community


Inspiration: Textures

Another week, another creative project for you to get your teeth into. This time, the task is to create a work using textures. Wonderful effects can be achieved by adding a bit of texture to your works. From aged and worn looking photos to grunge typography and vintage and distressed t-shirt design, textures can be applied to nearly all types of art.

Textures are added to images by creating extra layers in graphics programs like PhotoShop or Gimp and the best thing about the process is that there are no rules. You can experiment with multiple layers, colours and opacities to fine tune the results.

You will need …

Free textures and other resources:

You can create your own textures by photographing textured surfaces such as wood or concrete. Alternatively, there are loads of websites with textures that are free for commercial use. These include:

  1. CG Textures
  2. Texture Warehouse

There are also textures available from some very generous bubblers:

  1. Cameron Gray
  2. Johanne Brunet

These links may also give you some ideas:

  1. 10 Quality and Free Grunge Brushes for PhotoShop and GIMP
  2. Five Free Hi-Res TTV Textures
  3. Vintage Scratch brush set


Tutorials:

The following tutorials should help to get you started.

  1. Playing with textures (by Vanessa Pike-Russell)
  2. Grunge Text/Type (by Alison Johnston)
  3. Using textures in photoshop (by atrei)
  4. Add texture to a photo using Photoshop
  5. Adding texture using Gimp
  6. Adding textures to your photography (lots of great ideas)


More inspiration from RedBubblers:


There are more inspiring images over at the Layered with Texture group and the The Grunge Art Gallery. Please post your results below so we can marvel at how talented you are. If you don’t have time to create a work of your own, perhaps you can help us by posting some more inspiration or linking to your favourite examples of textured artwork. Good luck!

Nat

  • robpixaday

    robpixaday

    OMGoodness I think I love you!!!!!! These look FABULOUS!!!!!! Going to the links now!!

  • community replied

    Wow indeed! Glad you’re feeling inspired :)

  • BarbaraManis

    BarbaraManis

    Thanks so much for the links!

  • community replied

    No worries Barbara … that’s just the tip of the iceberg! There are loads of free resources available online. A Google search can uncover some gems.

  • Elucidate

    Elucidate

    These links are fantastic! Just last weekend I began experimenting with textures and stock art. The results were incredible. There is so much that can be achieved with textures and a touch of creativity. I’d link my recent work here, but I’m editing from my phone, so I can’t. Perhaps you’d like to take a peek, Nat? :D Thanks for a fantastic and inspiring post.

  • community replied

    I certainly can :) These two in particular stood out. Lovely work!

    />

  • Sarah Moore

    Sarah Moore

    I use textures in almost all of my works! Here are my three newest creations...

  • community replied

    That first one in particular is stunning! Thanks for sharing them with us Sarah :)

  • Sarah Moore

    Sarah Moore

    P.S. Thanks so much for the links! I love looking through all your inspirations each week…go you to a lot of work, thank you!!

  • waitin' for rain

    waitin' for rain

    here few my textured photographs :

  • community replied

    That first one has just gone straight into the favourites. Thanks for posting these Victor!

  • Mel Brackstone

    Mel Brackstone

    Here’s a link to some more textures. I used one of these on this image

  • community replied

    Brilliant Mel! Thanks so much for sharing the link …

  • robpixaday

    robpixaday

    Still looking at those amazing links, downloaded one little set of brushes (super!!!!) and one texture (COOL!) but got sidetracked. My Photoshop Elements 3 (Mac) has a lot of patterns and textures in little files, extra ones that I didn’t know were there, that never open, never show up (except as files)!! I’m trying to figure out how to make them work. If I can, I’ll have a whoile new world of fun AND be able to make my own textures. If I can’t….....I’ll cry…LOL

  • Mel Brackstone
  • Mel Brackstone

    Mel Brackstone

    Another one and yet another one

    Gotta say though, I’ve mostly stuck to Cameron’s textures….lol

  • waitin' for rain

    waitin' for rain

    thank you for this kind compliment and these full of interesting information journals !

  • robpixaday

    robpixaday

    Well, I’m stumped. Can’t get patterns or textures to inhabit Photoshop Elements 3.
    But I’ll figure out some way to use them.

    MANY thanks! :)

  • community replied

    I’m not sure about Photoshop Elements but in the standard Photoshop software you just open the file as a new layer in (try file > import) then adjust the opacity so you can see your photo underneath. Maybe someone with PS Elements can offer some more advice?

