TypeTalk is a regular blog on typography. Post your questions and comments by clicking on the Comments icon above. If Ilene answers your question in the blog, you’ll receive one Official Creativepro.com T-Shirt!
Q.How do I stroke text (for example, give type a yellow outline and a black fill) in QuarkXPress?
A. There’s no dedicated command for stroking text, so you’ll have to take a few steps:
1. Highlight the text you want to apply the stroke to.
2. Go to Item > Convert Text To Boxes, then to Item > Frame, and then select your attributes.
By default, this adds an outline (or “frame,” as Quark calls it) to the inside of the characters. If you prefer the outline on the outside, change the default by going to Preferences > Print Layout > General. Select Outside next to Framing. Changing this preference doesn’t affect boxes already drawn, only new boxes.
To add a stroke (called a “frame” in QuarkXPress) to text, first convert your text (1) to vector (2). Then select Frame, which will appear on the inner edge by default, and select the attributes (3). Change the frame to the outer edge by changing the Preferences before you draw the box (4).
You can facilitate this process by setting a frame style. Go to Window > Item Styles > Edit Item Styles > Frames (QuarkXPress 8) or go through the XPert ItemStyles XTension (QuarkXPress 7).
The default position of a frame is on the inner edge, but you can change it to the outer edge by going to Preferences > Print Layout > General, and select Outside next to Framing. Changing this preference doesn’t affect boxes already drawn, only new boxes.
Important caveat: When you convert text to boxes, you make the text an uneditable vector. So it’s best to wait to apply strokes until you’re sure the text is final.
Love type? Want to know more? Ilene Strizver conducts her acclaimed Gourmet Typography workshops internationally. For more information on attending one or bringing it to your company, organization, or school, go to her site, call The Type Studio at 203-227-5929, or email Ilene at in**@***********io.com. Sign up for her e-newsletter at www.thetypestudio.com.
This article was last modified on May 15, 2023
This article was first published on March 12, 2009
Commenting is easier and faster when you're logged in!
