Is there a way to scale an applied stroke?

[elgourmet]

disclaimer: i tried the search function, but i had a hard time finding a solution.

dear community,

i am trying to create a logo in photoshop. i want it to be fully scalable. i realize that i should be using adobe illustrator for this. the problem is that i do not own this software, and since it is rather expensive, i was wondering if there was a workout in photoshop for this:

i wrote down a simple word using the type-tool. afterwards, i applied a stroke to the font by using the layer effects menu.
now, when i scale up the font, the applied stroke does not scale because it's in pixels, the font however is a vector.
is there a way to get my stroke scaled properly?

thanks in advance,

 

[Hoogle]

As long as your text layer is still a text layer and not rasterized then scaling it should fine if you apply the stroke via blending options.

Alternatively do it in Illustrator by downloading the 30 day trial and save it as a vector file then you can import it into photoshop at later dates.

 

[elgourmet]

thanks for your replay, hoogle. but my layer is always a textlayer. the text itself scales fine. but the stroke remains 3px thick, regardless the size of the text.so maybe i didn't state that clearly: i want to keep the proportions of stroke and text while scaling... :-/

 

[ibclare]

I don't think so, not if you keep it as a text layer. You're going to simply have to edit the layer effects once you're where you want to be.

But, you could rasterize the type with the stroke. You do this by creating an empty layer below the text, then merging that with the text layer above. Then you can transform the text.

If you want to keep it in points or whatever you use, you'll have to adjust the stroke whenever you change the size.

 

[AbdulW87]

Like clare said, as long as it is a text layer, you have the option to change the effects that are applied to the layer. That is why PS doesnt changes the width of the stroke when you scale the text.

But when you merge your text layer with an empty layer, the effects become permanent and then if you resize your text, the stroke will increase with it in the same ratio.

EDIT: If you increase the text size with stroke applied permanently the edges will get jagged.

 

[ibclare]

Good explanation Abdul.

 

[ibis]

any serious logo making
get the vector able software
there is freeware called inkscape
anything elese will apparently get you there but its a lot of worarround involved.

 

[elgourmet]

thanks for your replies. however, I was well aware that rasterizing the layer would lead to proper scalability. But as abdul mentioned correctly, the edges will get jagged.
i was just wondering if a software this expensive and mighty had a workaround for this.........

 

[ibis]

Photoshop is not meant to be the vector tool.
any of serious customers would require his logo-tip or what ever he asked you for in some of the vector output formats such as .eps, .svg or so so it may be scaled up or down loselessly.
photoshop is raster based program, it prefers pixels and photography
corel, llustrator, inkscape do math and prefere vector curves
as simple as that

 

[Hoogle]

All though photoshop does have vector support Ibis is right vector based software is better, However there is a function not many people know about in photoshop that may work for you.

If you add any blending effects to a layer in the layer panel where it says fx on that layer if you right click it you will see an option that states create layers, this will take all your effects and put themn on there own individual layer which I believe can be resized.

 

[elgourmet]

thanks for your input, hoogle. indeed, i have never heard of this option. but as i stated above, this will just raster the layer and produce jagged corners when scaled up.
i think i'll just have to accept it the way it is. PS can't do this

 

[Hoogle]

Photoshop cs6 does exactly as you want it has vector strokes for vector shapes if that is of any use to you

.


I guess an alternative would be to create it as a custom shape that way you can scale it however much you want.

 

[elgourmet]

thanks hoogle!
i think this feature is what i am looking for. does CS5 has it as well?

 

[Hoogle]

yeah custom shape making has been available forever I believe just under the edit menu you need to turn your logo into paths though to have best results.