The Text Layer displays and styles text within a Layout. It supports full control over font, size, style, spacing, and alignment, allowing you to create labels, headings, paragraphs, and other text elements directly on the Layout Canvas.
This Layer can be created with the “Place Text” tool in the Tool Select Toolbar.
Properties #
This Layer supports all of the universal Layer properties along with some of its own.
Text #
A text field where you can enter any length of text.
Supports single-line or multi-line input. Text wraps automatically if the Layer’s width is smaller than the text content.
Default text is “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet”.
Font #
The typeface for this Layer’s text.
This property’s input field uses a dropdown that lists all fonts installed on your system.
- The Layer will display using that font only when available on the system.
Tip: For sharing projects across different systems, make sure all users have the same fonts installed or use common system fonts.
Font Size #
Specifies the size of the text, accepting whole or decimal numbers.
Larger numbers increase text size proportionally.
Font Style #
Dropdown with three styling options:
- Normal:
- Standard upright text.
- Italic:
- Slightly slanted text, used for emphasis.
- Oblique:
- A mechanically slanted version of normal text.
Font Weight #
Controls how thick or bold the text appears.
Options are listed from lightest to heaviest:
- Thin
- ExtraLight
- UltraLight
- Light
- Normal
- Regular
- Medium
- DemiBold
- SemiBold
- Bold
- ExtraBold
- UltraBold
- Black
- Heavy
- ExtraBlack
- UltraBlack
Tip: Not all fonts support every weight. Unsupported weights may appear identical to Normal or Bold.
Font Stretch #
Adjusts the horizontal width of characters.
Options range from narrow to wide:
- UltraCondensed
- ExtraCondensed
- Condensed
- SemiCondensed
- Normal
- SemiExpanded
- Expanded
- ExtraExpanded
- UltraExpanded
This allows fitting more text into a limited width or giving it a stretched look.
Text Alignment #
Determines how lines of text are aligned within the Layer’s area:
- Left:
- Lines align to the left edge.
- Right:
- Lines align to the right edge.
- Center:
- Lines are centered horizontally.
- Justify:
- Lines are spaced so both edges align evenly.
Line Mode #
Defines how the height of each line is calculated:
- Block Line Height:
- Uses a consistent height for each line of text.
- Max Height:
- Uses the tallest character or font size in a line to determine line spacing.
This affects how tightly or loosely lines are packed vertically.
Line SPacing #
Sets the vertical space between lines.
Accepts a number (whole or decimal) or the keyword “Auto”.
- When set to Auto, spacing is calculated automatically based on font size and line mode.
Manual spacing can be used to make text more open or compact.
Paragraph Spacing #
Controls the space between paragraphs of text.
Accepts a whole or decimal number.
This spacing is added after each paragraph break, such as when the Return key is pressed in the Text property field.
Foreground #
This property is of the Brush Property type, which allows for color and visual styling of the Layer.
Defines the brush used to color or paint the text itself.
Background #
This property is of the Brush Property type, which allows for color and visual styling of the Layer.
Defines the brush used to fill the rectangular background behind the text.
Opacity Mask #
This property is of the Brush Property type, which allows for color and visual styling of the Layer.
Applies a mask effect over the text’s rendered content to control how it blends or fades. This can be used to create gradient transparency, fade effects, or highlight shapes.
The opacity mask affects both Fill and Stroke uniformly, without changing geometry.
Rendering Notes #
- If the Height is too small to display all text, the overflow will be clipped.
- Font rendering may vary slightly between systems depending on font availability.
- Line and paragraph spacing affect Layout only vertically; alignment controls horizontal positioning.
