How To Add Texture To Your Lettering in Illustrator!

add texture to lettering illustrator

I am going to show you  how I add texture to my lettering using Adobe Illustrator! So I know a lot of us are loving the Procreate App for the amazing textures it allows us to create for our lettering. But I want to show you how you can create that same “Procreate look” by using Adobe Illustrator. For this tutorial I will be using Illustrator brushes to add texture to my design. I am using the Gouache Shader brushes from Design Cuts and you can grab them here. Now let’s jump right in!

2. Vectorize your design in Illustrator

add texture to lettering illustrator

3. You can add a texture to a path by using the shader brushes.

add texture to lettering illustrator

4. Use clipping masks to add texture inside a word or object. Select the word or object you want to add a texture to.

add texture to lettering illustrator

5. Select a brush from the Gouache Brushes and using the pen tool draw a line across your object or word.

add texture to lettering illustrator

6. Select the texture you just created and place it behind your word or object.

add texture to lettering illustrator

7. Select Deadlines and un-group the letters. Then tap on Object in the menu and click on Compound Path and Make.

You must use Compound Path’s to create clipping masks with multiple objects. For example, the word deadlines below consists of 3 objects: D, eadlines, and the top of the i. So in this case I made deadlines a compound path before creating a clipping mask. 

add texture to lettering illustrator

8. Click CTRL + 7 to creating a clipping mask. Or you can click on Object in the menu and click on creating Clipping Mask and then Make.

add texture to lettering illustrator

9. Double click on your word and fill in your word with a color. I double clicked Deadlines and with the eye dropper tool I chose a red from my color palette.

add texture to lettering illustrator

10. Now you have your background color and a nice texture on your lettering!

add texture to lettering illustrator

By using Clipping Masks you can add texture to your lettering super quickly in Adobe Illustrator. I went ahead and added texture to the rest of my design and this was the final piece below! If you want to watch the full YouTube tutorial you can watch it here

add texture to lettering illustrator

 If you want to watch the full YouTube tutorial you can watch it here. Let me know in the comments what you thought of this tutorial and if you’d like to learn some more lettering techniques! If you’d like to submit tutorial requests just shoot me an email!

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