Guide to smooth text in photoshop

[Pharcyde]

Hey guys! Recently I have been getting a lot of PM's about how to make text in photoshop smooth and crisp. So heres a tut, if you pm me asking, you will be directed to this page from now on .

Original:


End result: - Note, color is darker, because of the STS file size restriction. Both are white in photoshop.


So, this tut works for all types of texts and shapes.

Step 1 - Create a new document, using this size:


Step 2 - Use the text "Pharcyde" as an example. As the character layout is designed to fit that text. Once you get the hang of it, you can do the character settings yourself. Font File: Font - "Slicker"


Step 3 - Change the "anti-aliasing" setting to either sharp or smooth. Sharp rounds out the edges, but keeps the solid shape. Smooth rounds the edges, but gives it fading effect on the edges. I used smooth for the effect I am after.


Step 4 - DO NOT RASTERIZE THE TEXT! Once you rasterize, the pixel's will no longer add or contract with resizing. You will be stuck with the pixels you have, leaving you with a jagged, uncrisp text. Ctrl/Click Text layer. Create a layer mask.


Step 5 - Now Alt/Click the text layer. This fills in the blank canvas, and makes your mask on the text visible.

While the shape is still selected, Filter > Blur > Gaussian blur, and with a radius of 1.5px.


Step 6 - Ctrl/L. Use the default settings, but change the first input level to 110.


End - Tada! You now have a smooth/crisp text effect in photoshop! You can change the settings around however you please. This layout simply fits the text style I was after.

[Otukura]

You have a PM.