  • Faizan Qureshi

    Faizan QureshiAll Rounder

    I’m a sucker for textures… nearly all my work is textured and layered. :-)

  • community replied

    Hope you don’t mind me posting some examples Faiz! ;)

  • Waleska Luker

    Waleska Luker

    I love textures, this is very informational, thank you!

  • Diane Schuster

    Diane Schuster

    Thanks so much for this info, I’m interested in working with background textures but wasn’t sure how to go about it! Dee

  • community replied

    Can’t wait to see what you come up with Diane :) ~Rhana

  • robpixaday

    robpixaday

    O! I was trying to add it to the Textures portion of the Filters…LOL…no wonder it didn’t work! I’ll do it the way you said…
    I’ll also do some searches and tryito find out why I have all these grayed-out Texture and Patterns files tucked away in there. They look SUPER and I can’t access them.

    btw—the images that have been posted today in this thread are AMAZING!!!!!

    MANY thanks!!

  • John Conway

    John Conway

    Working with textures can be addictive.

  • community replied

    Really lovely John, I love the way textures can bring new life to an image and enhance the mood. Thanks for sharing! ~Rhana

  • James Raynes

    James Raynes

    I can’t overstate how awesome CG Textures is for stock textures:

  • community replied

    I think you have proved your point beautifully with this gorgeous image James ;) ~Rhana

  • RandyLMonteith

    RandyLMonteith

    Great article Nat!

    Just a few points to add

    People always think of textures as being grungy and dirty , but another way to look at it is to create your own and map it as a layer, so you take the colour and maybe the artwork from it and use the underlying image to texturize it.

    You see the texture of the artwork actually comes from the models face and not the circuit board I mapped onto her face.

    Here is a similar idea using the text as a layer , but it gets its texture and bump mapping from the underlying image.

    Also the texture or textures you use don’t have to cover the entire image, you can isolate them only to affect only some parts of the final image

    Randy

  • community replied

    Excellent point Randy, and really well illustrated, these are all fantastic examples of “clean” texture layers. If you have time, perhaps you could explain this point a little further for us all?

    it gets its texture and bump mapping from the underlying image.

    ~Rhana

  • Meliza Celeridad

    Meliza Celeridad

    Used a fake TTV texture from a fellow flickr user, gave this one a film look.

    One of my favorite, simple textures.

  • community replied

    Nothing wrong with faking it Meliza ;) And you have used the TTV texture to perfection… ~Rhana

  • Karen Scrimes

    Karen Scrimes

    I’m addicted to textures too! Love how they add another dimension to photography and graphic art. Thanks for providing the links, I’ll check out the ones I’m not familiar with. Great job!!!

    Here are a few recent images of mine, with textures:

  • community replied

    I’m a sucker for textures and fencelines Karen, your first image is really beautiful. Hint: Did you know that you can make your images clickable? If we use your “Country Charm” image as and example, all you need to do is add the image url with a colon (:) at the beginning

    :http://www.redbubble.com/people/minkas/art/3237936-2-country-charm

    to your image codeline, with no spaces after the exclamation mark (!)

    You will then have a clickable link that people can use to go check out your work ;)

    Feel free to practice here if you like :) ~Rhana

  • Cheryl  DeLong

    Cheryl DeLong

    This was my first try at using textures. It was for a challenge.

  • community replied

    Well done for giving it a go Cheryl! Beware though… textures are very addictive ;) ~Rhana

  • silveraya

    silveraya

    Most of my portfolio uses textures I am addicted lol
    I take stock photos everywhere and of everything to use as I like having the work completely mine and its saves hassles for entering into competitions etc
    Here are a couple of my most faved-

  • community replied

    These are wonderful! Full of originality. Thanks so much for sharing silveraya ~Rhana

  • Karen Scrimes

    Karen Scrimes

    Thanks so much Rhana!! I’ll give it a go!

    :http://www.redbubble.com/products/configure/10815171

  • Karen Scrimes

    Karen Scrimes

    oops, I got it wrong. I put the url first then added the image code. Do I just put the url in with exclamation marks added front and back?

