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Quick Start Guide

This guide describes some possible steps of using Art Text. Steps described below and their order are not obligatory. Some of them can be skipped, performed several times, or in another order.

For a better understanding of the location and names of program controls, it is recommended that you look through The Art Text Workspace section.

Step 1: Opening a new document

To open a blank Art Text document, choose File > New.

For learning purposes, you can load a template from the built-in collection (File > Template Gallery) and then modify it.

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Step 2: Setting up the image size

Set up the final image size (what will be exported to a file or another program). To do this, click the Edit > Document Size in the main menu. The white or chessboard-like background shows the image edges. Objects or their parts outside the image area will be trimmed at export.

You can change the image size at any time later.

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Step 3: Changing text or choosing an image

By default the “Art Text” text is displayed on the canvas. To change text or replace it with an image, double-click the “Art Text” icon in the bottom panel (Layer bar). This will bring up the Layer Content window displaying the Text tab.

To choose a shape or icon, switch to the corresponding tab.

Once you have changed the layer content (text or image), close the panel. The icon in the Layer bar will change correspondingly.

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Step 4: Applying effects

If necessary, usually it is, apply one or several effects. The Effects Guide shows samples of effects applied to text.

The color and fill related settings can be found in the Effects tab (4) of the right panel. You can choose color or gradient fill (1), texture library (2), or materials (3). You can also apply stroke (7), shadow (8), or glow (9) effects. The Geometry tab (5) is described below.

Browse through the library of pre-designed styles (6). A style is a set of effects that can be applied at once. Styles are located in a separate tab.

You can preview them applied to your text or icon. To do this, deselect the Use Text from Templates check box at the bottom.

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Step 5: Applying transformation

To change the shape of text or icon, open the Geometry tab in the right panel. It displays thumbnails of geometric transformations. Choose one by clicking on it and adjust the amount of distortion using the slider(s) below.

Handles on the corners and sides of the object frame can be moved with the mouse. Drag them to resize or change the shape (spline transformations only).

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Step 6: Adding more text or graphic objects

Each new text or image should be located in a new layer. Icons of layers are shown in the Layer bar at the bottom of the main window.

To add a new layer, click the “+” button in the Layer bar. Unnecessary layers can be removed using the “–” button.

A new layer will contain the default text. Step 3 describes how to change it. Steps 4 and 5 describe how to apply effects to the content of new layers.

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Step 7: Organizing layers in your document

Note that depending on your design idea, this step can be performed after adding new layers, but before applying or adjusting any effects.

Two controls in Art Text are responsible for layers: Layer bar and Layers panel.

The Layer bar is located at the bottom of the main window.

The Layer bar displays icons of layers with layer content. The active layer icon is highlighted. When you apply effects or change their settings, the active layer is affected.

To add a new layer, click the “+” button. To remove the active layer, click the “-” button.

Layers overlap each other. The icon of the top layer is to the right in the Layer bar. The bottom layer is to the left. Drag an icon left of right in the bar to change the layer order.

For more details, see The Layer Bar section.

The Layers panel displays names of all the layers in the document. You can drag them in the list to change the layer order. The panel lets you rotate layers and change their opacity and blend mode.

To open the panel, choose Window > Show Layers Panel from the menu.

For more details, see The Layers Panel section.

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Step 8: Adding the background

To add a background image or colored background:

1. Add a new layer.
2. Move its icon in the Layer bar to the leftmost position.
3. Double click the icon to open the Layer Content panel.
4. Open the Shapes tab of the panel.
5. Click on a rectangle and close the panel.
6. To choose a plain color or gradient, open the Fill tab in the Effects section.
   
   
   To choose an image, open the Texture tab in the Effects section. Click the Category drop-down list and choose a library section. Then click on an image. To select an image located on the hard drive, choose the Finder item in the Category drop-down. Select a folder containing images.
   

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Step 9: Saving your document

To save your document, choose File > Save in the menu.

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Step 10: Exporting the final image

To export your work, click the Export To button in the main window. Then choose the destination: the clipboard or a graphic file.

The resolution of the image pasted into the clipboard can be set in the program Preferences (Cmd-,).

When you are exporting to a file, choose the graphic format, resolution, and type a file name. Some formats have more export options.