by Chad Neuman

Here is how to use layer clipping masks with photos and text in Adobe Photoshop for unique looks for brochures, web sites, and posters.

Step 1
Open Adobe Photoshop and go to File>New and create a new 1024×768 document and click OK.

Step 2
Next, click with the Text tool and type out some text. Change the font to a bold font like Impact so that the photo showing through will be noticeable. Think of the photo you’ll be using and type something to match it.

Step 3
Open a photo you’d like to use and using the Move tool, click-and-drag it onto the Photoshop file with the text, or copy and paste it.

Step 4
Here’s the trick to add the Layer Clipping Mask. On the Layers palette, there should be three layers: Background, the text layer, and the layer with the photo. Make sure the photo layer is on top of the text layer, and press Option (PC: Alt) and left-click with the mouse hovering between the two layers.

Step 5
Now we have text composed of a photo. We can use the Move tool and move either the text or the photo.

Step 6
Try various text and designs. Note: If you open a photo and type text on top, be sure to double-click the Background layer and name it to become a normal layer and then click-and-drag that layer over the text layer before applying the clipping mask.

by Chad Neuman

Using both Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop together can produce some original designs. I’ll go over a technique of creating a shape in Illustrator and then using it as a clipping mask in Photoshop, which is then partially hidden for a nice background effect.

Step 1
In Illustrator, click-and-hold the Rectangle tool to bring out the other shapes. Click the Ellipse tool.

Step 2
You can click-and-drag out a small circle by holding Shift to keep the correct proportion, or you can just click on the Artboard with the Ellipse tool selected and enter a specific size, such as .2 inches shown here. Make the Fill black and Stroke none.

Step 3
With a Selection tool, hold down Option (PC: Alt) and click-and-drag to the right to create a duplicate. Be sure to hold down Shift to keep it duplicated at a 90 degree angle.

Step 4
To repeat this effect with the same settings, press Command-D (PC: Ctrl-D) which will repeat the last transformation. Press it as many times as needed to create a row, like seen here.

Step 5
With a Selection tool, click-and-drag around the row of circles to select them. Then hold down Option (PC: Alt) and click-and-drag below the current selection to create a duplicate row. Press it a couple times to create a box area of circles.

Step 6
Select the entire grid of circles and go to Edit>Copy. Open an image you want to work with and go to Edit>Paste.

Step 7
Press Enter to place the clipboard contents. The art should look something like this.

Step 8
Double-click on the Background layer and name it to make it a normal layer. In the Layers palette, click-and-drag the new layer which has the pasted shape from Illustrator below the original layer. There should now be two layers, one that has the image and one that has the pasted shape. The pasted shape layer should be below the image layer.Position the cursor between the two layers in the Layers palette and hold down Option (PC: Alt) and a circle icon will appear. Click to make a clipping mask.

Step 9
Now the image looks pretty cool, but let’s go one step further. With the layer that has the shape on it selected in the Layers palette, choose a soft-edged, large brush and paint black over an area you would like to hide the circles. Now the subject stands out from the rest of the image, with a nice background effect.

©ISTOCKPHOTO/JOHN MILLERBIO