wordart measurements

[JB]

in the wordart editing "measurements" tab, the bottom 4 options are not
available to use. those options are the ones which change the letter spacing
within the wordart.
how can I make them usable?
I want to "fill" the wordart with a picture, but I need the line spacing
(vertical) closer together so more of the picture can be seen.
help!

 

[Mary Sauer]

WordArt can be squeezed, does that help? Right-click the WordArt, click format
WordArt, size tab, experiment with the width, be certain to uncheck the *Lock
aspect ratio.*

 

[JB]

Thank you for the suggestion, Mary... unfortunately, it does not help this
situation.
when the box is squeezed/resized, the "line space" remains proportional.

my wordart is several rows of words ~ and the line space between the rows is
too far apart. what I need is something to bring the ROWS closer together,
just as the AV tool brings the characters closer together.

the "measurements" tab has something that appears that it would do just that
(called "line space", indicated by a letter A between 2 lines and a double,
vertical arrow) ... but, that tool, and 3 others which also refer to
character spacing within the wordart, are not funtional.... the others that
refer to box size do function.
I have tried changing the fonts and sizes and nothing I do can get those
tools to open...

besides just trying to accomplish this task, I am very curious as to why I
cannt get those tools to be usable... if they don't function ~ why are they
there?....
some of these tools that are not accessible in the measurements tab are also
easily found in the wordart tools tab, but the one for line space is not ....

I appreciate any more suggestions! ...

 

[Carrie]

in the wordart editing "measurements" tab, the bottom 4 options are not
available to use. those options are the ones which change the letter
spacing
within the wordart.
how can I make them usable?
I want to "fill" the wordart with a picture, but I need the line spacing
(vertical) closer together so more of the picture can be seen.
help!

I may have this wrong, but I inserted a picture, and wrote each line
separately in WordArt, applying it (then another one, etc) and not only can
it be squeezed and stretched with the handles, but it can be moved around
with the "mover" tool.

I just picked images and words to try it, not knowing what you are using .
This is what it sounds like you mean. I don't know how else you might fill
the Word Art with a picture, but if you just want the lines of text (or
words) closer together, this works. You can move the lines right up next to
each other, or over another, or all around on the picture.

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z189/starchild_dreams2/kitty_cat.jpg

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z189/starchild_dreams2/sunny_dog.jpg

The first one I did, I put KITTY on the cat and then copy/pasted it and
moved it into place down the picture, but I think you probably want
different words, or lines of text, and not the same one. But, writing each
line in Word Art and applying it seems to allow moving them around.

I don't know anything about the editing and measurment boxes. I usually
just squeeze, stretch, skew, rotate and drag around, and see how it looks.

If this is totally not what you mean, well, I have fun trying it...

 

[Carrie]

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z189/starchild_dreams2/blossom.jpg

Unless maybe you have a full page picture and want a page of text over it,
it might take time to put it on one line at a time (from Word Art) But I
don't think you'd be having a whole page of Word Art?

In this picture the PINK isn't Word Art, I tried using a font (Bedbug) and
it moved around, too.

I'm using 2007 but I used to use 2003 and would make affirmation cards with
pictures and text on them like this. Font, not Word Art.

And you did ask for any more suggestions.

I like trying things and seeing how (or if) they work, and learning from
it.

(PS don't laugh at my words, I was just putting on whatever came to me, to
have more lines- Some day I'll come across these in my files and they won't
make sense to me (LOL)

 

[JB]

thanks to you, too, Carrie....

but I am trying to FILL the words in word art with a photo... (instead of
filling with color, I select "fill effects" and "picture" and then pull up a
photo from my files)...

see below for examples with my kitty ... with one word it can fill nicely,
especially if the characters are a wide font, bold, and pulled tight.... but,
with 2 rows of words, the line space between the rows divides the photo too
much.... so, I want to get the rows closer together....

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm211/jjb-6/Picture1.jpg
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm211/jjb-6/Picture2.jpg

cute dog and cat, Carrie!....

any other suggestion?! thanks to all...

 

[JB]

thanks to you, too, Carrie....

but I am trying to FILL the words in word art with a photo... (instead of
filling with color, I select "fill effects" and "picture" and then pull up a
photo from my files)...

see below for examples with my kitty ... with one word it can fill nicely,
especially if the characters are a wide font, bold, and pulled tight.... but,
with 2 rows of words, the line space between the rows divides the photo too
much.... so, I want to get the rows closer together....

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm211/jjb-6/Picture1.jpg
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm211/jjb-6/Picture2.jpg

cute dog and cat, Carrie!....

any other suggestion?! thanks to all...

 

[JB]

thanks also Carrie for the idea of inserting examples here on the message....
this is my first time on this board, so I never even thought of it... but I
think it should surely help get my problem across!...

JB

 

[JB]

sorry for the double entry....

the first attempt took forever to try to go and then said it wouldn't go...
so I sent it again... and then they both come out here!....

 

[Mary Sauer]

The bottom 4 measurements are for text. Tracking, Text Scaling, Kerning and Line
Spacing.

There aren't too may workarounds for your WordArt situation.

Try this: After you have inserted your picture into the WordArt, copy, paste
special as a .wmf. Ungroup. There are many layers in the WordArt now, some you
can delete, the lines can be given a smaller weight. You now can nudge the
letters closer together.

 

[Mary Sauer]

When you have two lines of text, it is going to make your WordArt even harder to
do what you want. Create each line separately. In an editing program crop your
photo in half. Insert each half into each line.

