How to Insert Text Shadow Effects

Use the shadow effect with text to enhance its appearance.

The Windows 7 operating system comes with several programs that allow you to create graphical text. The programs include Microsoft PowerPoint and Word. You may also use other software programs to enhance text, such as Microsoft Paint and Adobe Photoshop. The text shadow effect is one feature you can create with each of the software programs to help create a theme or differentiate it from normal text.

Instructions

1. Use the text shadow effect in PowerPoint by selecting the text to which you want to apply the shadow effect. Click "Home" and select the shaded "S" icon in the "Fonts" category for it to apply. The icon's pop-up appears as "Text Shadow" when you place your cursor on top of it.

2. Use the text shadow effect in Word for regular text or WordArt. Select the characters you want to use to apply a shadow effect. Click on "Home" and select the glowing blue "A" icon in the "Fonts" category. The icon's pop-up appears as "Text Effects" when you place your cursor on top of it. Select "Shadow" and click on the particular shadow effect to apply. You can choose between "Inner," "Outer" or "Perspective" shadows.

3. Add a shadow effect to your text in Photoshop by clicking on the layer for the text in the "Layers" palette. Click on the "fx" icon below the layers. The icon's pop-up appears as "Add a layer style" when you place your cursor on top of it. Click on "Drop Shadow" and adjust the settings for the structure and quality of the shadow, if necessary. Click "OK."

4. Create a shadow effect for text in Microsoft Paint, even though the program does not offer a particular tool function for it. Click on the "A" icon for the text tool to retype the text for which you want to create a shadow effect, using the same text setting but changing it to a different font color. Click on the dotted square outline icon for the selection tool, followed by the square icon at the bottom-left of the toolbar for the invisible tool. Select the text and press "Ctrl" and "C" on your keyboard to copy. Delete the text you selected and press "Ctrl" and "V" to paste the copied text on top of the other text. The pasted text will have an invisible background with the invisible tool selected so that you may see through the other layer of text. Position the pasted text so that it is slightly up and over to the left of the other text. You may also use the arrow keys on your keyboard to help position the pasted text.

Tips & Warnings

• For Microsoft Paint, the shadow effect is most apparent when you have a white background and use black colored font as the base and a lighter color font for the foreground. You may also increase the level of distance between the two layers of text to create a more dramatic shadow effect.

References

• Microsoft Office: Add or Remove a Text Shadow
• Adobe: Add a Drop Shadow to Text