Lettering layouts

The lettering baseline determines its shape. You can place lettering on a straight horizontal or vertical baseline, curve lettering around a circle or arc baseline, or digitize your own. Different reference points are needed depending on the baseline you use. Baselines use default settings to determine their size, spacing and angles. The software gives you interactive control over many baseline settings. Techniques are available to modify baseline type, length, radius and angle, as well as baseline position. Change lettering orientations of selected lettering objects at any stage.

Horizontal baselines

Both Free Line and Fixed Line baselines form straight, horizontal baselines. Free Line does not have a fixed or pre-determined length – the baseline extends as long as you keep adding letters.

Fixed Line has a fixed length. If the text extends beyond it, lettering size and/or spacing is reduced according to the chosen reduction method. This option is intended, in particular, for cap or pocket production.

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Vertical baselines

Free Line Vertical is a straight, vertical baseline. It is useful for embroidering on sleeves, as a decorative effect, and for Asian text. Vertical lettering is best suited to uppercase for Western languages because descenders in lowercase letters are not accommodated in the letter spacing. They don't have a fixed length and extend to fit the letters you enter. Line spacing is calculated horizontally while letter spacing is calculated vertically. Letters, by default, are centered along vertical lines.

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Circular baselines

Use Circle CW and Circle CCW baselines to place letters around a full circle in clockwise or counter-clockwise directions. By default, letters are positioned above Circle CW baselines and below Circle CCW baselines. 

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Lettering art

The Lettering tab contains a number of preset 'lettering art' styles which can be applied to lettering to make it bulge or arch, stretch or compress.The effect is best used with a fixed line baseline.

The Lettering Art selection panel can be detached from the dialog by means of the dotted lines at the top. Keep it on screen to aid your selection. Remove unwanted lettering envelopes by clicking the X button in the Lettering Art panel.