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Simple Way To Create Circular Text In Photoshop

March 6, 2009

Here is a speedy way to create 2 different types of circular text in Photoshop.
The difference is how the text in the bottom of the circle is positioned: upside down or standing up.

Some Photoshop tutorials go into great details listing many steps and tools which are not necessary. In other words creating circular text is pretty simple. Some people are having issues with this technique (as can be read in the comment section) but I have not been able to pinpoint what they are doing wrong; I just don’t have enough information to do so.

This tutorial will be utilizing paths which I prefer but there is another way using the Arch option of the Wrap Text tool.
Once someone is comfortable with creating paths of different shape it is easy to create not only circular but any shaped text.

Drawing A Perfect Circle With The Ellipse Tool

Create a circle with Photoshop’s Ellipse Tool. To draw a perfect circle hold down the Shift key while dragging the cursor. Alternately for elliptic text a perfect circle is not needed.

Make sure you select the path option before drawing your circle (or any shape) unless you want it to be filled with a color which can be a valid design option:

Entering Circular Text With Type Tool

Select the Type Tool and click its crosshair anywhere on the circular path (the crosshair will change to indicate you are hovering over the path as seen on image seen below).
As soon as the crosshair changes click your mouse and you can start typing.

Aligning Circular Text With Free Transform Path

Most likely the position of text needs to be adjusted. It can be done with Tools – Free Transform Path.
The shortcut for Free Transform Path is Ctrl+T. When Free Transform Path is activated a box will appear around the object.
Unfortunately the results of Free Transform Path cannot be seen until you hit enter or click on the check mark. Therefore multiple “blind” adjustments might be needed until the desired result is achieved.
Hold down Shift while using the Free Transform Path to constrain the proportions (it is not necessary to hold down Shift key if you are only rotating the text).

Formatting Circular Text With Character Spacing

Chances are when adding your text due to the default spacing of the characters there will be room left on the circle or overlapping will occur.
This can be fixed by adjusting the amount of space between the characters. The Character related tools can be found in the right hand side toolbar section. You don’t have to select the preset A <--> V amounts, you can enter your own numbers too.
You can increase or decrease the distance between individual characters easily by selecting your circular text for editing and using Ctrl + “Right Arrow” or “Left Arrow” on your keyboard (not illustrated here).
Finally using the Free Transform Path as explained above the circular text can be properly centered or custom aligned.

Creating Circular Text With Bottom Text Facing Upward

If you want the bottom part of the circular text to face upward create a Duplicate Layer of the top text by right clicking on the layer of the top text and selecting Duplicate Layer.
Go to Tools – Transform Path – Flip Vertical to flip the duplicate layer to the bottom.

Aligning And Formatting Bottom Text

At this time the bottom part of the circular text is positioned inside the path of the top text not forming a perfect circle.
Once again Free Transform Path (shortcut is Ctrl-T) comes to the rescue and by expanding the bottom text the perfectly circular text is created. Hold down Shift while using the Free Transform Path to constrain the proportions.
By adjusting the character spacing you can stretch or shrink the amount of space between the letters to distribute the text evenly. Bingo! You have your circular text!

This circular text can be further tweaked, improved and made into buttons, badges, seals or logos. Save a backup copy of your circular text in for easy reuse in future projects.