How to Convert Text to a Shape in InDesign and Change

Learn how to not just convert text into shapes in InDesign, but also how to alter those shapes and their colours. Details below...
Patreon: / michaelbullo
0:00 - Converting Text into Shapes
Using the Selection Tool, click once on the text box to select it. From the menu choose...
Type - Create Outlines
0:44 - Altering the Shapes
A shape is made up of one or more vector paths which themselves contain a series of anchor points.
Direct Selection Tool
This tool allows for individual anchor points to be selected and moved. To select multiple anchor points, click, drag and release with the mouse to define an area. To restrict movement to horizontal or vertical directions, hold down the Shift key after starting to drag anchor points.
2:35 - Separating the Letters
The outlining process creates a compound path from all the text. To alter the colour of individual letters, those letters need to be first extracted to their own compound path. Select the relevant anchor points with the Direct Selection Tool and from the Edit menu, choose Cut. From the Edit menu, then choose Paste in Place. Visually, the document will appear unchanged. However, the Layers panel will now show two separate compound paths.
3:48 - Changing Colour
Select one or more letters and make sure their fill is targeted. Selecting a colour within the Swatches panel will change the colour of those letters.

[@isabeljong6688]

This has been so helpful! I'm not the best in Illustrator, but I do use InDesign often. So it's nice to know I'll be able to do simple font manipulations without having to go to Illustrator. Thank you!!

[@MichaelBullo]

Hey that’s great to hear. You can definitely create some awesome designs with just a little font manipulation. Thank you and best of luck.

[@kalinbt3153]

Quick, simple, to the point, and easy to follow! Thank you!

[@MichaelBullo]

That's great to hear. Thank you for the positive feedback.

[@Anemone78pdl]

This tutorial was perfect : clarity, quick, to the point, as many others said. :) Loved your pedagogy, I hope you continue to make tutorials like this.

[@MichaelBullo]

Now that's a compliment. Thank you very much. Have a great day.

[@jsross3353]

Thank you for this concise and quite helpful tutorial

[@MichaelBullo]

Thank you very much. Have fun pulling text apart in InDesign :)

[@emilykatemoon]

Thank you!!!

[@MichaelBullo]

Thank you

[@lindabartlett8706]

Thank you so much! I have been battling for days on end!

[@MichaelBullo]

Thank you Linda. Hope it proves useful.

[@Threesters]

never saw you upload so many videos at the same time

[@MichaelBullo]

Thanks for noticing :) I'm essentially demonstrating the same technique across 3 different programs so I thought it made sense to release them together.

[@parapendejadas4913]

thanks bro

[@MichaelBullo]

Thanks mate

[@markrammers8406]

Thanks for the tutorial! - One thing I'm really struggling with is spreading a single text box over multiple places. e.g. I want to write the word 'Hello' and split it evenly between page 1 and 2, so basically the middle L falls in the crease of a magazine print spread. I'd like to make the textbox so it ha sthe properties of an image. I want to be able to crop it down the middle without the textbox automatically changing the font size, going into overlap, etc. So on the left I have a box with "He and 1/2 of l", and on the right side I have a box with "2/2 of l and lo" Anyone with a suggestion? Thank you in advance!

[@MichaelBullo]

Thank you Mark. Create your giant HELLO text, position it as you want and then cut it to the clipboard. You can choose to first outline it or not. Draw a rectangular frame that covers the left page. With the frame still selected, choose Paste Into from the Edit menu. Do the same for the right page.

[@markrammers8406]

@@MichaelBullo YES, thank you! The answer I've been looking for.

[@MichaelBullo]

@@markrammers8406 Awesome. Happy to hear this helped you out. Best of luck with your designs.

[@hanjiji3567]

how would you reverse converting them apartfrom ctrl z?

[@MichaelBullo]

You can't. If you ever think you might need the original, keep a copy of the content on a hidden layer or in another file.

[@Artesound]

Hello, pls how convert text with strokes to outlines? Thank you

[@MichaelBullo]

Once you've converted text to a shape you can easily add a stroke the regular way.

[@Artesound]

​@@MichaelBulloThanks. I need text with stroke to cut another object as one merged object. It alway cut where the basic curves are without strokes. i Will try it via masking. Thanks for your tips.

[@MichaelBullo]

@@Artesound No worries. Thank you. If you are wanting to do complex actions like this, you may want to do them in Illustrator where you have access to more features. You can easily place that Illustrator file into InDesign and any vectors make their way through to any PDFs exported out from InDesign.

[@jasminemiranda7692]

How do you make the edges of a letter round and soft? :( (like circled/rounded instead of sharp and pointy at the end). I don't always want the text to be sharp. Please help. Tried looking for a tutorial everywhere and can't find anything.

[@MichaelBullo]

Does this help?
How to Round Corners in InDesign (Rounded, Fancy, Bevel, Inset & Inverse Rounded)
ua-cam.com/video/7sXYWWIHOgk/v-deo.html

[@culturebonds]

This was useful, but what if you just want to outline the text itself? e.g. black outline on yellow text?

[@MichaelBullo]

Select the text you want to change and then find the Appearance section within the Properties panel. Clicking on the word Stroke will open up a whole bunch of options. Clicking on the small square to the left of the word Stroke allows you to change the colour of the stroke.

[@culturebonds]

@@MichaelBullo Oh, thanks, yea, I monkeyed around with it and finally figured it out ha ha:). Thanks for your tips -- all very helpful!! peace.

[@culturebonds]

Actually, what I did was Type, create outline, then selection tool to select text, then stroke, black, then up'd the stroke width:)

[@MichaelBullo]

@@culturebonds Thanks Valerie. The main benefit to applying a stroke via the Properties panel is that the text is still live. It can be edited at any future time and maintain the same fill and stroke look. Happy designing :)

[@oasisindonesia]

thanks broo

[@MichaelBullo]

Cheers mate. Hope you create some cool stuff.

[@supunrusiru7884]

super

[@MichaelBullo]

Thank you

[@TianchiMa-yj5zt]

Ctrl+shift+O

[@MichaelBullo]

Nice. "Command + Shift + O" on a Mac.