Fancy Up Fonts in ImageMagick

Installing ImageMagick

We will need ImageMagick for this, so first let’s install it:

The Basics

Let us start:

Size – used to define the size of the canvas. This just sets the height and width of the canvas

Xc – used to set the background color, here, I have used khaki

Pointsize – used to set the size of the text

Fill – the color used to fill the text with; here I used purple

Annotate – annotate canvas with text

Fancying Things Up – Tiles

In the previous example, we use the fill switch to fill the word with the color purple. However, we do not have to use the fill switch. We can use the tile switch for example.

-tile filename

In this example, we are going to use a photo called photo33.png (the picture of a tree) on the tile switch.

Alternatively, you can also create gradients:

Transparent Background

In this case, to get a transparent background. We can set the background to none and the file format to png.

Outlining Text

You can choose to outline texts the hard way:

In other words, something like this:

Basically, here, make sure you cover all borders.

Now, let us make the outline thicker:

But writing a million lines just to create a border seems like too much. So, I will introduce you to an alternative:

-stroke color

-strokewidth value

So, let us write new code:

Then, you have the following:

Double Lines

Now, let us see how to create a double line effect. Here, the strokewidth of the second stroke has to be of a different color and of a smaller width than the first one. Basically, it is like writing with a thick marker and then on top of it with a thinner and different colored marker. The latter would create the illusion of a double line.

Or

It looks like this if zoomed in:

A slightly different version of this is:

Or

It would look like this if zoomed in:

In this case, it is the same principle as the first scenario. But the first line is very thick and black, the second is white and less thicker than the first, etc…

Shadow

Now, let us add some shadow:

Now, let us try to create a soft outline with a blurred look.

Or

Here, we are using the blur switch. We are blurring the stroke.

-blur radius{xsigma}

Please note that the most important value here is the sigma value which will determine the extent of blurring.

Now, let us look at motion blur.

-motion-blur radius{xsigma}+angle

The angle, in this case, is the angle towards which the blurring occurs.

Or

Another example:

In a Circle

Now, let us put the text in a circle.

-distort method arguments

Use the distort method to distort the text. After the distort switch, specify the method (which in this case is arc that will arc the text) and then the arguments.

Reflections

The code for reflections is as follows:

Or

Use the annotate switch.

Xdegrees and Ydegrees represent the shear on the text. Tx and ty are the offset.

Now, let us try something else:

Or

Here, the options are innumerable and what you can do with this too.

Overlapping Characters

In order to write up a line with overlapping characters, you need to individually write and position each letter.

Or

And if you wanted to add some color:

Or

Now, the deal is that you can decide on the position of each and every letter.

Wave

Now, let us look at the wave switch.

-wave amplitudexwavelength

The wave switch will shear it using a sine wave.

Or

Colorful

Now, let us create a colorful piece.

-sparse-color method ‘x,y color ’…’

The method can be barycentric, bilineaanhattnoanhattantan, shepards, and inverse.

Mixing it up

You can also mix it all up, that is put a few of the effects together to make one whole.

So, let us put a few of the effects together:

Example #1:

In this case, we are putting tile and stroke together.

Example #2:

In this example, we are putting tile, stroke, and distort together.

Example #3:

Conclusion

Creating a fancy font is not too hard. You have to carefully think it out because one word out of place will change the entire effect. So, ensure to think out the entire process, write out little notes and then write the code, especially if it’s very complicated or very long.