Q: Lettering infill for Photoshop?

[enduro]

Hi all,

I write a newsletter and have recently given it an overhaul.

One think I would like to do is give some of the page titles some work.

One of the titles is attached.

Essentially, I would like to create a style in CS5 that fills the lettering with my chosen photographic image. In this case I wouldn't mind having a tree bark style. Just how do I do this?

Thanks ppl.

Wayne.

thebackpage.jpg

[CherylB]

Wayne - This is a very quick and dirty attempt and it may not be the "best" way to do what you want, but I managed to do this in the following way:

• Insert your "picture" layer
• Insert your "text" layer
• Place the text over the part of the picture you want to show through
• Make the text layer active and then do a selective colour selection (Select, Colour Range) based on the colour of the text (keep the fuzziness at a low value)
• Invert the selection
• Now, make the picture layer active
• Press "delete"
• Make the text layer active again
• Select the colour of the text again
• Press "delete"

Hey presto! Because the letters are surrounded by the shadow effects, it's only the middle part (the letter itself) that is deleted.

This is a very rough idea of what this looks like. I used a rainbow gradient as my "picture" and because I was using your main text (ie. not "proper" text) the selection and deletion part hasn't been as clean as it could be.

[astaman]

The easiest way to fill text with an image is to use a clipping mask.

1. Create New Document
2. Add your text
3. Now you need to create a new layer above you text layer with the image you wish to use.
4. With the image layer selected go to the layers menu and choose 'Create Clipping Mask'
5. Viola! its done. This method is great because you can move either the text or the image around to show exactly what you want inside the text. You can also apply any blending modes you wish to the text. Drop Shadow, Stoke ect

This example shows some text with an image of autumn foliage inside.
clip_1.jpg

[junqbox]

I assume you're using all of CS5, ie- InDesign as well. In this case, You create the type in InDesign, convert to outline and place the image behind it. This will also help keep your file sizes down, etc. and easy to change images as often os you like. InDesign will also apply the drop shadow effect for you too.

[enduro]

Ok great, thanks for the tips.

CherylB: your tip is very good and that taught me something I didn't know! I'm going to keep that one handy.

Astaman: this is just what I was after, a clean edge on the text.

The attached is pretty much what I am after, however I will do some thinking about the text and chosen image.

thebackpage.jpg