Create a Thick Text Outline with Adobe Fireworks

Thick text outline is usually seen in text-based logo or in headlines. In this tutorial, I am going to show you three different ways of creating thick text outline in Adobe Fireworks: stroke, glow and Photoshop Live Effects.

Final Preview

Figure 1: Final Preview

Using stroke

The Stroke color box is located in the Tools panel, and once selected, the color pop-up window is prompted. Select white as the stroke color and Outside Path.

Figure 2: Stroke Color Box

Select the Fill Over Stroke option.The stroke normally overlaps the fill. Selecting Fill Over Stroke draws the fill over the stroke. When Fill Over Stroke is used with an object with an opaque fill, any part of the stroke that falls inside the path is obscured. A fill with a degree of transparency may tint or blend with a brush stroke inside a path.

Figure 3: Stroke Color Box

Use the Stroke pop-up menu in the Stroke Options window to select Stroke Outside and a thickness of 5.

Figure 4: Text outline with stroke

Using Glow

We use the Glow live filter.

Select the text you want to edit.

In the properties panel next to "Filters:" click on the "Add live filters or choose preset" button.

Then in the pop up menu go to Shadow and Glow > Glow.

In the filter editor window in the properties panel:

Figure 5: Glow setting

Now, it should look like this:

Figure 6: Text outline with Glow

Photoshop Live Effects

Since Fireworks CS3 you are able to use Photoshop Live Effects which are Photoshop editable effects. To apply a stroke to a text, you can use Photoshop Live Effects and select the Stroke attribute. In the Property inspector, click the Add Filters button, and then select Photoshop Live Effects.

Figure 7: Stroke Options

Now, it should look like this:

Figure 8: Final Preview

Conclusion

Although the 3 effects looks similar there are some slight differences. The Photoshop live effects seem to be the best because the font is not modified and the outline is rounded everywhere in the text.