  • community replied

    I’ll put the full code here for you Karen, but with spaces in it so you can see. All you need to do is remove all the spaces in this codeline.
    ! http://images-1.redbubble.net/img/art/product:canvas-print/size:small/view:preview/3160033-2-golden-field.jpg ! : http://www.redbubble.com/people/minkas/art/3237936-2-country-charm
    Have another go :)

  • Julie Thomas

    Julie Thomas

    Great inspiration!! Here are a couple of my textured works…

  • community replied

    The daisy is just gorgeous Julie, thanks for sharing :) ~Rhana

  • coppertrees

    coppertrees

    Here is one of mine this weekend

  • community replied

    That’s really interesting coppertrees, and would make a wonderful texture layer itself! ~Rhana

  • coppertrees

    coppertrees

    Thanks so much I do alot of this type of work, glad you enjoyed it

  • Rosemary Scott

    Rosemary Scott

    I personally use CG texture a lot, but it’s also heaps of fun looking for my own. Most times I go out I’ve got a compact with me so I never miss an interesting texture….. my Husband even looks for them now!!
    Be sure to drop by The Grunge Art Gallery , my fave place in RB to hang out!

  • community replied

    Thanks for the heads up on The Grunge Art Gallery Rosemary, there is some amazing talent in there! And good on you for getting hubby involved ;) ~Rhana

  • community replied

    Another cool group that I love for inspiration for using textures is The Fantasy FIne Art group :)

  • Rosemary Scott

    Rosemary Scott

    Oh, & here’s one of my latest…..

  • community replied

    Delicate and beautiful Rosemary, full of light.

  • Kaylea

    Kaylea

    I love these challenges as it really gets me thinking outside the box. Thanks to Redbubble for helping me grow creatively! I will have a play with textures this week. Thanks x

  • community replied

    Fantastic Kaylea, don’t forget to come back here and show us your results :) ~Rhana

  • DesignsByDeb

    DesignsByDeb

    Here is one of mine.

  • community replied

    A lovely subtle use of textures here Deb, thanks for sharing :) ~Rhana

  • Angel Perry

    Angel Perry

    I have been wanting to try textures! Thanks so much for doing all the research that I had on the to do list! I can’t wait to give it a try!

  • community replied

    If you are looking for some more inspiration Angel, check out these cool groups The Grunge Art Gallery and Fantasy Fine Art Composites. ~Rhana

  • enchantedImages

    enchantedImages

    Hope I’m doing this right to add an image here.
    I love working with textures!
    Here is my latest.

  • community replied

    Hey look at that! You did it! Well done ;) Beautiful use of textures too. ~Rhana

  • retepk

    retepk

    I think I am a texture addict. Using multi-layering to create textures, lighting effects and added dimensionality to the images. I also create textures themselves in Photoshop, (I have a bank of shapes and textures that I constantly use) and from elements in original, deconstructed photos.
    Cheers.

  • Lorraine Creagh

    Lorraine Creagh

    This is one of my first works. The textures were all photographed by myself. It’s amazing what you can find when you think ‘textures’.

  • Hannah Fenton-Williams

    Hannah Fenton-...

    Heres one of my photos that is as is, that i thought looked textured.

    Thanks for the links, im going to check them out. (:

  • Melinda Kerr

    Melinda Kerr

    Lovin these threads. I just learned how to make these textures in photoshop :)

  • Tama Blough

    Tama Blough

    I pretty much shoot my own textures, too, as well as blurs. I use different-colored blur shots to add a little color depth.

  • th3rd world order

    th3rd world order

    i absolutely adore texture

    and here




  • Zefira

    Zefira

    Thanks – your info is terrific for heading in the right direction, makes learning so much easier and I can save for use when I’ve got the time. cheers.

  • pmistric

    pmistric

    “http://images-1.redbubble.net/img/art/size:ularge/view:main/3294897-2-ribbon-of-rain.jpg”

  • community replied

    here you go! :)

  • pmistric

    pmistric

    ooppss..oh well l messed up on linking..just click on me..i am full of grungy work.

  • Elana Bailey

    Elana Bailey

    Playing with textures may become an addiction. I know this from experience. It is fun though….

    Here’s some of my work with layers of texture added. Cheers Elana.

  • silveraya

    silveraya

    This post reminded me I have been meaning to do a stock gallery so got on my butt and did it here . More to come, feel free to use :)

  • community replied

    Thanks so much for sharing those silveraya. You should pop something in a journal so we can find them easily next time we’re hunting about!

