
Start by opening a new file, 16 million colors with a white background.
You must start with a square graphic. I started with a file 300 x 300 pixels.
Click on the shapes Tool
and in the Tool Options Palette set the Shapes Type to Circle, the Style
to Stroked, the Line Width to 1 pixel, and check Antialias and Vector.
Now position your cursor in the very center of your window. You can tell
by watching the numbers in the lower left hand corner of your PSP screen.
Since my file was 300 x 300, I positioned my cursor over 150, 150.
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Draw a circle of whatever size you want. Remember to leave room around
it for your text though. You'll notice that after you've layed down your
circle, it has what looks like a set of deformation controls around it.
That's one of the features of vector shapes and text: they are easily deformed
and don't lose any of their definition in the process.
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Next, choose the text tool and position your cursor over the circle.
You'll be able to tell when you have it positioned correctly because the
cursor will change into an "A" over a semi-circle.
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Click to apply your text to the circle. In the text dialogue, you have
some new options. You can set the color, font, and size of your text and
can have different colors, fonts and sizes on the same line. Make sure
that the text size that you choose is small enough to fit around your circle
without overlapping. Check Antialias and Floating and be sure your text
is centered (In the Text menu there are three text allignment buttons:
left aligned, centered, and right aligned). No, you do not need
to use vector text to go along a path (though you can if you really want
to.) Using Floating text actually makes it much easier to use if you want
to add effects. Lay down your text, and then apply any effects (such as
Blade Pro or Eyecandy) that you wish to use. Promote the text to a new
layer (Selections: Promote to Layer.) when you're done.
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Now here's where we put the text on the bottom. First select the Shapes
Tool again and position the cursor at the same point that you did for the
first circle. Draw a new vector circle, this time making it large enough
that it touches the top of your text.
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Now we do something that sounds weird. Go to Image: Flip. You shouldn't
see any real change, but the interesting thing is that when you apply text
now, it will be on the INSIDE of the circle. Choose the text tool and apply
the rest of your text to the OUTER circle. It will actually appear
over the text you already layed down, but don't worry.
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Now go to Image: Rotate. Check the box marked Right (under Direction),
and 180 (under Degrees.) Make sure that the All Layers box is unchecked.
Your text should flip over. Just place it at the bottom of your circle.
Promote the text to a new layer when you're done applying any effects.
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Finally, get rid of the circles. if you look in your Layers Palette,
you should have two vector layers. They are marked with a box
symbol. Click on the + in front of each of these layers in the Layers Palette,
and they will expand to show each of the vector objects on that layer.
In this case you should only have a circle on each of those vector layers.
Click on the little eyeglasses next to the circles to make them disappear
from view. If you're sure you won't need the circles later, you can even
select each of the vector layers and then click the trashcan to remove
them permanently.
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If you want, you can now add a sphere, or globe, or any other logo to
complete the effect. I used a sphere that I created using a technique that
I will post soon.
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Now the method above works for 99 % of the people who try it. But if
you're having trouble with it, try this. Go back to the step where you
added the second circle, before flipping. You can either undo back to that
point or start fresh with a new graphic. Instead of flipping, click on
the Vector Selection tool
. You'll see that the Tool Options pallette now has a little button that
says node edit. Click that button. Your circle will now turn black and
have four little squares (nodes).
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Place the cursor over one of the nodes and right click. A menu will
pop up. Scroll down to to where it says edit and another menu will open.
Note the little arrow on the circle in the upper left hand corner. That
arrow shows the direction that text will go.
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Click on Reverse Path at the bottom of the menu. Your arrows should
now be going the other way.
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Click anywhere off the graphic to close the node editing session. Your
circle should return. Now just add your text to the outer circle as above,
rotate it by 180 degrees, and place it at the bottom of your circle.
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Some people don't like how the letters at the bottom end up scrunched together. You might want to put a space between each one of your letters in the bottom text or play with the kerning between the letters. When you're adding the bottom text, highlight the entire line and change the kerning value to a fairly large number (300 or 400). You may need to play with the kerning value to get the effect that you want.
Email me at State_of_Entropy@hotmail.com
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