Glow using ImageTTFText

[Hikari]

I'm using a quick script to output some text onto an image as follows:

<?
Header ("Content-type: image/jpeg");

$image=ImageCreateFromJPEG("homo.jpg");
$c1=imagecolorat($image, 30, 322);
$c2=imagecolorat($image, 166, 250);

ImageTTFText($image, 29, 0, 11, 305, $c2, "ariblk.ttf","$n,");
ImageTTFText($image, 27, 0, 14, 305, $c1, "ariblk.ttf","$n,");

imageJPEG($image); 
imageDestroy($image); 
?>

As you see, I have the same text twice, that makes one text (the white text) go ontop of the black, a bit smaller. But the problem is it doesnt go exactally in the middle of the black text. Is there a proper way to make a "glow" with php around text?

[Weedpacket]

Well, one approach would be to use four black copies the same size as the white, with each copy offset one pixel in each of four diagonal directions.

That is to say; if the white text is at (x,y), first put down black copies at (x-1,y-1), (x+1,y-1), (x-1,y+1), and (x+1,y+1).

Just an idea.

[Hikari]

Great idea, I should have thought of it before.

Thank you so much for your help.