Fill font character with color, SaveAs jpg?

[Ed]

I'd like to fill a picture-type font with color, the save it as a jpg or png
file. I tried copying the character into Paint and using the bucket to
fill - it did, but the line borders became very jagged. I tried WordArt,
but couldn't work out how to fill it (Except by drawing FreeForms inside the
character), and couldn't save it. Any suggestions?

Ed

 

[Anne Troy]

Get a "real" graphics application? Word isn't a graphics program, really.
************
Anne Troy
www.OfficeArticles.com

 

[Ed]

Word isn't a graphics program, really.
Understood, Anne. In fact, I mentioned that to someone on another newsgroup
the other day. So I'm not trying to confine myself to just Word - rather
I'm just trying to explain what I'm attempting to do, and the current
limitations both in my understanding of an approach and the programs I have
available to me. I also have Print Shop and Publisher.

Can you suggest a graphics program that will allow me to type a letter,
format it as a certain font to get the character, and then allow me to fill
it such as with a bucket or magic wand tool? My experience is limited to
older Corel and Photoshop programs, but as I remember they treated text
completely different, and wouldn't allow using drawing tools in a text box.

A drop-kick in a good direction is always appreciated.
Ed

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You should be able to do this with WordArt, which allows you to specify both
line and fill. Once you've inserted the WordArt object, click on it to
display the WordArt toolbar and click on the Format WordArt button. On the
Colors and Lines tab, you can choose the desired fill color or effect and
the desired line weight, dash style, and color or pattern.

 

[Anne Troy]

What programs do you HAVE, Ed? Do you need to do this once or twice or what?
I have the latest Corel, but I actually prefer and usually use my PhotoDraw,
which shipped with Office 2000 Premium. If I can make you a graphic, I'm
happy to, but if you need them regularly, then perhaps something like
PaintShop Pro (Is that the name?) is best? It's relatively inexpensive as
graphics programs go.
************
Anne Troy
www.OfficeArticles.com

 

[Ed]

Thanks for the suggestion, Suzanne, but I tried that. The Fill Color
applies only to the outline of the object - I'm assuming because it's
actually a text character. It would be equivalent to typing a "B" and
trying to fill the two bubbles with red or blue. I just thought there might
be an easy way to "morph" the character from a solid text object to some
kind of graphic object with empty spaces surrounded by lines, without the
"chunkiness" of MS Paint. If not, it's probably not an issue worth a lot of
time and energy.

Ed

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You must be using a different WordArt from the one I'm using. I get a solid
shape that I can fill with color. It helps to use a chunky font to begin
with, of course.

 

[Ed]

I'm in Word 2000. When I Insert WordArt and type a letter, and format the
letter to the font I want, the Fill Color bucket affects only the outline of
the font. The Line Color paintbrush actually puts a colored outline around
the font outline. As I mouse over the character, the cursor changes to a
four-way arrow only over the font outlines, not in the blank spaces in the
middle.

Okay, not a big deal. We've both got better things to deal with. I'll just
print them out, use colored pencils or markers, and scan them in. I don't
get to play with my programs, but I do get to play with the scanner. Almost
even. 8>)

Thanks for trying.
Ed

 

[Ed]

Well, I got it to work! Went like this:
-- Insert character as WordArt. Pull out to desired size, make outline
black, copy.
-- Paste into IrfanView. Resample to 300 DPI, adjust brightness, contrast,
and gamma to get rid of variations in "shades of white". Save as JPG.
-- Open with Paint, use bucket to fill. Save as BMP.
-- Open with IrfanView, resample and resize to desired.
Whew! But it was fun playing.

Ed