How to Create Floral Typography in Photoshop

Floral Typography is where you combine text and floral elements to create dynamic designs. In Photoshop, you can create vivid artworks with Floral Typography that is elegant and unique. It can help bring the viewer's attention to a specific product or design.

We chose to use an image of a purple flower bouquet, with asage green watercolor background, and the Atticus font to complete our design.

When choosing your images, it’s important to go for one that has a neutral background. This will make the process of isolating the flowers and adding your own background easier.

Table of Contents

• Duplicate the Background Layer
• Isolate the Flowers with a Layer Mask
• Add a Custom Background
• Add the Text
• Create Overlapping Portions with the Flowers Layer
• Erase Portions of the Text
• Add a Shadow to the Overlapping Elements
• Add a Shadow to the Flowers Layer
• Enhance the Text Layer with Layer Styles
• Add a Shadow to the Text Layers
• Add a Vibrance Adjustment Layer

Step 1 - Duplicate the Background Layer

Once you have chosen your own image, go ahead and open it up in Photoshop. Then, create a duplicate of the background layer (Command/Control + J). This is to keep the source image intact in case you need it. Then, hide the background layer by clicking on the small eye icon on the left side of its thumbnail.

Rename the duplicate layer Flowers. It is always a good practice to give a proper name to all your layers, this way you will know where everything is placed.

Step 2 - Isolate the Flowers With a Layer Mask

The first thing we need to do is to isolate the flowers so we can then apply our custom background. It will allow us to create more depth with the aid of some effects.

Choose the tool and/or method for selecting that suits you better. For example, the Quick Selection tool (W) or the Magnetic Lasso tool (L).

Note: you may need to hold Shift while selecting areas.

Then, click the Select and Mask button on the top menu to isolate your selection.

Clicking on Select and Mask will open the Properties panel. Make sure you set the Output To dropdown to Layer Mask before clicking OK.

If you need more information on how to isolate and smooth your selection, check out our how to Smooth Mask Edges in Photoshop tutorial.

Step 3 - Add a Custom Background

Bring in the image you chose as the background. Place it under the Flowers layer then resize it if needed. You can use a Color or Gradient Fill layer instead if you prefer.

Step 4 - Add the Text

Now, we are going to add the typography to combine with the flowers.Use the Horizontal Type tool (T), select your font from the drop-down menu, then type your text. Adjust the size to your needs (ours was 350 px), and set white as the Fill color.

We want to simplify the handling and positioning of the text. Type each letter separately so each one is in its own layer.

Switch to the Move tool (V) and adjust the placement of each letter.

Group all the Text Layers together

Select all your text layers. Now group them together by clicking on the small folder icon at the bottom of the Layers panel.

Name the group Text and lower its Opacity to about 70%. This will help us have a better view when painting the floral parts on top of the text later on.

Step 5 - Create the Overlapping Portions with the Flowers Layer

To add depth, we are going to duplicate the Flowers layer. Then we will isolate some portions so it seems that they are overlapping on top of the letters.

Duplicate and move the Flowers layer

Select the Flowers layer and press Command/Control + J to duplicate it. Then, change its name to Flowers Top and drag its thumbnail to the top of the Layers panel.

Fill the Duplicate’s Layer Mask with Black

Select the Layer Mask of the Flowers Top layerthumbnail. Make sure that the Foreground color is set to black. Then, with the Paint Bucket Tool (G), click inside your canvas to paint the whole mask black again. This will basically mask the entire layer.

Step 6 - Erase Portions of the Text

We want to erase portions of the text that should be under the overlapping Floral elements. Select the Brush tool (B) and make sure that white is set as the Foreground color. Also make sure that you are working on the Layer Mask of the Flowers Top layer thumbnail.

Then, paint over areas on the letters where you want a petal or leaf to overlap on top of the text. This will erase the portions of the letters that should be “under” the floral element.

You may need to change the size, hardness, etc. of the brush depending on the areas of the image that you are working with. We started out with a 30 px Size, and 65% Hardness.

To bring back some of the letters you just erased, pressX to swap between the foreground and background colors. Then use black with the selected brush to do this.

Zoom in and out (Command/Control + or -) to better see which areas of the letters you want to erase. Then take your time and paint over these parts as precisely as possible.

Keep going until you are satisfied with the overall look.

We need to add dimension to our piece, to make it look like everything belongs and that the pieces are not just stuck on top of each other.

