Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 23

Thread: Software app for bending text?

  1. #1
    Community Leader Guild Sponsor Gidde's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Michigan, USA
    Posts
    3,673

    Post Software app for bending text?

    Hi all ... been trying to just use my home computer for mapping, which means open-source or at least cheap (as opposed to $700 for photoshop). Most of the time I love gimp anyway, but my gawd it is a bear to curve text. Does anyone know of something I could use to just bend some text for importing into gimp?

    In the meantime, I'm using my work laptop (which has PS on it) to do the labels for my current WIPs, but it would be really nice to find something I like that I can put on my home pc.


    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Community Leader Facebook Connected Ascension's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    St. Charles, Missouri, United States
    Posts
    8,392

    Post

    Uh, PS already has tools to do that so just use them. Click on the Type tool, it should be in the box with all of your other tools like eraser, pencil, etc. and it looks like a T. Now click on the document window and type your text and click the check mark at the top of the screen. Now if you look to the left of the check mark you will see a T with a curved line under it...those are the basic text warp tools.

    The fancier way to make curved text is text on a path. Use the pen tool and make whatever path you like and as curvy as you like (even a circle). Now click on the type tool. When you click on the document window to start typing your text, click on the path and your text will follow the path.
    If the radiance of a thousand suns was to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...I am become Death, the Shatterer of worlds.
    -J. Robert Oppenheimer (father of the atom bomb) alluding to The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11, Verse 32)


    My Maps ~ My Brushes ~ My Tutorials ~ My Challenge Maps

  3. #3

    Post All vector apps do that...

    As far as know all vector apps do text on a curve easily, which means Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw, Xara Xtreme, Serif DrawPlus and probably Inkscape (though I don't use Inkscape, so I don't know if it can for sure, but probably though), the last one being free like GIMP. Every vector app I've ever owned, and I owned three of five of those listed above do that no problem.

    The basic version of Xara Xtreme is only $49 (I use the Pro version though which is $249) does this and anything else you need very easily. Not that I'm especially recommending it over the others, but if you're familiar with any of my maps, all of them were created or otherwise composited in Xara Xtreme.

    Go download Inkscape for Free and try it for text on a curve, it probably best fits your budget!

    GP
    Gamer Printshop Publishing, Starfinder RPG modules and supplements, Map Products, Map Symbol Sets and Map Making Tutorial Guide
    DrivethruRPG store

    Artstation Gallery - Maps and 3D illustrations

  4. #4

  5. #5
    Community Leader Guild Sponsor Gidde's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Michigan, USA
    Posts
    3,673

    Post

    Thanks for the suggestions guys! I'm using the PS on my work pc now, I just wanted to get something affordable for the home pc so I don't have to set up two computers is all.

    I think I'm going to have to download Xara's trial, that feature list is nice.

  6. #6
    Guild Adept Notsonoble's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Lubbock
    Posts
    333

    Default

    Yeah, the text along path in gimp is kinda meh... because you can't edit the path on the fly... I'll through in a second vote for inkscape...
    My D&D/Roleplaying Blog Making a new effort to update every two weeks!
    Gimp Gradient Basics

  7. #7
    Community Leader Guild Sponsor Gidde's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Michigan, USA
    Posts
    3,673

    Default

    Wow, Xara has one heck of a learning curve! I'll keep tinkering with it and see if I fall in love, and in the meantime it looks like I really missed a lot of Inkscape's potential for this. I'll zoom around the web and see if I can't find a how-to.

    Thanks again guys

  8. #8

    Default

    Just get the development nightly build of inkscape, rather than the .46 stable, as there are many, many more features available (and I have not had a crash, so dev is still pretty stable.)

    -Rob A>

  9. #9
    Community Leader Guild Sponsor Gidde's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Michigan, USA
    Posts
    3,673

    Default

    I've come to the conclusion that Inkscape is resisting me with a will of its own >.<

    My tablet refuses to function in Inkscape. A little google-fu came across two known issues, one that is GTK+ based (which can't be it, because GIMP works like a dream and the issue was happening in both programs), and the other saying that Inkscape can't handle two pointing devices at the same time. I unplugged my spare mouse, and the tablet worked great ... for about 2 minutes. Now it's back to consistently not functioning, even after reboots/program restarts.

    If it matters, I'm using a Wacom Bamboo. I've tried turning the pressure sensitivity off in Inkscape (with my spare mouse before I unplugged it), and making sure both the tablet pen and the tablet eraser pointing devices were set to screen (which they already had been).

    I'm usually a better geek than this, but Inkscape just seems to keep foiling me. Any ideas?

  10. #10
    Community Leader Facebook Connected Ascension's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    St. Charles, Missouri, United States
    Posts
    8,392

    Post

    It depends on how you're wanting to bend it. PS can do most of that by itself but there is one type, that I know of, that it can not do...text that is curved at the bottom but straight across the top for something like logos or letterheads in the old Victorian style.
    If the radiance of a thousand suns was to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...I am become Death, the Shatterer of worlds.
    -J. Robert Oppenheimer (father of the atom bomb) alluding to The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11, Verse 32)


    My Maps ~ My Brushes ~ My Tutorials ~ My Challenge Maps

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •