MANIPULATING TEXT USING VECTORS
I did not invent this idea, just made it easier.

STEP 1.  open a new 400x400 transparent image.

STEP 2.  click on your font tool  

STEP 3.  click on your new image and use these settings
STANDARD TEXT: any color,
NULL all boxes in the text entry box, except the bottom box in the styles called fill.

NAME: scriptina,
FONT SIZE: 72
VECTOR AND ANTIALIAS both checked
click OK.

STEP 4.  left click on the OBJECT SELECTOR TOOL


STEP 5.  now right click in on your text and choose CONVERT TEXT TO CURVES/AS SINGLE SHAPE

STEP 6.  right click again, and select PROPERTIES/

and use these settings:
in the styles boxes, make your stroke color the same as your fill color, and null the two boxes under texture.
STROKE WIDTH 2
VISIBLE AND ATIALIAS CHECKED
LINE STYLE, a straight line
CLICK OK.

STEP 7.  go to your layer pallet, and right click on layer 2, which is your text layer, and select CONVERT TO RASTER LAYER.

STEP 8.  now make a new image 400x400 transparent background.

STEP 9.  copy and paste your word onto the new image as a NEW SELECTION.  you will have ants marching around your word now.

STEP 10.  go to EFFECTS/3D EFFECTS/DROP SHADOW
and use these settings
OPACITY: 80
BLUR: 0
VERTICAL: 2
HORIZONTAL: 2
COLOR: black
click ok.

STEP 11. go back to EFFECTS/3D EFFECTS/DROP SHADOW
and use these settings
VERTICAL: 4
HORIZONTAL: 4
OPACITY: 30
BLUR: 6
CLICK OK

STEP 12.  now go to SELECTIONS/SELECT NONE
the ants are gone, and now you can merge, and crop.

FROM THIS

TO THIS

examples below for example page

THIS WAS DONE BY MARSHA


THIS WAS DONE BY JOE