Step 7 - Add a Shadow to the Overlapping Elements

To make the overlapping elements more realistic, we are going to add a shadow to them.

Create a selection and add a fill

Hold down Control/Command thenclick on the Flowers Top layer Layer Mask thumbnail to load a selection of the mask.

Create a new layer by clicking on the small icon at the bottom of the Layers panel. Rename itShadow then, go to Edit > Fill.

Make sure that black is set as the Foreground color on the Toolbar. Then, choose Foreground Color as the Contents source in the Fill popup window and click Ok.

Press Command/Control + D to deselect. Next, press the down arrow key five times to move the layer down.

Make the Shadow Layer a Smart Object

We are going to turn the Shadow layer into a Smart Object so any changes we make to it are nondestructive.

Right-click on the layer's thumbnail and go to Convert to Smart Object. Then move it down on the Layers panel so it is placed under the Flowers Top layer.

Mask the Shadows with the Text

We want to create a mask so that the shadows only affect the text portions directly under the floral elements.

On the Layers panel, click on the small arrow on the left side of the Text folder to show its contents. Hold the Command/Control key, then click on one of the letters thumbnail to load a selection.

We want to add the other letters to the selection. Hold the Command/Control and the Shift key then click on the rest of the letters until you have your entire word selected.

Without deselecting, select the Shadow layer and click on the Add Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel.

Apply a Gaussian Blur Filter to the Shadow Layer

To smooth the shadow and make it more realistic, go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Set the Radius to 8 px and click Ok.

Adjust the Shadow Layer Blending Mode and Opacity

Finally, change the Blending Mode of the layer to Multiply and reduce its Opacity to 50%.

Step 8 - Add a Shadow to the Flowers Layer

To add a shadow to the original Flowers layer, double-click on top of its thumbnail to open the Layer Styles panel. If you don't see the Drop Shadow tab in the list of styles, simply click the fx button at the bottom left corner of the Layer Style dialog and choose Drop Shadow.

In the Drop Shadow tab use the following values:

• Blend Mode Multiply
• Color #000000
• Opacity 50%
• Angle 85º
• Use Global Light box checked
• Distance 12 px
• Spread 0%
• Size 15 px
• Contour Linear
• Anti-Aliased box unchecked
• Noise 0%

Step 9 - Enhance the Text Layer with Layer Styles

We are going to use some Layer Styles to enhance and add some depth to the text. Increase the Opacity of the Text folder back to 100%.

Next, select a Letter layer thumbnail in the Layers panel. Then double-click to apply the following Layer Styles.

In the Inner Shadow tab use the following values:

• Blend Mode Multiply
• Color #000000
• Opacity 25%
• Angle 90º
• Use Global Light box unchecked
• Distance 0 px
• Choke 0%
• Size 9 px
• Contour Linear
• Anti-Aliased box unchecked
• Noise 0%

Now, we need to apply the same style to the rest of the letters. Right-click the layer thumbnail that the style was applied to and choose Copy Layer Style.

Then, select the thumbnails of the other letters. Right-click on top and this time choose Paste Layer Style.

Step 10 - Add a Shadow to the Text Layers

To add a shadow to the text layers, we are going to use the same technique as the one used for the overlapping elements in Step 7. This means, selecting the letters, filling the selection with black, using a Gaussian Blur filter, and changing the Blending Mode and Opacity of the layer.

Name this layer Text Shadow and place it under the Text folder in the Layers panel.

Fix the Details on the Text Shadow

You may notice that some of the recently applied shadows show through the overlapping floral elements and text.To fix it, use the Eraser tool (E) with a smooth brush to get rid of the unwanted portions.

The overlapping sections should now look smooth and realistic.

Step 11 - Add a Vibrance Adjustment Layer

We are going to make the colors pop a bit more using an Adjustment Layer.

Go to the Adjustments panel and create a new Vibrance Adjustment layer on top of everything. Adjust the Vibrance value on the Properties panel so that the colors of your flowers look brighter. We used a value of +50.

Your floral typography piece should look similar to this.

Well done on creating your own flower typography in this Photoshop tutorial. I hope you have enjoyed it and will be able to apply these techniques in future projects. If you want to use objects instead of text we have an awesome tutorial on how to make aFlower Filled Heart in Photoshop.

Next, check out our tutorials on making a GIF in Photoshop, creating a flat character, and replacing the sky in Photoshop.