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summero

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 13, 2007
110
0
San Diego, CA
Newbie here, and I would like to know how I could get my typeface's background with some sort of photo like this here
or.jpg


Thanks in advance! :)
 

panoz7

macrumors 6502a
Nov 21, 2005
904
1
Raleigh, NC
Read up on clipping masks in the photoshop help files... if you're comfortable using layers in photoshop it's not too difficult.
 

mariahlullaby

macrumors 6502a
Jan 19, 2005
852
3
NYC
Why not just create a pattern of the photo you want to use, and then set it in the layer style to use that pattern overlay?
 

snowleopard

macrumors newbie
Oct 2, 2007
15
0
Open photo in Photoshop. Double click the layer in the layers palette.

Click on Type tool. Choose a fat type, like Impact.

Type something in big type. Put this new layer under the photo layer.

Select photo layer.

Press Command+G (or under the Layers menu, choose "Create Clipping Mask, or hold the option key down, and click between the photo layer, and the type layer below it).

You're done. Adjust type and photo as necessary. I like adding both a background layer, in this case a gradient, plus blending to the text layer.
 

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tsd

macrumors regular
Aug 10, 2007
143
10
Pennsylvania
Or...

In Illustrator, place the photograph onto a blank layer.
Then, in that same layer, type your text, then select the text box, go to the Type menu and click "Create Outlines." This converts your text to graphic items.
Next, click on the layers panel flyout menu (on upper right of panel), and select Create Clipping Mask. This will make the Outlined text into a mask for whatever is beneath it inside it's layer. You have to make sure that the object that will become the mask (the text) is the top item in the layer. Whatever is below it will get clipped.

You can also go to the help menu in Illustrator, and search for Clipping Mask.

EDIT:
It's also how Apple does it's new OS X "X", as I've recreated with an "A" below. It's two gradients masked by the letter "A".
glassa.jpg
 

Digital Skunk

macrumors G3
Dec 23, 2006
8,096
916
In my imagination
You don't want to handle text in photoshop, Illustrator is supposed to handle that job. If you do it in Photoshop you will have a raster image that can't be scaled up or down without degrading. Illustrator will make it vector based and you will be able to have any size you need.

Go into Illustrator and do what the poster above said.
 

panoz7

macrumors 6502a
Nov 21, 2005
904
1
Raleigh, NC
You don't want to handle text in photoshop, Illustrator is supposed to handle that job. If you do it in Photoshop you will have a raster image that can't be scaled up or down without degrading. Illustrator will make it vector based and you will be able to have any size you need.

Go into Illustrator and do what the poster above said.

Except the OP wants an image (which is inherently raster) to show through... I think the best program for the job depends on what the text is going to be used for and what it's going to be combined with.
 

Digital Skunk

macrumors G3
Dec 23, 2006
8,096
916
In my imagination
Except the OP wants an image (which is inherently raster) to show through... I think the best program for the job depends on what the text is going to be used for and what it's going to be combined with.

The images will be raster, but the text no matter what you do to it in Illustrator, will be vector. If it is text he is trying to manipulate he should do it in anything BUT Photoshop which destroys the appearance of text.
 

JasonElise1983

macrumors 6502a
Jun 2, 2003
584
0
Between a rock and a midget
The images will be raster, but the text no matter what you do to it in Illustrator, will be vector. If it is text he is trying to manipulate he should do it in anything BUT Photoshop which destroys the appearance of text.

I agree. It's one thing for the image in the background to show through and be pixelated, but as long as the text edges are sharp...i could live with it. Fuzzy/pixelated text is a no go for me. Stay away from text in PS.

-JE
 

oldschool

macrumors 65816
Sep 30, 2003
1,029
0
i did this in illustrator...and saved it real small filesize. thanks everybody for the tutorial :D

there's nothing better than a macrumors tutorial.
 

Attachments

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tsd

macrumors regular
Aug 10, 2007
143
10
Pennsylvania
You've also got the option in Illustrator to do a Live Trace on a raster image, which CAN make a photograph into interesting vector art. Just make sure you check "Live Trace Options", and play around with the settings. Or you can use Flash (can't remember the command name) to do the same thing. That way, you've got vector art and vector text.
 

maxrobertson

macrumors 6502a
Jun 15, 2006
581
0
Jakarta
Open photo in Photoshop. Double click the layer in the layers palette.

Click on Type tool. Choose a fat type, like Impact.

Type something in big type. Put this new layer under the photo layer.

Select photo layer.

Press Command+G (or under the Layers menu, choose "Create Clipping Mask, or hold the option key down, and click between the photo layer, and the type layer below it).

You're done. Adjust type and photo as necessary. I like adding both a background layer, in this case a gradient, plus blending to the text layer.

No offense, but that's needlessly complicated.

I always find the pattern I want to use, go to the edit menu and select "make pattern" then click on the text layer, click on the small layer effects icon in the layer window (I think it's far left, bottom) and click "Pattern Overlay" then select your pattern. You can drag the pattern around until it works for you. And the text still acts exactly like a normal text layer.
 

jng

macrumors 65816
Apr 6, 2007
1,011
1
Germany
But they're not talking about patterns, rather photos. Would be kind of silly to make a pattern out of something that isn't meant to be one. :)
 

maxrobertson

macrumors 6502a
Jun 15, 2006
581
0
Jakarta
But they're not talking about patterns, rather photos. Would be kind of silly to make a pattern out of something that isn't meant to be one. :)

Not really. If he wants paper or something that tiles, it seems like it would be totally useful for it to be a pattern. Especially because it's a lot easier than using clipping masks or rasterizing the text. Plus, even if he uses a huge photo, he can delete the pattern after closing the document and it will be a document-specific pattern. :)
 

maximile

macrumors member
Oct 27, 2003
32
0
Herefordshire, UK
I'd go with a clipping mask in most cases. It's just as good as using a pattern; you don't have to rasterize the text and it remains editable. It's also fewer steps, you have more control over the positioning (snapping to guides etc.), and you can much more easily tweak the image afterwards.

If he were actually overlaying a pattern, then it would make sense to use the layer style method. But even then I'd be tempted to just fill a layer with the pattern and use a clipping mask, just so I can change it more easily.

The images will be raster, but the text no matter what you do to it in Illustrator, will be vector. If it is text he is trying to manipulate he should do it in anything BUT Photoshop which destroys the appearance of text.

Photoshop hasn't required text to be rasterized for ages. Print it out to any decent printer and you'll see that the text is sharp and the image is pixellated. Just make sure you use the "Include Vector Data" function when you print. You can also check this works by saving it as an EPS.

Sure, there are many, many things that Illustrator is better for, but I don't think it would make any difference here. Except maybe file size somehow?
 

covisio

macrumors 6502
Aug 22, 2007
284
20
UK
Slight variation

The 'pattern' method can also be achieved in Illustrator. Embed the image you want to use into the Illustrator doc (in links menu select image and then use fly-out menu to select 'embed image'). Then, with the image still selected, choose Edit>Define Pattern. Click OK in the dialog then select your type and 'paint' it with the image using the newly created pattern which will will have appeared in your swatch list.
A bit long winded but there are two advantages: you can keep your type live and fully editable and you retain editability within the Illustrator document.
However I personally think that the good old 'converting type to paths and clipping the linked image' method is more elegant and ultimately creates smaller and more efficient documents.:)
 
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