Styles will save us. Just start tinkering with adding various layer styles to each of the two layers. You could use any of the pre-defined styles or better yet make your own. Also try using differing blend modes to achieve nice looking effects that not only look good together, but actually work together.. Maybe add a white or black background layer underneath it all, and in just a few mouse clicks?

That black silhouette shape above, can just as easily look like any of these:

Here's an alternate shape of the text:

And all of those pretty images are being defined by two simple vector shapes like these:

NOTE: In order to retain your vector shapes don't merge the layers, and when saving, save your original document in the native Photoshop format (.PSD) To make copies of the image suitable for the web or email, whatever, then use Photoshop's "Save for web?" feature to save a copy of the image as a .JPG, .GIF, or .PNG. But always keep your original document in .PSD format otherwise you'll lose all your vector data and your layers will get flattened to a single image.

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