How to Add Texture to Images in Photoshop

Photography Tips

Looking for a way to add a little more interest to an existing picture? Overlaying a texture may be the fix you are looking for, and it is surprisingly easy to do. In this video, Ben Willmore shows us exactly how to do it using Adobe Photoshop:

Willmore packs a ton of information into this six minute tutorial. While it covers much more detail, the basic steps for adding a texture to a photo are as follows:

1. Use the Move tool to drag a texture file over your photo.
2. Transform the texture until it fills the image’s frame. Hold down the shift key to maintain proportions.
3. Change the blending mode to Overlay.
4. Adjust the texture’s brightness with Levels.
5. Add a layer mask and paint black over any areas where you do not want the texture applied.

After following the technique Willmore explains, you can see how the flat image of the letter “P” now has a little more drama and tends to draw the eye more than the original photo. Here is a side-by-side before and after of the two:

Left: Before Texture Was Applied Right: After Texture Was Applied

This technique can be applied to many different types of photographs. We are only limited by our own imaginations and creativity, so once you have everything set up on Photoshop, play around with the different overlay modes and opacity slider until you have exactly what you are looking for.