I am new to Photoshop and want to add a colored background to warped text that follows the shape of the text and is no higher or wider than the text. Is this possible?

I don't work much with text, so help me see the light and maybe I can help.

Is the text composed of the individual letters or are we talking about the equivalent of the text on a rectangle that's been warped. (If it's by chance on a white, warped rectangle, the solution is a slam dunk.)

All caps?

There's a way, too, where you could use individual letters as the basis for a selection, but depending on font style this might be a good or a bad idea.

Out of curiousity, what program was used to generate the text?

Can you create a 100KB (or less) image and attach it. Pic worth 1K words, sometimes.

~DannyR~

Some of what you're saying is over my head. The text was created in Adobe. I want the text and the rectangle to warp. It is for a web page I am building. An example can be found at www.emic.org. The purple banner that has Home, About Us, etc. is an example of what I am trying to do. Thanks for your help!

Assuming that you already have the warped text then all you need to do is create a layer below the text (create a new layer and drag it below the text layer in the layers palette). You can then paint on this layer.

Apologies if I have misunderstood the question.

Christine

Christine,
My apologies to you because I am so new at this, I don't know the vocabulary! I follow what you say. When I create the new layer and make it, say, blue. How do I get rid of all the blue except what is directly under the warped text?

You should be able to just rub it out with the eraser tool.

Christine

We're getting warmer...

RE: Program used to create the text...

Adobe...what? (Like, Illustrator)

Using the link and example you posted (thanks... that helped a lot), are you saying you already have the text-on-purple-background, it's already warped to your liking, right?

Or, you have the white warped text and you want to put the purple background behind it?

How do you get this text into Photoshop, that is, do you close the program used to create the text file, then open the text file in Photoshop -or- copy the white-letters-on-purple-background and paste it into Photoshop? -or- some other method?

Not to worry... we'll get you there (wherever 'there' is)!

~Danny~

Or, you have the white warped text and you want to put the purple background behind it?

Yes, I have warped text on a white background and I want a warped purple background that follows it.

How do you get this text into Photoshop, that is, do you close the program used to create the text file, then open the text file in Photoshop -or- copy the white-letters-on-purple-background and paste it into Photoshop? -or- some other method?

I created the warped text in Photoshop Elements 2.0. Then, I want to use Photoshop to add the warped purple background.

Without having Elements, I'm unable to experiment with the Text Warp function. If Warp works on a rasterized (simplified) layer, you could be in business for easily creating the background that coincides with letter height.

Try this in Elements:

1. Create a text layer and type some text (whatever you like).

2. Layer > Simplify Layer

At this point is the Text Warp tool still available (not grayed out) after the layer has been simplified? If you can warp the text after the layer has been simplified, let me know.

- - - - -

There are multiple ways to get the text layer from Elements to PS. One of these will work.

A. Via file
1. File > Save As... (and choose Photoshop format .psd)
2. Open the file in Photoshop. Your text layer should be intact.

B. Copy/Paste
Before you can copy the text from Elements it first must be "rasterized."
1. To rasterize the Elements text, Layer > Simplify Layer
2. While holding down the Ctrl key, click on the Elements text layer.
3. Edit > Copy
4. Switch to PS window.
5. Open a new file, if not already open
6. Edit > Paste

C. Drag and drop (this might work...).
1. Photoshop and Elements are open, windows side by side. New file created and open in Photoshop.
2. In the Elements Layers Palette, click on the text layer and drag it into the Photoshop window.

Sorry this is such a long hike...
~Danny~

Ah ha... With the some terrific advice of Jay Arriach, here's how you can you do this:

1. Make as many type layers as necessary. If you have multiple labels, e.g., File Edit Menu Help (whatever), having individual layers for each label makes it easier to adjust spacing between words.

2. When you're happy with the text layer(s), select the bottom text layer.

3. Layer > Merge visible (thus rasterizing the text).

4. Create a new layer below the text layer.

5. Set foreground color to whatever you want for the backing to the text.

6. With the rectangular marquee tool, draw a rectangle around the text where the backing color will go.

6a. Select > None

7. Layer > Merge Visible.

8. Image > Rotate Canvas > 90° CW (needed for the next filter)

9. Filter > Distort > Shear
* Wraparound: On
* Drag the shear line however you want
* Add and/or drag points to the line as needed
* OK to apply the distortion(if you aren't familiar with shear, let me know and I'll give more details). Click OK to apply the distortion. Use Image > Rotate > Layer 90° Right to turn the layer back to horizontal (Shear only works top to bottom).

10 Image > Rotate Canvas > 90° CCW (to return text to horizontal)

I tried this and I believe it will do what you want to do. If not, Jay had a 2nd suggestion, but let's see if this does it for you.

~Danny~