Use an image as a texture fill for text

Use the Texture image well to apply, replace, and remove textures.

Apply a texture fill to text

  1. Select the text.

  2. In the Text Inspector, click Appearance to open the Appearance pane.

  3. Choose Texture from the “Fill with” pop-up menu.

    The Color (or Gradient) controls are replaced with the Texture controls.

    Text Inspector with Text Face "Fill with" parameter set to Texture, revealing image well

    By default, no texture is applied to the text.

  4. Drag an image from the Layers list or Media list into the Image well.

    Important: When dragging an image to the well, be sure to click and drag in one movement. If you click the image and release the mouse button, the image is selected and its Inspector appears.

    The image appears in the well and is applied to the text.

    Tip: When text is filled with an image, the texture is applied to each text character. To learn how to make the texture continuous through all text characters, see Image masks overview.

Replace a texture fill

  1. Select the text.

  2. Drag an image from the Layers list or Media list into the Image well in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector.

    The new image appears in the well and is applied to the text.

    Note: When an image (or a movie clip) is replaced in the Layers list or Media list and that image is used as a texture source, the texture for the text is replaced with the new image.

Remove a texture fill

In the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector, do one of the following:

  • Click the Texture parameter reset button.

    Text Inspector showing reset button for Texture parameter
  • Drag the image out of the well, then release the mouse button.

    The image disappears.

Change the position of a texture fill

In the Texture controls group in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector, do one of the following:

  • Press Command, then drag in the Image well.

    The image moves in the well and is offset in the text in the Canvas.

  • Adjust the Offset value sliders.

    The left value slider represents X position values; the right value slider represents Y position values.

    Note: You can adjust the position of a texture for a single glyph by selecting the glyph with the Text tool or by using the Transform Glyph tool. For more information on working with glyphs, see Text glyphs overview.

Animate a texture fill using keyframe recording

You can set keyframes for the offset values of the texture source to create a moving element within text. In the following example, an image of a leopard lying in the grass is used as the texture source for the text “leopard.”

Canvas showing original text layer and texture source
  1. Apply a texture to the text.

    For instructions on how to apply a texture to text, see “Apply a texture to text,” above.

  2. Move the playhead to the frame where you want the texture animation to begin.

  3. To enable keyframe recording, click the Record button in the transport controls under the Canvas, or press A.

    Canvas playback controls with Record button enabled

    Note: When keyframe recording is enabled, a keyframe is created for any change you make to an object in your project.

  4. To position the texture, do one of the following in the Texture controls in the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector:

    • Holding down the Command key, drag in the Image well.

    • Adjust the Offset value sliders.

      The image within the text moves, and a keyframe is created in the Offset parameters.

      Canvas showing text with texture applied
  5. Move the playhead to the next frame where you want to set a keyframe.

  6. Repeat step 4 to move the texture to a new position.

    Canvas showing text with texture repositioned
  7. Press A or click the Record button to turn off keyframe recording.

  8. Move the playhead to frame 1 (or the start frame of the animation) and press the Space bar to play back the clip.

    The texture offset is animated.

Animate a texture fill by manually adding a keyframe

  1. Apply a texture to the text.

    For instructions on how to apply a texture to text, see “Apply a texture to text,” above.

  2. Move the playhead to the frame where you want the texture animation to begin.

  3. In the Appearance pane of the Text Inspector, click the Animation menu for the Offset parameter (the downward arrow appears when you move the pointer over the end of the parameter row), then choose Add Keyframe.

  4. To position the texture, do one of the following:

    • Press Command, then drag in the Image well.

    • Use the Offset value sliders to enter an offset value.

      The image within the text moves, and a keyframe is created in the Offset parameters.

  5. Move the playhead to the next frame where you want to set a keyframe.

  6. Repeat step 4 to move the texture to a new position.

    A keyframe is added.

    Note: After a parameter contains a keyframe, any further adjustment to that parameter adds a keyframe at the current playhead position, regardless of the Record button state.

  7. Move the playhead to frame 1 (or the start frame of the animation) and play the clip.

    The texture offset is animated.

Note: When you use an object with applied filters or behaviors as a texture source for text, the effect of filters is inherited by the texture. However, behaviors are ignored.