PART A: Creating Basic Text with the 'Text Tool'
1) Select the 'text' tool from the tools palette
2) Click in the work area, and type in some text
The 'Text' Tool |
3) Click/Drag the cursor back over the text you just typed, causing it to be highlighted,or use the 'selection' tool from the tools palette to select the text so that its bounding box is visible.
Text Highlighted Using Text Cursor |
Text Highlighted Using 'Selection' Tool |
4) Use the 'Character' palette to select the Font, size, tracking, etc.
The 'Character' Palette |
5) In the 'color' palette, select the text color, and the fill color, by alternately selecting the 'fill' icon (then setting it's color), then selecting the 'stoke' icon (then setting it's color)
6) Next to the color bar, there is a white square with a diagonal red line through it. Click on this to turn off stroke or fill. Which is affected is determined by which icon is selected.
7) Turn stroke or fill back on by selecting the proper icon and choosing it's color (either in the color bar, or the small box under the icon that appears when an icon that is currently off is selected)
The 'Color' Palette and the 'Stroke' Palette |
8) Set stroke attributes in the 'stroke' palette
That's the basics of text creation in Adobe Illustrator.
Part B: Now that you know how to create text do the following for the tutorial:
a) Create some text. Set it's font size, style, spacing, etc.
b) Turn on the fill and stroke for the text and set both to white. Set the stroke attributes. Save this file in Illustrator format. This will be your 'filled' text file.
c) Turn off the fill and save the file in Illustrator format. This will be your 'stroked' text file.
Working on the "Animating Skies and Writing Text With Light" Tutorial? Return to tutorial.
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Enjoy,
Mark Simpson
If you don't have the Tinderbox for After Effects, download a demo from The Foundry.
---Mark Simpson is a leader in the Adobe After Effects Creative COW. Would you like to know more about Mark and see other articles written by him? Click here.
