Text as brush

[Ndana]

It's just not working. Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong. I'm trying to make a brush out of text. I made a selection out of the text but when I go to edit-define brush or define pattern neither options are highlighted. I've spent hours with my manual and I'm missing something.
Thank you.
Natalie

[kevq]

Ndana,
I think you have to simplify the text layer first, then select it.
No doubt someone will confirm if I'm right or wrong.
Kev.

[Ndana]

Thank you. At your suggestion, I did simpify, but to no avail; "Define selection as brush" is still not highlighted allowing me to select.
I appreciate your response.
Natalie

[kimi_boo]

Natalie.. always come here first. :)

Your image size is too large.

Make sure you have a white background and a black font.
Make sure your image is no larger than 2000 pixels either direction and it should work just fine.

Image, Resize, Image Size.

[Ndana]

Yes, my heartfelt thanks. That did it, it was too large.
Natalie

[cats4jan]

Make sure you have a white background and a black font.

I think - if you want the text without a box around it - you need to have a transparent background - otherwise your brush will be a box brush.

Thanks for the reminder about brush size - and I'm finding the "simplify text" recommendation - works with so many text issues. Whenever you want to do something "unusual" with text - you need to simplify it.

EDIT
In PSE4, I did not need to simplify the text to make a brush from it. Maybe the original issue was simply the selection was too large to make a brush from it.

I tried making brushes with and without simplifying the text and the result was the same.

However, if you want to avoid pixelating the brush when using it at a larger size, you'll need to make your brush as large as you can. I found, when I significantly enlarged the brush size, the text went pixel.

And yes, if I made my background transparent, I was able to make a text brush that did not have a box around it.