Step 1: Choose an image
This image of a surfer is free to download, courtesy of pixabay – and you can download it here. It’s
an ideal background image.
Step 2: Add your text
Choose a bold, ideally sans serif font. Thin fonts won’t work nearly as well, as you won’t be able to
see enough of the background through them. Here, I’ve added the word SURF in Acumin Condensed
Black.
More after the jump! Continue reading below↓
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Step 3: Tighten it up
To avoid getting big gaps between the letters, it’s worth bringing them close together. With the Type
tool, click between each pair of letters and use the shortcut alt + left cursor key to bring the letters
towards each other.
Step 4: Move the background
Double-click the background layer to turn it into a regular layer, then drag it above the type layer.
Choose Layer > Create Clipping Mask, or use the shortcut Command Option G / Ctrl Alt G. Here’s
how the Layers Panel should now look – that little arrow to the left of the background shows it’s
using the type as a clipping mask.
Step 5: The result
Here’s how it looks: the background will only show up where it overlaps the text.
Step 6: Add a new background
That checkerboard background appeared when you turned the original background into a regular
layer. Make a new layer, and choose Layer > New > Background from Layer. This will give you a new
white background. But the surfer is positioned a little awkwardly.
Step 7: Move the background
You can move the surfer layer independently of the text, and it will move inside it. Here, I’ve moved
it so that the surfer is fully visible inside the letter R.
Step 8: A different approach
In this version, we’re going to make a word stand up on top of the background. This image of a
forest comes from Wikipedia, and you can download it here.