  • sigfusson

    sigfusson

    Great topic Nat. I do love textures and agree that it can be addicting playing around with them. Often they inspire other ideas which is what keeps us all addicted to them! Here are a few of my textured works:
    Bee Perfectly Still

    A Gift Of Light – classic grunch texture

    The Butterfly Effect – The textures here are subtle, but I think quite effective

  • community replied

    Lots of great ideas there sigfusson. I’m a sucker for a bit of type so love that last one in particular!

  • Heather Hartkamp

    Heather Hartkamp

    I love working with textures. Doesn’t suit every image I take but, every now and then one pops up that’s just crying out for a bit of texture pizzazz…...

  • community replied

    Just beautiful Heather! Thanks for posting.

  • Silvia Ganora

    Silvia Ganora

    Wow! I’m amazed at the fantastic works posted here! I’m a beginner and I must say I love textures :) They’re really addictive. Here is one of my latest experiments :)

  • Silvia Ganora

    Silvia Ganora

    Ooops, sorry I wasn’t able to insert the image :( Here’s a link , instead

  • community replied

    Lovely image Silvia!

  • ayarti

    ayarti

    This is a little inked texture that I have been playing around with, let me know what you think.

    It was made using a sponge and Chinese ink.

  • community replied

    Great to see a textured tee … and thanks for the tip on the technique used!

  • yolanda

    yolanda

    My first attempt at adding a texture. Could become addictive :-))

  • community replied

    Beautiful yolanda! Great result.

  • Karl Williams

    Karl Williams

    Here’s one of my eforts:

    Yolanda is right .. it does become addictive!

  • community replied

    Lovely Karl … the tones in this are gorgeous.

  • Norval Arbogast

    Norval Arbogast

    Fantastic---thank you all--I’m new to this stuff.

  • riverotter

    riverotter

    Oh, many thanks for posting this juicy information. I’ve long admired textured art now I have a tutorial to begin my journey. Cheers!

  • Tracey Mac

    Tracey Mac

    Crumpled Paper Textures work really well too!!
    Thanks for the links to more textures! :)

  • Karen Scrimes

    Karen Scrimes

    Thanks for your patience Rhana. I’ll give it another try!!!

  • Karen Scrimes

    Karen Scrimes

    Ahhhhh, think I’ve got it now, trying one last time (I’m old, brain fuzzy, need coffee LOL)
    http://www.redbubble.com/people/minkas/art/3178809-2-kookaburra-ii

  • Steve Sharp

    Steve Sharp

    Right – got this one fav’ed for future reference!, I love almost all textured work (and thanks for featuring one of mine in the journal!)

  • Nathalie Chaput

    Nathalie Chaput

    Here are 2 of mine!

  • Denis Molodkin

    Denis Molodkin

    Some more textures in my series “l o c k e d”


  • John Conway

    John Conway

    Just thought I’d try another one, a remake of one of my brolga photos


  • Pip Gerard

    Pip Gerard

    Two community challenges combined (typography and texture) :D

  • community replied

    I like your thinking Pip ;)

  • Barb Leopold

    Barb Leopold

    .... and here is one I whipped up a few minutes ago, with oooooodles of texture…..

  • Barb Leopold

    Barb Leopold

    and some more….. am in love with textures at the moment, LOL!!!!

  • Jonicool

    Jonicool

    Such a great journal and info! I am addicted to textures too! I love how it gives the image a painted “masterpiece” feel.
    Here are some I have played with…

  • robpixaday

    robpixaday

    Amazing work!
    I didn’t realize I’d been doing this kind of thing all along…layer of things, lighted, shaded, sometimes and then images on top….....here’s one:

  • Lenka

    Lenka

    Not that much time to play with textures, but it’s fun :) Here is my first trial to it, created some time ago:

  • Ingz

    Ingz

    I love these cummunity journals Nat, they are always so interesting and helpful.
    I discovered how to use textures this month, and really love them.
    Here are a few of mine;



  • CORA D. MITCHELL

    CORA D. MITCHELL

    such wonderful information….as I’m just starting to learn to play w/ making my own textures and also in my photoshop. thank you, this is great!

  • Isa Rodriguez

    Isa Rodriguez

    i love this community .. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! smooches for ya’s all .

  • robpixaday

    robpixaday

    Yowee I just discovered something: the cookie cutter tool in Photoshop Elements. I just used it to cut out a shape (a hand—from a huge selection of shapes they offer) from an image of a face….it left me with a transparent layer of a fascinating hand with an eye nestled in the palm…which I’m going to use as a texture. The cookie cutter thing appears to have endless possiblibltes for patterns and textures….

