suchagoodfeeling

Sure this might be very easy but i'm having trouble with it! Basically i want to create a series of outlines around some text either in Photoshop or Illustrator which ever works best? (Im guessing alot of people on here use other adobe programs?)

So just to clarify i want to create solid text, just one word, with a series of lines surrounding it, around each single letter? Without drawing around each letter and doing by hand!

It would really help me out! Thanks.

Silky

Ok, it took me bit to figure out how to do it, but I think it's pretty easy and quick too. The trick is using layer styles. Double click on your text layer to open layer styles and select the stroke box. Now in fill type select gradient and in the style box select 'shape burst'. Now make a black to black gradient and put a series of opacity stops along the gradient. You can do this by making points on top of the gradient bar in the gradient editor. Then set every other stop at 0% opacity. That will give you your lines around the text.
Hope that helps you.

Welles

p?tr??k...an interesting approach...

Another method of accomplishing suchagoodfeeling's goal is to create the text on one layer. Command (Control on PC) + click on the image miniature of the text in the Layers palette to load a selection. Add a few more new layers under the text layer. Now with the text's selection outline active go from one layer to the next using Edit > Stroke using Outside and increasing the width of the stroke on each lower layer in the layer stack. One benefit of this approach is that you can then add a layer style to each and get some additional effects (bevel/emboss/drop shadow/glow etc.).

Silky

Accually, I did think of that Welles, but I was thinking that suchagoodfeeling ment lines surrounding (not touching the text)? \:/ Am I right Mr. feeling?

Welles

Well, you sure did accomplish your intended goal, p?tr??k. It makes one wonder... \:/

suchagoodfeeling

Thanks guys! The first example is exactly what i was thinking of! I will try both examples and see which works best. Been using Photoshop for agers but every day im learning and its so good getting advice from people who know exactly what they are doing! Thanks again.

ronmatt

http://img347.imageshack.us/img347/2946/2copy8xx.jpg

another way of doing it. you can also control the weight of the stroke, vary them and vary colors.
here's an example of what you can do, this way.

http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/208/38ts.jpg

Welles

That's a nice result too, ronmatt. Any more???