Photoshop

Fill type with an image

You can fill type with an image by applying a clipping mask to an image layer placed above a text layer in the Layers palette.

  1. Open the file containing the image you want to use inside the text.
  2. Select the Horizontal Type tool  or the Vertical Type tool  in the toolbox.
  3. Click the Character tab to bring the Character palette to the front or, if the palette isn’t open, choose Window > Character.
  4. In the Character palette, select the font and other type attributes for the text. Large, bold, thick letters work best.
  5. Click an insertion point in the document window and type the desired text. When you are satisfied with the text, press Ctrl+Enter (Windows) or Command+Return (Mac OS).
  6. Click the Layers tab to bring the Layers palette to the front or, if the palette isn’t open, choose Windows > Layers.
  7. (Optional) If the image layer is the background layer, double-click the image layer in the Layers palette to convert it from a background layer into a regular layer.
    Note: Background layers are locked and prevent you from moving them in the Layers palette. It’s necessary to convert background layers to regular layers to unlock them.
  8. (Optional) In the New Layer dialog box, you can rename the layer. Click OK to close the dialog box and convert the image layer.
  9. In the Layers palette, drag the image layer so that it is immediately above the text layer.
  10. With the image layer selected, choose Layer > Create Clipping Mask. The image appears inside the text.
  11. Select the Move tool , and then drag the image to adjust its placement within the text.
    To move the text instead of the image, select the text layer in the Layers palette and then use the Move tool to move the text.