A Better Way to Add Multiple Strokes in Photoshop

Layer effects may seem like an easy way to add strokes around text in Photoshop, but they flatten out the roundness of the letters. So in this video, I show you a better way to add multiple strokes using shape layers that will keep the strokes as smooth and round as the text itself no matter how many strokes you add!

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VIDEO CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro
01:19 - The document setup
01:41 - Convert the type to a shape
02:07 - Select the Path Selection Tool
02:34 - Choose a color for the first stroke
03:19 - Set the size of the stroke
03:38 - Set the stroke alignment to Outside
04:14 - Make a copy of the shape layer
04:35 - Select the bottom shape layer
04:43 - Choose a color for the second stroke
05:12 - How to make the second stroke visible
06:03 - Adding a third stroke around the text
07:10 - Adding a fourth stroke
07:44 - Adding a fifth stroke
08:12 - Adding a six and final stroke
08:53 - Changing the text color
09:19 - The strokes remain as rounded as the letters
09:40 - Adding the shape layers to a layer group
10:21 - Adding a Drop Shadow to the group

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[PhotoshopEssentialsChannel]

Hi everyone, Steve here. Photoshop's layer effects may be an easy way to add multiple strokes around text, but the result isn't great. That's because the more strokes we add, the more they flatten out and lose the roundness of the letters. So in this video, I show you how to add multiple strokes using shape layers, which will keep the strokes looking smooth and round no matter how many we add. As always I hope this video is helpful, and thanks for watching!

[lastpreacher]

Truly this method is better than the previous. It also opens up a whole new way of doing even more. Thank you for updating.

[ronj]

This is a great idea. So much you can do with this. Thank you.

[cfr]

Another well described process, Steve. Love the special effect it creates. Thank you!

[davidwhite]

Excellent and useful. Love your tutorials. Thank you!

[LieutenantTinyFeet]

This really really really helped me thank you so much!

[g-funk]

is there a way to have dual strokes with sharp points, then to make the inner stroke transparent but all in 1 layer? I have made dual strokes with sharp points and made inner layer transparent but the 2nd layer behind will show through and ruin the effect

[ForgottenDetails]

What a great tutorial! Since it remins me of the rainbow things that were so popular in the 80s I'm going to create a scrapbook page using this. I noticed that all (or most) of the colors you chose had an exclamation point next to a square in the color picker. I was told that when that happens the colors won't print nicely. How could I avoid that problem and still use the bright, eye-catching colors you chose? Thank you for this tutorial; it was very timely.