Mastering Adobe Photoshop 2026 - Second Edition

10

Creating Textures, Patterns, and Backdrops

Sometimes, even an extensive library of stock images can’t provide that one special design aesthetic that you’re looking for. That’s when you can leverage Photoshop’s textures, gradients, and patterns to turn a dull image into one that bursts with energy and visual interest.

Textures add a certain feel to the surface, which can be random or consistent. By using them as a subtle backdrop to your visuals, you can avoid the mundane feel of a solid color. Textures range from natural surfaces such as wood and stone to steel mesh. In the first section of this chapter, we will look at techniques to create textures from scratch and apply them to an image as a fill or with a painting tool.

Gradients combine ...