Curved Text... How?

I use Xara to design T-shirts... and for most things, I have no problems.

However, I am not sure how to make text curved...

I found some online tutorials that were very confusing, and involved drawing an arc, then putting text on the arc... etc...

Well... I must be an idiot, because I cannot even figure out how to draw an arc.

I would love instructions on how to:

Insert, create, or draw an arc.
Modify the arc to change width, height, position.
Create text that flows in the shape of the arc
... and then hide the arc, so that only the text is shown.

I can do fancy, multi-layer text all day... in a straight line.

But I need an easy, simple way to curve the text above and below a graphic for the front of a t-shirt.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

:) Brett

Hi Brett,

To make an arc is very easy.

1. Select the Shape Editor Tool
2. Left click to set one point of a line
3. Left click to set the opposite end point of a line
4. Move the Shape Editor Tool cursor to the center of the line (approximate center).
5. Left click and drag to create your arc.
6. Create your text or select existing text.
7. Select the arc (Shift+Click with selector tool) so both the text and arc are selected.
8. Arrange menu > Fit Text to Curve.
9. Assign none to the outline colour. Text normally has no outline assigned. If you have assigned an outline to the text then use Ctrl+Left Click to select the line (arc) then assign none to the line colour.

The attached wmv file shows how easy it actually is to do.

OK My turn. :)

Draw an ellipse.

Convert to Editable Shapes (Arrange menu)

Break at Points with Shape Editor Tool - Delete bottom half

Select arc and stretch to create desired shape

Click Text Tool on the selected arc and key in your text.

Drag the small red square to reposition the text on the arc

(Optional) Ctrl click on the arc and reshape the arc.

Awesome...

Thank you very much...

I did run into one problem... For my text, I often have two layers... the front is a color... the back is the same text, slightly larger and black to get an outline effect.

I had to clone the arc... assign each layer of text to a different arc... the bring them together and make the arcs no color.

Is there a different way to do this? i.e. can you group text and assign it to the same arc?

:) Brett

Thanks Gary :) One of those tricks I think I used to know but had forgotten all about!

Lots of great help here. =)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brett

For my text, I often have two layers... the front is a color... the back is the same text, slightly larger and black to get an outline effect.

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Say Brett, why not simply embellish the single string of text rather than make two overlaid copies? Color the text outline and size it however you like. You could also use the contour or bevel tools to add flair.

Note that if you want the text centered on some point on the curve, then it's best to use center-justified text.

OK...

Have most of this figured out... but there is something you forgot to mention that makes this much easier.

The "Fit Text To Curve" is misleading...

You see... you can draw a straight line... use "Fit Text To Curve"... which "marries" the text to the line... THEN make the curve with the shape editor tool.

It is much easier (in my opinion) to make the correct size/shape of curve with the text changing at the same time... as opposed to making the curve first, then adding the text.

In any case... this was a great help.

Thanks...

:) Brett

I agree that fitting text to a flat line first, can often be easier

BTW:

a straight line is a curve - with a curvature of zero [zero being a quantity mathematically speaking...]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cursor

Lots of great help here. =)


Say Brett, why not simply embellish the single string of text rather than make two overlaid copies? Color the text outline and size it however you like. You could also use the contour or bevel tools to add flair.

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Well... when I first started using Xara, I was in a time crunch.

To create a slight outline of text, which is a little thicker on the top and left side of the letters... it was much easier to simply duplicate the text in black... stretch it a little taller and slightly wider... then put the orginal color text on the front... creating the effect I was looking for.

I need to work on learning the text tools... they are not as user friendly or "obvious" to me as I had hoped they would be.

:) Brett

Once you have your text set to your arc, you can simply clone your text (Ctrl + K) apply a different colour to the clone and resize, offset, or feather the clone. You can also apply bitmap fills to the clone and apply transparencies to blend the fill into the text for some interesting effects.

This is one line of editable text (center justified) on a single invisible arc. Text line width = 1px. Even the shadow conforms to the control arc.

Another good way to get your outilne effect would be to create a 'glow' shadow and change the size color and transparency of the shadow accordingly. This way you don't have to mess around with text on two lines and you will get a uniform outline outside your text (as opposed to half in and half out).

Eric

You could also do a Countour on the outside and either make it just the 1 step that's needed or get the inset path of the contour made out of a clone of the original - this way you get two shapes that are really sized the way they need to be.

Get the join type right and don't drag too far out or the contour shape will lose its definition.

hope that helps.

OK... just when I think I have it figured... something strange happens...

I draw a circle.

Write text.

Fit text to curve.

Then click on the circle and change line and fill color to none.

OK... great. Circle is gone... text is black (or whatever coller I used when I wrote the text.)

I then click on the text, change the color... and suddenly... both the text and the circle are now the new color.

Tried ungrouping... tried a bunch of things... nothing changs it.

Maybe it is a problem with the font? I followed these same steps other times and it worked out just fine.

Also... when I draw a circle... the imaginary "box" around it (i.e. the 9 points to stretch/resize it) are in a square... but when the text is fitted to the curve, suddenly the imaginary "box" is now a huge rectangle with the circle occupying the left most portion of it.

... and yes, I made sure the text box was as small as possible... but this has me going nuts.

:( Brett

• Select all (text and line)
• Convert to editable shapes (SHIFT+Ctrl+S)
• Ungroup (Ctrl+U)
• Select line and delete
• Select text and recolour

*Note: Text is now a shape - any editing of text characters or font face should be done BEFORE above steps.

Quote:

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After changing the color,select the line in the objectgallery or by ctrl+click and set the line color to none.

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This was my initial reply,but the line doesn't show in the objectgallery.
is this a bug??

Hans

Brett, I think that text typed into a text box isn't supposed to work, but a line of text works fine.
Saludos,
Bob.