Textures used as a fill can add a lot of character to display text.

Autumn colors textures as text fill

How To Add Textures To Text

Adding textures to text is quite easy. Fonts that are bold tend to show this technique best, but don’t let that hold you back from trying it with a thinner font.

  • First, create a word or title using your desired font. The color for the text doesn’t really matter, but I usually use the default black foreground color.
  • Place the texture: Copy or drag a texture to the layer just above the text layer.
  • Apply a clipping mask: With the texture layer selected in the layer panel, use the keyboard shortcut: Command + Option + G (Mac) or Control + Alt + G (PC).
  • Re-size the texture as needed: Using the transform tool, resize the texture until you are satisfied with effect.
  • Adjust the texture: You may find that you need to give the texture extra contrast. Add a levels adjustment layer  above the texture layer. (At the bottom of the layer panel, you’ll see the circle that’s half black and half gray. Click on that and choose levels. Slide the left arrow to the right to darken the texture.) I’ve increased the contrast quite a bit on the example text above. Clip the adjustment layer to the texture.
  • Optional: Depending on your background, you may want to change the blend mode of the text. Change the blend mode on the text layer, not the texture layer. I chose multiply for the example above.

The Layer Panel

In the interest of simplicity, I’m only showing the text and texture layers in the layer panel.

Autumn Colors Layer Panel

Additional Notes

In this design, I’ve used a watercolor background (not yet published), a Catharina Klein vintage leaf postcard (not yet published), and Color Watercolor Spatter Overlays. The texture for the text is Equinox from the Autumn Rain Fine Art Watercolor Texture Collection. Fonts used: Thirsty Script and Quorum Bold.

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Leslie Nicole
Leslie Nicole

American Photographer and Designer living in France with my French husband, 2 Weimaraners and Cat Rescues. Camera, Mac, studio, garden.