Writing text in a circle in PS

FightingChance

It's very late/quite early, and I'm sure if I fiddle enough it will reveal itself, but I'm trying to type in text that bends itself around the contour of a ring, and then duplicate that text and place the duplicated equidistant around the circle (maybe one at every 72 degrees.) I can do this easily enough in say, Maya, but I'm trying to do this in Photoshop (to create a crest/design.) Any pointers? Have I made it clear enough what I want?

Here's a picture of the FBI shield, which illustrates the effect I want.

thnom

Draw the base circle (that the text will follow) and use the typing tool on the edges of this circle. This gives you the text following the circle path.

Edit: I lie thats Illustrator. In the text tool there is a T with an arched arrow underneath it, click that and mess with them to get what you want.

FightingChance

That's what I've been fooling with; would Illustrator be more accommodating for something like this?

arshlevon

this will only work for photoshop CS and CS2

To put text on a path, you first need a path. Choose the Pen tool, shape tool, or line tool. Next go to the options bar and make sure the "paths" option is active, then create an open or closed path.

Once your path is created, switch to the horizontal type tool. Bring your cursor close to the path, and your cursor will change slightly, and the status bar will change to say, "Click to create type on a path." Click, then type... that's all there is to it! Well, you do have to click the commit button to accept the text.

# To manipulate the type on a path, switch to the direct selection tool or the path selection tool. You can drag the type to move it along the path, or drag across the path to flip type to the other side.

# You can use the path selection tool or the move tool to move the whole path with type attached.

# Use the direct selection tool to change the shape of the path.

If you have created a closed shape, you can also have your type wrap inside the shape to conform to its path. The process is essentially the same as creating type on a path but instead of clicking the cursor on the outside of the path, you will move the cursor inside the path and click when it changes to an I-beam with a dotted circle around it.

All of the type tools work with type on a path or type in a shape. You text is fully editable and though it may appear jagged on-screen, it will print just fine. To edit your text, double click the T icon for the type layer in the layers palette and use any of the editing functions in the option bar, character palette or paragraph palette. You can even warp text on a path or in a shape, but both the type and the path will be warped.

FightingChance

I knew paths had something to do with it; thanks for all the details arshlevon! Much appreciated.