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Turn your text into Shapes in Adobe Photoshop

Want to quickly create a color palette from an image in Adobe Illustrator?

With these simple steps, you’ll learn how to turn the colors of any image into a custom color swatch that you can use right away in your designs.

Final Result

From idea to finished design

Step 1: Type your word

Start by typing any word or name you want to design. Choose a font that fits your creative style.

Step 2: Convert your text to shapes

Right-click on your text layer and select “Convert to Shape.”
💡 If you see an error about the “Faux Bold” style, turn it off in the Character panel before continuing.

Step 3: Select parts of your text

Use the Direct Selection Tool (A) to click on the areas of the letter you want to modify. You’ll see small blue squares appear — these are anchor points.

Step 4: Play with the shapes

Use your arrow keys (↑ ↓ ← →) to nudge and reshape the selected parts of your letters. Repeat this process for the entire word and experiment with direction and form.

Step 5: Add some color

Finish it off with a Gradient Overlay to give your text depth and personality — try combining two bold colors for a modern look.

Step 6: You’re Done!

You’ve successfully turned your text into a creative shape-based design.