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Fill Text With an Image in Photoshop Without Rendering the Text

Quickly create a cool effect with text

By Sue Chastain Sue Chastain Writer St. Petersburg College Sue Chastain is a former Lifewire writer and a graphics software authority with web design and print publishing credentials. She's also skilled in WordPress administration. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on July 30, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Design Graphic Design Photoshop Animation & Video 3D Design Photoshop offers several ways to fill some text with an image or texture, but most of them require that you render the text layer, which means that you can't edit it once the effect is in place. This technique allows your text to remain editable. These instructions apply to Photoshop CS5 and later. Some commands and menu items may differ between versions.

How to Fill Text With an Image in Photoshop

To create this effect, you'll create your text first and then drop the image in behind it. Here's what to do. Create a new document in Photoshop. Select the Type Tool and enter some text. The text will appear on its own layer. The keyboard shortcut for the Text tool is T. Drag the image you want to use to fill your text into your document. If the image doesn't completely cover your text, use the Free Transform tool to resize it. Press Command/Ctrl-T or select Free Transform under the Edit menu. Resize the image until it completely covers the text, and then click the checkmark or press Return/Enter to exit the tool. Hold down Shift while you resize to keep your image's proportions constant. With the picture layer selected, go to the Layer menu and click Create Clipping Mask. The image will disappear other than what shows through the text. You'll also know the clipping mask worked because the image layer will have an arrow pointing down to the text layer. To edit the text, double-click the text layer. The words you typed will highlight, and you'll be able to modify them. Click the checkmark or press Return/Enter to save your changes. Use the Move tool to reposition the image and text separately. The keyboard shortcut for the Move tool is V. Keep adjusting the text and image until it looks how you want it.

Tips and Tricks

Using this same process, you can produce several other effects. Here are some other things you can try: Instead of using an image for the fill, try a gradient. You can also use a pattern fill or paint on the layer with any of the painting tools. You can also use materials to give your text a different look. For example, you can make it look like metal, wood, or stone by inserting an image of one of those materials. Experiment with different blend modes on the grouped layer for other effects. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Apply Rubber Stamp Effects in Photoshop Elements 8 Greeting Card Template and Instructions for Adobe Photoshop How to Create the Out of Bounds Effect in Photoshop How to Use the Photoshop Background Eraser Tool How to Make a Pattern in Photoshop How to Put Text on an Image in Photoshop How to Change Background Color in Photoshop 10 Best Free Photo Editing Programs How to Resize a Layer in Photoshop How to Add Text to Photos on Phones and Computers How to Wrap Text in Google Slides How to Make Digital Washi Tape in Photoshop or Elements How to Resize an Image in Photoshop Put Text on a Path or in a Shape in Adobe Photoshop CC How to Outline Text in Photoshop How to Block a Website Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies