Paint a thousand words

Discover how to combine portrait photographs with flowing text for a stunning special effect – just follow James Paterson’s expert tutorial

They say a picture paints a thousand words – combine both in Photoshop

This stylish type effect was recently seen on the fantastic posters for the film Tinker,Tailor, Soldier,Spy. It may look complicated, but it probably takes as long to type the stream of numbers (or paste some in from another source) as it does to combine the text with the portrait.

The key to success is the use of a Clipping Mask. Clip one layer to the layer below it and the only parts that show through are those that are directly above. This is hugely useful here, as we can make a layer filled with type, then simply clip our image to it for an instant special effect.

We’ve provided an image for you to use, but why not try shooting your own? The text will show in any light areas, so for the best results photograph people or objects against a dark background. This way the text effect will be confined to the shape of the subject.

This is great for an alternate wedding photo – use the words of a poem or song that the couple used as part of their big day.