With the advent of digital scrapbooking, computer fonts have reached a new peak of usefulness. Since my last article, “Using Fonts to Enhance Emotion in Your Projects,” I thought it was only natural to talk about making Word Art, too.

Here are a few common questions about creating Word Art:

What is Word Art?

“A word or phrase enhanced by fonts, colors, textures, and/or pictures to create a certain feel or emotion” is my simplified definition of Word Art. If you’re like me, a more “visual learner”, then follow these links to some examples, made by various POTH team members:

http://www.pagesoftheheart.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/23216

http://www.pagesoftheheart.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/14219/sort/1/size/medium/cat/753/page/

http://www.pagesoftheheart.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/17228/sort/1/size/medium/cat/753/page/

http://www.pagesoftheheart.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/23469

Titles and page borders that include words can also be considered Word Art.

Can I Add a Picture?

Some Word Art is done with only words and uses different fonts to enhance or highlight certain words. Some Word Art includes pictures to emphasize certain words or the entire phrase. Experimenting with different colors and transparencies for the picture will give you different looks. In general, when it comes to Word Art, the simpler the image, the better.
Remember that the purpose of the picture is to enhance the words, so a simple image will not remove the eye’s focus from the words. If you have a more complex picture you want to use, try lowering the picture’s transparency, making it “see through”. Another option would be to change the picture’s color- black and white or sepia works best; but single color hues can further define the feel of your Word Art.
The above techniques will do wonders for text, too. Experiment as much as possible and you’ll find you have unlimited possibilities.

What text effects and fonts work best?

Your words will determine what text effects and fonts you should use. For example, if you want to make a Word Art element relating to a high school graduation, you would use fonts with a more classic or calligraphic feel. Your text affects might be bold and encouraging or subdued and formal. On the other hand, if you were creating Word Art about a kindergarten graduation, you could use more playful fonts with whimsical text effects and maybe even use more primary colors.

Some of the more common text effects in Word Art include different sizes, different transparencies, different textures, and layering. Take a quick look at my layout, “Words to Live By”:

http://www.pagesoftheheart.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/23071/sort/2/cat/500/page/1

For the quote from Helen Keller, I used my favorite color, blue in different hues. The different fonts were chosen to emphasize different words (“daring adventure” uses a font with a “rough” feel). The size of the word “life” is larger than the other words because it is the subject of the quote. Since “life” is much larger than the other words, I was able to place it behind the other text without hiding it. I also beveled and embossed the word “life” to give it a softer, rounded look… symbolizing my well-rounded life.

Which Words are Best to Emphasize?

Again, your words and the feeling you are trying to convey with them will dictate which words you should emphasize or enhance. I prefer to emphasize the subject of the quote and most action verbs. Certain words in a quote or phrase that contradict or are opposites also make great words to highlight. Remember that can you enhance these words with a picture or photo, too. The graduation quote in my Graduation Mini Kit, uses a transparent, black and white image of a rolled diploma for added affect:

http://www.pagesoftheheart.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/22932/sort/2/size/medium/cat/500/page/1

Other points to note in that quote: the word “graduation” is a different size and color to further emphasize the subject; the words “the end” are smaller and in a rough-looking font; and the lesser words of the quote are in a very simple font, giving more emphasis to the words in the fancier fonts.

What is the Easiest Way to Determine Placement?

The placement of the words is totally a designer’s preference. Some designers like to create a shape with their Word Art. The shape is another way to emphasize the meaning of the words. Some designers like to keep the blocked look for formal quotes, and a more flowing, uneven placement for casual quotes.

The secret to placement in Word Art (now don’t tell anyone else!) is to work with your different words on different layers. Even in the simplest of word processing programs, you could probably find a way to “send to back” or “move forward” certain text.

Creating Word Art takes planning. From choosing the words/phrase/quote at the start to arranging and rearranging layers- it all takes time and planning. Your Word Art will be like your layouts and other projects and will evolve with your style and preferences. The best advice I can give for beginners is to just practice and experiment. Remember too, that like your layouts, you should include font credits for your Word Art. I consider the different fonts “elements” I use to put together my Word Art and find it easy to list all the fonts on a notepad while working.