Inspiration. It's a curious thing that certain collections of words used on a particular type of image can motivate us. While it is debatable as to whether or not the inspiration actually causes life changes, crafting a motivational poster is a unique and fun way to work with type. Visually, blocks of text are more engaging if formatted in a way that is not perfectly straight, uniform and centered. By purposefully crafting the type so some words draw more visual interest, reading the quote almost becomes an adventure in itself as our eyes explore the text as we read it. In this project we explore how to use Photoshop to craft an eye catching quote that is almost as fun to read as it is to make.
How to Work with Type in Photoshop
Photoshop doesn't have quite as many text based tools as its cousins InDesign and Illustrator, but it does have a good set of tools for crafting text into something inspiring. In this quick video we explore some of those features and create this inspirational poster.
This project uses this Admiring the Sea photo by ollyi and is available for purchase on Photodune.
The text in this project uses the wonderfully whimsical font called Little Wonder available only on Envato Elements.
How to Create an Inspirational Poster
Step 1
The first step is selecting a background image that's dramatic and inspiring. A figure gazing off into the distance indicating someone who might be deep in thought is always a good choice. But be sure there's plenty of space to place your quote.
Step 2
In this example, we're using a font that was hand drawn. I has a very intimate and organic feel to it. Plus this font has alternate glyphs for most of the letters to reduce any obvious visual repetition.
A Bit More Detail
Want to learn more about using Type in creative ways in Photoshop? Consider these following links:
- How to Combine Photography & Type for a Dramatic Effect
- Create Light Painted Typography From Scratch in Photoshop
- How to Create an Ornate, Vintage, Poster Design in Photoshop
- 10 Type Tools You Probably Aren’t Using in Photoshop
