Text on a Circle Step by Step
Palm Tree Download: http://www.clker.com/clipart-coconut-tree.html
Beach Photo: https://pixabay.com/en/pink-beach-beach-paradise-1761410/
Text Circle Project File: Text Circle Project File
YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/8j40iDsX5rw
This step by step guide is designed to be used with the video as a reminder of the steps. This is not a stand alone text based project how to file and is not ment to replace the video.
New File - set to Default Photoshop Elements size
Set Guidelines Horizontal and Vertical to center of page
Set first circle using the Ellipse shape tool
Centered checkbox
Set to Fixed Size at 2.4 x 2.4
Click right on the middle of the page, alight the crosshair to the guidelines
Make a new layer
With the Circle tool, change the color to a medium gray
Change the size settings to 2.5 x 2.5
Click in the center to make the new circle
Select the Type tool
Arial Bold
18pt
Cyan or any color other than white or gray, we will make it white later on
Centered Text
Hover the type tool right over the edge of the circle shape, you will get the Text on a Shape tool.
Click right at the top middle of the edge of the circle
In Photoshop Elements 2024 and layer you will get placement text.
In earlier versions you will get a text placement insersion point (blinking vertical line)
You can now type in your text. Type in "Twin Palms Camera Club". This text will follow around the circle shape and will end up being upside down at the bottom. We will fix that next.
Name this layer Top and hide the layer
New Layer above shape, name this layer Bottom
Type tool, click on the Shape layer
place new text on the circle exactly like you did last time.
Make this say "Beauty from Light"
This will be the bottom text, even though it is at the top right now
With the type tool triple click on the text to select it
Hold down the ctrl key and pull the text down to the bottom of the circle, it will snap to the inside bottom and will read correctly
Look for the vertical like in the middle of the text, align that with the bottom middle position
We now need to move the text outside the bottom of the circle, make sure you are still on the text layer. Then use the ctrl+t keyboard shortcut to bring up the transform handles.
Hold down the alt key and pull the bottom right corner control handle down and away to make the bounding box larger and move the text outside and below the circle. Position the text so that the tops of the capital letters just touch the circle, it may take a couple of moves to get this right. Hit the checkmark to place the text in the new position.
Show the Top text layer. You now have both pieces of text displayed with the bottom text reading correctly.
Hide the gray circle, we are done with that part
Select the background layer
Choose the elliptical shape tool again, choose a different fill color, it doesn't matter what, I used CMYK blue.
Change the elliptical setting to Circle, it should still say From Center.
Place the crosshair right on the middle guidelines and pull out from the center. Make the circle a bit larger than the text. Eyeball the lowercase letters, set the circle so that there is as much space above the letters as below the letters. Pay attention to the bottom text for this. Let the top text fall where it will. And let go, you now have a circle behind the text.
Move to the Top text layer and then with the type tool triple click the text to select it and change the color to white. Repeat for the Bottom text.
Select the bottom circle layer and make a new layer above that.
Reset the color picker colors to the defaults by clicking on the little black and white icon just below the foreground/background colors.
Select the Gradient Tool and click on the gradient sample then click on the first sample in the Gradient Edtior, it will be Black to White.
Now click on the color stop for the left side. The little square just below the gradient on the left side. This is the dark color, now click on the Color swatch and in the hexadecimal field type in 01258b. This is a medium dark blue. Click OK.
Go to the right side color stop, do the same steps but change the color to 0bbcff which is a medium light blue. Click OK. Then click OK again. Our gradient colors are now set.
Pull the gradient from the bottom right to top left, just a little ways outside of the circle. Hold down the Shift key to pull at an exact 45 degree angle. This fills the whole layer with the gradient. Now right click on the name of the gradient layer and choose Make Clipping Mask to limit the gradient to just inside the circle on the layer below.
If you lose the previews in the layers panel save the file, close and reopen it and the previews will be back. I saved the project as "text circle".
Add a Bevel, select the bottom circle layer, then go to the Layer menu and click on Style Settings. In style settings put a check next to Bevel. Choose an Up bevel and set the size at 15. Set the Lighting Angle at 140. Next click on Drop Shadow Set Size at 7, Distance at 15, and Opacity at 35.
Add in the Palm Tree graphic, use the ctrl+t keyboard shortcut to bring up the transform handles and resize to fit.
Duplicate this layer by right clicking on the name and choosing Duplicate Layer. Flip the layer by going to the Image menu, Rotate, and Flip Layer Horizontal. Then using ctrl+t resize the image so that it is smaller than the first tree. Place into position.
Select the middle circle layer and click the New Layer button. We will add a gradient to this new layer. Click on the Gradient Tool, then click on the gradient swatch in the Options panel at the bottom to bring up the Gradient Editor. Choose the Chrome gradient (third from right), choose OK. The gradient should be set at Linear, which is the default setting. Set your cursor to the middle of the circle, hold down the Shift key and pull straight down to just outside the logo. The Shift key will give you a perfect vertical line. Let go and that layer will be filled with the gradient. Right click on the name of the gradient layer and choose Create Clipping Mask.
Select the small palm tree layer, click the Layer Mask button, then with a small hard brush use black to paint over the outline of the sand to hide that bit. If you need to add some back in switch to white paint. Then paint out the sand over the truck of the large tree to show that.
Select the middle circle layer, go to the Layer menu and choose Layer Styles. Click on Stroke, set the Position to Inside, set the color to White, and Size to 7.
The Logo design is now finished.
Hide the white background layer then click on the top layer, use this special keyboard shortcut: shift+ctrl+alt and tap the e key to merge all visible layers into a new layer at the top. Now hide all other layers. If you want a photo behind the logo simply drag a photo into a new layer below the merged logo layer.