 

[JB]

I see ~ that same box opens for text boxes also ~ thanks....
too bad it can't do the job for wordart too!..

I've tried your suggestion for copy/paste special as a .wmf.... but it
doesn't come out in many layers... and I see no way to ungroup... ??

is there some hidden trick I'm not aware of?...

thanks for your help and info...

 

[JB]

I had thought of this idea ~ just hoped there was an easier way to get the
job done...

again, thanks....

 

[Carrie]

That's what I thought you might mean. Doing it the way I did, one line at a
time and moving them around is too easy and not a problem for most people.
I've done that (letters with picture showing through/in them) using
Photoshop. Not sure if I've moved them around, or closer. I think I did with
this, but it's not Publisher.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/starchild_dreams/blossom_love.jpg

I'll try it in Publisher, I enjoy a challenge and chance to learn.

 

[Carrie]

I see ~ that same box opens for text boxes also ~ thanks....
too bad it can't do the job for wordart too!..

I've tried your suggestion for copy/paste special as a .wmf.... but it
doesn't come out in many layers... and I see no way to ungroup... ??

is there some hidden trick I'm not aware of?...

thanks for your help and info...

Does it have to be WordArt?

There are so many fonts, like Basic Font is just an outline.

I haven't had a chance to try anything yet (it got confusing here) but I
still want to play with it.

Might help, too to know what you are wanting to write in the picture, like
how many lines?

 

[Carrie]

When you have two lines of text, it is going to make your WordArt even
harder to do what you want. Create each line separately. In an editing
program crop your photo in half. Insert each half into each line.

I think I just did this?

I opened his sample, 2 line picture in Paint Shop Pro, croped one word,
used the magic wand took to select the background, inverted this, copied the
word and pasted it on the Publisher page.

Went back and did it again with the second word.

There's still a limit to how close you can get them, without the edge of
one going over the other.

I was thinking maybe he wanted to do it strictly in Publisher, I haven't
got to trying THAT yet.

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z189/starchild_dreams2/kitty_cats.jpg

If I had to do it just using Publisher, I think I'd try something else,
like using a fat outline font and skip the Word Art, which just compounds
it.

 

[Carrie]

I haven't done much with WordArt in Publisher, just insert some and pull it
around at times.

I wrote 2 lines with it just now, and openned the format Word Art and
where it says SIZE and height, it says 100% I put this at 50% and then 10%,
which squashed it together, but by pulling it around I think I got it closer
together, overall.

I think there probably should be an easier way to get the text spacing
closer like you want.

Though if there is a way, someone here would know it.

 

[Carrie]

I'm probably boring everyone else here.. but this is the first I've done
something like this (at least in Publisher) and I'm finding all the
possibilities.

I see the problem, of putting in the lines (from Word Art) separate, though
doing this they can be moved around and closer together.

The picture than doesn't show up even (I used a yellow flower and it
doesn't look like it should- ONE flower)

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z189/starchild_dreams2/test_wordart.jpg

I've done this in Photoshop, etc (going by tutorials I came across, using
various methods) where you write on the picture, and rearrange the size,
position, etc then cut out the rest, leaving just the words with the picture
inside.

Using it with Word Art in Publisher seems like it would be simple.

I'm thinking of setting up the lines (outlines) to start and then,
grouping them in some way, so the fill from the picture would go in all of
them, evenly.

I think this has been the point all along.

I was thinking it would work with a fat, outline font and not Word Art,
but maybe this is the only way the letters can be filled in.

As I said, this is my first time...

 

[JB]

Carrie, you are not boring anyone! ~ I can hear the wheels turning as you are
imagining new possibilities!....

you sound just like I do when I'm trying to work out a new creative
endeavor!....it really is FUN!...

it really seems that wordart should have a way to reduce the line space ~
just as it does for character space ~ but I'm leaning toward believing it
probably doesn't....
the best solution seems to be to divide the photo into sections and apply
the appropriate photo part to the different wordarts... the problem with this
is the likely distortion of the photo when the wordart parts are put
together....

thanks for all the ideas and suggestions... it is fun to know there are more
crazy, creative computer artists out there!...

JB

 

[Carrie]

I think one key is the font. At least when using more than one line or
word.

Some of them are closer together and of course, they have to be "fat" with
solid (Basic Font is fat and close but is only an outline to start so didn't
seem to fill with the picture)

The best one I found, without going online looking for fat- and maybe close
together ones, is one called FATBOY

Once the words are set up in the Word Art box, applied to the page, they
can be pulled around bigger, overall. Of course, too big and pulled apart
doesn't show as much of the picture it will be filled with, I realized that
AFTER making my samples. It might be better to make the words on the small
side, fill with the picture and then resize or pull bigger (I haven't tried
this yet)

What I came up with at this point. And, of course, I was using misc cat
pictures I have. One is just a lot of black (face) and the eyes, so not much
detail to show in the words. I also didn't get too picky in lining up the
words and lines.

But, I do think one, maybe THE key in this is the font you use. Some of
them automatically stay close together.

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z189/starchild_dreams2/kitty_test2.jpg

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z189/starchild_dreams2/kitty_test3.jpg

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z189/starchild_dreams2/kitty_test4.jpg

Oh, I should say I hadn't done much with Word Art and fills, and patterns,
etc so this has pointed me in a new direction now. (though in Flash you can
set up a brush to write or paint with, using a picture fill in it, and I
thought this was amazing when I learned it)