How can I make text fill a custom shape?

[Guest]

I am trying to make text in the shape of a fish, kinda like this:

Can someone help me out!?!?  Thanks!

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I recommend Illustrator’s Object > Envelope Distort.

But Photoshop’s Edit > Puppet Warp might work, too (naturally best on a Smart Object).

One could also split the object into smaller pieces and warp those individually or use Filter > Distort > Displace with a custom Displacement Map.

[Chris Cox · Accepted solution]

Set the type, then Command-T to bring up Free Transform, click the warp button on the options bar (near the right side), select the Fish warp style from the menu on the left.

You'll probably need tall characters to start with to warp it correctly (try 300% vertical stretch on the type).

[Noel Carboni]

The other day I was having some issues with warping text and having the layer styles do what I needed, so I made the text layer a Smart Object and was able to get just what I wanted, to where the layer styles warped along with the text.  Just thought I'd throw this out to augment what Chris has said...

-Noel

[Guest]

Great!  Thanks!