Change Multiple Font Colors at Once

Chris Messineo

Chris Messineo

Veteran
I have a logo where each letter is a separate layer (this is needed because the letters are different fonts and sizes).

My question is, is there a way to highlight all the layers and change the font color for all of those layers at the same time? As it is now, I have to click on each layer and make the change.

BTW, I am using version 8.0.

Thanks,

Chris
 
Well it depends on in which shape you want your text afterwards, but one way would be to merge the layers, (how? ; select all the letter layers, right click and go far down in the menu --> Merge Layer) and then just bucket fill them. However this might rasterise (bad spelling) the layer which means you might not be able to chance the letters afterwards by using the text tool.

Im sure there's 10 better ways, as this is a very very minor lazy problem hehe, I suggets you backup your .PSD file, and just try it out. If you like it then you keep it.

edit: Ok, I just saw the title "at the same time" .. so well instead of bucketin' them, you can use the replace color tool for example. If you dont know how that works then hit me by PM, but really, this sounds like lazy! hehe

Enjoy
 
You're right, it is a bit of lazy. :)

But I thought there might be a better way then changing a dozen letters one a time and it never hurts to ask.

Oh well, I'll keep doing it the old way.
 
Create a new action (actions palette) and assign a function key to the action. Start recording and change the color of the first letter. Stop recording. Select the layer and hit the function key to run the action. Use the up or down arrow to move to the next layer and hit the function key again. It shouldn't take more than 10 seconds to change the colors of the remaining layers.

This may seem like a lot of work just to change the color of the font, but it will save you a lot of time in the long run. It takes less than a minute to set up the action. Actions are a powerful tool in PS that's often overlooked.
 
There are lots of other ways, but if you're letters are in a solid color there probably isnt a simpler / faster way to do it.

It's like making something really easy into really tech, which can be fun ofcoruse but well, you get my pow I guess :)

Milksac - Interessting way to do it indeed.
 
Assuming you're using CS2 or higher:


1) Multiple select each layer with letters that you want to change the color on by holding the shift or control key.

2) Open the type dialog.

3) Select a color.
 
He said he was using version 8, which im not familiar with, I just assumed it was below CS2 even, but if it isnt, then I think Tom has a good answer.
 
Tom Marshall said:
Penguin, you're supposed to WAIT till a few posts later to change one of the quotes... :D
Click to expand...

But what if you never came back here, then I would have lost my chance. You know, a lot of work went into that quote edit. As a writer, I had to put a lot of thought into things you probably didn't even notice. So before you insult me, think about THAT for a minute!

:)
 
Chris Messineo said:
I have a logo where each letter is a separate layer (this is needed because the letters are different fonts and sizes).

My question is, is there a way to highlight all the layers and change the font color for all of those layers at the same time? As it is now, I have to click on each layer and make the change.

BTW, I am using version 8.0.

Thanks,

Chris
Click to expand...

Chris, my advice is that you design your logos in Illustrator.

Rasterization ALWAYS comes at too high of a price, in my opinion.

When you are in Illustrator you can take each of those separate layers (different fonts and everything) and Apple-click to select each letter and change the color via the eyedropper and/or color selector.

Do not compromise the infinite resolution of your logo by designing it solely in photoshop. A good logo can be printed on a side of a 12-story building, and still look 100% sharp.
 
Kyle Stebbins said:
Chris, my advice is that you design your logos in Illustrator.

Rasterization ALWAYS comes at too high of a price, in my opinion.

When you are in Illustrator you can take each of those separate layers (different fonts and everything) and Apple-click to select each letter and change the color via the eyedropper and/or color selector.

Do not compromise the infinite resolution of your logo by designing it solely in photoshop. A good logo can be printed on a side of a 12-story building, and still look 100% sharp.
Click to expand...

Type is vector in all of the most recent versions of Photoshop, so it can certainly be scaled as well as Illustrator, provided you save it as a file that supports vector, such as a .psd.

Chris, if you do not have or are not well versed in Illustrator, Photoshop will certainly work, but you will not be able to save in a vector format if you save as a .jpg, .tif, .tga, or any of the other popular save formats (not counting .psd) and retain your vector text.

Tommy hit the nail on the head as usual. Use Ctrl to select all the letters you want to make, say, pastel green.

Also, remember that you are dealing with print, so make sure you test it in CMYK mode for a rough estimate of what it will look like. And make sure you are working with 300 dpi at the very very least. If you plan on having the document scaled up, work with higher than 300. Do not use the paint bucket to change the color, as you will have to rasterize your text first, and filling with the paint bucket will fill your antialiasing and give you harsh borders.

Best of luck dude.
 
Last edited:
Matt Grunau said:
Type is vector in all of the most recent versions of Photoshop, so it can certainly be scaled as well as Illustrator, provided you save it as a file that supports vector, such as a .psd.

Chris, if you do not have or are not well versed in Illustrator, Photoshop will certainly work, but you will not be able to save in a vector format if you save as a .jpg, .tif, .tga, or any of the other popular save formats (not counting .psd) and retain your vector text.

Tommy hit the nail on the head as usual. Use Ctrl to select all the letters you want to make, say, pastel green.

Also, remember that you are dealing with print, so make sure you test it in CMYK mode for a rough estimate of what it will look like. And make sure you are working with 300 dpi at the very very least. If you plan on having the document scaled up, work with higher than 300. Do not use the paint bucket to change the color, as you will have to rasterize your text first, and filling with the paint bucket will fill your antialiasing and give you harsh borders.

Best of luck dude.
Click to expand...

Just trying to get people on the best path... I feel like Photoshop has become a bit of a crutch, and that people are using it for everything when, in fact, things can be done muuuch easier and more effective in other software offered by the same company.

But after all... you ARE the Adobe Demigod... and I am just a lowly Wrangler of Smokage. ;)

peace
 
Kyle Stebbins said:
Just trying to get people on the best path... I feel like Photoshop has become a bit of a crutch, and that people are using it for everything when, in fact, things can be done muuuch easier and more effective in other software offered by the same company.

But after all... you ARE the Adobe Demigod... and I am just a lowly Wrangler of Smokage. ;)

peace
Click to expand...

Ha! Hardly the Demigod, that was a tounge in cheek thing between me and some of the higher ups here.

Illustrator IS the best way to go, since you can save as an ai, or eps, but I don't know that Chris has it.

Photoshop has been a bit of a crutch, but people do need to learn something, ans PS is as good a place to start as anything I suppose.
 
Matt Grunau said:
Ha! Hardly the Demigod, that was a tounge in cheek thing between me and some of the higher ups here.

Illustrator IS the best way to go, since you can save as an ai, or eps, but I don't know that Chris has it.

Photoshop has been a bit of a crutch, but people do need to learn something, ans PS is as good a place to start as anything I suppose.
Click to expand...

For sure. I just got finished with an interview for a fantastic internship as a graphic designer in one of the coolest places i've seen yet and they made me rank my top 3 applications in the way of adobe print and design. I listed Photoshop as #1 and detailed that I really wish I had started in Illustrator, as I feel it would have given me the upper hand in many situations.... because SO MANY people start with Photoshop and think it's the end-all-be-all of design applications.
 
Tom Marshall said:
Plus Illustrator is just a cooler program... :)
Click to expand...

No doubt. I can't tell you enough how much I began to appreciate the wonderful world of vector art (and its infinite resolution!!!). It's just fun to play with the app's tools and make cartoons when you've got the time. Plus, it compliments Flash quite nicely.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top