    Well, thanks again. You’ve opened my eyes, you guys!!!!

  • DesignsByDeb

    DesignsByDeb

    I have uploaded some textures (some are my photos and others I made) for others to use at:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/designsbydeb/sets/72157619390344172/

  • maremarie

    maremarie

    Here’s my contribution:

    I really like textures, though I haven’t figured out how to “brush” away parts of the texture once it’s applied…. but hopefully I’ll get to this soon.

    Cheers, Marie

  • Jan Timmons

    Jan Timmons

    Wow. Thanks for the info and links. I could spend all day looking at the links and trying to see all of these works in detail! (Unfortunately, I don’t have all day, but assume this page will be up for a few days?)

  • Catherine Palmer

    Catherine Palmer

    Thanks for the awesome links! Here’s something from our weekend trip to Cold Spring, NY.

  • Karen Scrimes

    Karen Scrimes

    Wow, just inspired and amazed by the beautiful art that we are treated to here on RB!!!
    Now I’ve fueled up on coffee, and am ready to give this another go. I’ll wear the dunce’s cap for evermore if I don’t get the clickable link right!!! OK deep breath…......

  • Karen Scrimes

    Karen Scrimes

    YAY!!!!! Doing the happy dance. As Arnold Schwarzenegger says on some funny ads here on Sydney TV “You can do it” (image that said with an Austrian accent)

  • Karen Scrimes

    Karen Scrimes

    Thanks Rhana!!!!

  • felinemind

    felinemind

    Thank you so much for these tips. I’ve been enviably looking at everybody else’s work with textures and wanting to apply it, but couldn’t remember my photoshop training from years ago when I downloaded Gimp a year ago. Now that I’m ‘up with it’ I’m going to give it a go.

  • craig jarman

    craig jarman

    /Users/Jarman/Desktop/_DSC0198.jpg

    here’s my attempt

  • craig jarman

    craig jarman

    my contribution…http://images-0.redbubble.net/img/art/size:ularge/view:main/3303331-2-blood-dawn.jpg

  • craig jarman

    craig jarman

    how the bloody hell do you add images to your comments???

  • community replied

    Here you go Craig (just pop an exclamation mark at either end of the link above:

  • community replied

    Oops – Just noticed Lorraine helped you out below!

  • Lorraine Creagh
  • Lorraine Creagh

    Lorraine Creagh

    There you go Craig! :-)

    Craig’s image above.

  • nanami

    nanami

    here are mine




  • Sanne Thijs

    Sanne Thijs

    and these are from my illustrations

    http://images-

  • Sanne Thijs

    Sanne Thijs

    oei , that last one again

  • budrfli

    budrfli

    obviously! we love textures!
    >

  • budrfli

    budrfli

    oops messed the clicl up!
    >

  • budrfli

    budrfli

    %%^x%x(!!!#$$*((

    >

  • Pip Gerard

    Pip Gerard

    portrait of my son

  • Marsha Tudor

    Marsha Tudor

    So many wonderful images! Here are a couple of mine:

  • revad

    revad

    And one painting can become the texture for another.

    A technique I use a lot.

  • community replied

    That’s a great tip! Thanks for sharing it with us.

  • Silvia Ganora

    Silvia Ganora

    @community: Thanks a lot! Now I need to insert images in comments :)

  • Silvia Ganora

    Silvia Ganora

    Ok – here we go. Another textured image from my port. (I’m really shocked by the high quality works posted by redbubblers in this thread! Wonderful!)

  • jon  daly

    jon daly

    my two-pennies worth…

  • mimi yoon

    mimi yoon

    thank you thank you thank you… : )

  • yolanda

    yolanda

    My second attempt at adding textures. I really liked this image but i needed something to finish it – all the texture info and tutorials were great :-)

  • Vanessa Pike-Russell

    Vanessa Pike-R...

    Thanks so much for linking to my ‘playing with textures’ journal entry.

    I will be writing more texture-based tutorials soon. How to make your own textures, texture overlay modes and using masking to minimise textures over parts of a photo you want to see the detail of (eg. faces and objects)

  • Vanessa Pike-Russell

    Vanessa Pike-R...


    This image was in an exhibition last year and I received many wonderful comments about it

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