My Photoshop Speech Bubbles tutorial

[Nick Sacco]

*shrugs* It's not no big deal or nothin'. And of course, this should work with GIMP and PSP.

http://www.duktap.com/bubblet.html

[Kelen]

I took a look and there is an easier way. o.o

Using Photoshop...

Put all of the text on the page where you want it to go so that you can get the placement correct. Make sure to group it all as small as possible since you are planning to fit it into word balloons.

Make a new layer above the image, and below all of the text.

On that image use the Circle Marquee Tool, which is hidden beneath the Rectangular one, and make ovals around a bit of your text. I always have to move it around some to make sure it's correctly placed, but once it is fill it with black from the Paintcan. Yes, fill the whole thing in black, hiding the text.

Do this for all bits of text. Sometimes I have to use two layers for over lapping balloons.

Once everything is a black oval go in and draw the dialog pointers to the characters. Make them solid black as well.

Once you have everything done go to Filters > Stylize > Find Edges on the layer with the black circles. This flips the whole balloon to white, and leaves a nice black edge around it all, including the pointer.

After this I set the layer to 80 percent transparancy so that the image is somewhat visible beneath, but that isn't necessary.

I have a tutorial that explains it with pictures if that helps more.

http://www.hellmommy.com/Lazarus/tutor/

[Agi_wataru]

I feel so old fationed. I just draw them in when I draw the layout and page. then put in the text with photo shop o.o;; I just use a fine pen. but then I gues i twould be a bit hard to fit in a speech buble properly that way if you use small paper. ( I use B4 type paper. its about 11x15 ) oh well. but I think both of your totorials are verry helpfull.

[Hellbound]

I guess everyone's got a different style for this...
I usually make a separate layer (below the text), use the eliptical tool to make the circle, fill it with white, and go into the Layers Effects. I use the Outer Glow and set it to Mode: Normal Opacity: 100% Blur: 2 pixels Intensity: 600%.
Then I just use the Line tool (set at 1 pixel) to make the bubble's pointer and fill in the empty space.
The Layer Effects are cool because no matter what else you add to the layer (pointers, more bubbles, etc.), it automatically adds the effects as you go.
But, that's just me... I'll have to try these other techniques just to see what works fastest. I'll try anything that'll get the job done faster without sacrificing quality...

[JTPokie]

I've been meaning to start using bubbles!

Thanks for the tutorials...

they all look good, i'll just see what works best for me!

Tim

[Sss]

What I do is write all the text as seperate layers. Then I go down to the actual comic layer. I use the oval tool and shift-lasso to draw the bubble. Next I delete everything (only text stays) Without deselecting I go to Selection-modify-border=1 then I flip the colors so things delete black and add the border.

Does anyone know how to do thought balloons? I'm stumped...

[Taiwanimation]

I feel so old fationed. I just draw them in when I draw the layout and page. then put in the text with photo shop o.o;;

That's nothing, I draw in the text bubbles & the text! Paint Shop is used exclusively for resizing.

[Dom K]

*shriek*
<--just types the text in @_@
Even !I! get confused with what the peoples are saying... and I wrote it.[/i]

[Te'Targa]

When I started drawing my comic I wrote the text in phostoshop but made the bubbles first, after a while I switch to writing the text by hand and now I write the text in photoshop and make the bubbles with a wacom tablet....

[ZOMBIE USER 10424]

I color and ink in photoshop then I export to vector graphics program
(I happen to dual boot over into Linux and use Kontour) and put the word baloons in with that... course my baloons don't have the outlines I crave yet... I'll try it your guy's ways and see if I liek it....

[ZOMBIE USER 10424]

I took a look and there is an easier way. o.o

Using Photoshop...


Once you have everything done go to Filters > Stylize > Find Edges on the layer with the black circles. This flips the whole balloon to white, and leaves a nice black edge around it all, including the pointer.

Tried it!
Liked it!
Thank you!

[Karlie]

both ways are good, the second a bit faster though
still do bubbles the old fashond was: fine point pen. but recently i've been experamenting with photoshop, it certanly looks neater. 8)

[Gothboy]

I feel so old-school! I just draw text and thought balloons. And letter them by hand as well!

My balloons are rectangular with rounded corners, this is more efficient than oval balloons as text usually has a rectangular shape. The difference between speech and thought is not in the shape of the balloon but that of the pointer. Speech has a curved little pointer, thought a little ball. Wait, I should illustrate this:



http://gothboymo.keenspace.com/d/20020925.html

The crow is thinking, the boy talking, see? Much like garfield, in a way. I'm pretty sure you could do a similar thing with photoshoppage...

Willie - total oldschool

[Kev of the Apocalypse]

"Stroke" in the "Edit" menu in photoshop will give you a wonderful black border on the edge of the marquee with no fuss at all. Try it. You'll like it.