3.5. Creating and formatting text

 

Table of Contents

1. Selecting Text
   • 1.1. Using the Type Tool
   • 1.2. Selecting Specific Text
   • 1.3. Selecting All Text
2. Character Formatting
   • 2.1. Accessing the Character Panel
   • 2.2. Font Selection
   • 2.3. Size, Style, and Weight
   • 2.4. Color and Effects
3. Paragraph Formatting
   • 3.1. Accessing the Paragraph Panel
   • 3.2. Alignment and Indentation
   • 3.3. Line and Paragraph Spacing
   • 3.4. Bullets and Numbering
4. Character and Paragraph Styles
   • 4.1. Creating Character Styles
   • 4.2. Creating Paragraph Styles
   • 4.3. Applying and Managing Styles
   • 4.4. Style Overrides

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1. Selecting Text

1.1. Using the Type Tool

• Select the Type Tool (T): Click on the Type Tool in the toolbar or press the "T" key to activate it.
• Creating Text: Click on the artboard to create point text or click and drag to create area text.

1.2. Selecting Specific Text

• Click and Drag: Click and drag over the text to select specific characters or words.
• Double-Click: Double-click a word to select it, or triple-click to select an entire paragraph.

1.3. Selecting All Text

• Select All (Ctrl + A / Cmd + A): Use this shortcut to select all text within the text box or area.

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2. Character Formatting

2.1. Accessing the Character Panel

• Open Character Panel: Go to Window > Type > Character or use the shortcut (Ctrl + T / Cmd + T) to open the Character panel.

2.2. Font Selection

• Choosing a Font: Click the font dropdown menu in the Character panel to select from installed fonts.
• Font Preview: Hover over fonts to see a preview of how they will look.

2.3. Size, Style, and Weight

• Font Size: Adjust the font size using the size dropdown or by entering a specific value.
• Font Style: Choose styles such as Regular, Bold, Italic, etc., from the style dropdown.
• Font Weight: If available, adjust the weight of the font for bolder or lighter text.

2.4. Color and Effects

• Text Color: Click the Fill color box in the toolbar or the Color panel to change the text color.
• Text Effects: Apply effects like Drop Shadow or Outer Glow by going to Effect > Stylize and selecting the desired effect.

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3. Paragraph Formatting

3.1. Accessing the Paragraph Panel

• Open Paragraph Panel: Go to Window > Type > Paragraph to access the Paragraph panel.

3.2. Alignment and Indentation

• Text Alignment: Choose from left, center, right, or justified alignment using the alignment buttons in the Paragraph panel.
• Indentation: Adjust left and right indentation using the indentation fields in the Paragraph panel.

3.3. Line and Paragraph Spacing

• Line Spacing (Leading): Adjust the space between lines of text using the Leading field in the Character panel.
• Paragraph Spacing: Set space before and after paragraphs using the Paragraph panel.

3.4. Bullets and Numbering

• Bulleted Lists: Create a bulleted list by selecting the text and clicking the Bulleted List button in the Paragraph panel.
• Numbered Lists: Create a numbered list by clicking the Numbered List button in the Paragraph panel.

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4. Character and Paragraph Styles

4.1. Creating Character Styles

• Open Character Styles Panel: Go to Window > Type > Character Styles.
• Create New Style: Click the New Style button, name your style, and set the desired character formatting options.

4.2. Creating Paragraph Styles

• Open Paragraph Styles Panel: Go to Window > Type > Paragraph Styles.
• Create New Style: Click the New Style button, name your style, and set the desired paragraph formatting options.

4.3. Applying and Managing Styles

• Applying Styles: Select text and click on a style in the Character or Paragraph Styles panel to apply it.
• Managing Styles: Edit or delete styles by right-clicking on the style name in the panel.

4.4. Style Overrides

• Understanding Overrides: If you manually change text formatting after applying a style, it creates an override.
• Clear Overrides: Click the Clear Overrides button (a small icon in the Character or Paragraph Styles panel) to revert to the original style settings.