How to Create a Canvas Texture in Photoshop

In this tutorial, I will show you how to create a canvas texture in Photoshop and how to add it to your illustrations or photos or use it as a background. Before we start, I would like to recommend an amazing package of canvas textures from Envato Elements.

Classic Canvas Textures (JPG)

In this canvas texture overlay pack, you will find 13 unique backgrounds in high resolution (6000x4000 PX). It's a great pack for creating both backgrounds and vintage effects.

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used during the production of this tutorial:

• Young Girl With Headphones in a Yellow T-Shirt
• Shaikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi

What You'll Learn in This Tutorial on How to Create a Canvas Texture in Photoshop

• How to create a canvas texture background in Photoshop from scratch
• How to add a canvas texture in Photoshop
• How to use a canvas texture as an overlay

If you want to follow this canvas texture background Photoshop tutorial via video, check our Envato Tuts+ YouTube Channel:

1. How to Create a Canvas Texture Overlay in Photoshop From Scratch

Step 1

Let's start by creating a new document with a size of 3000 x 2000 px.

Step 2

Go to Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color and set the Color to #f7f7e4.

Step 3

Let's add some noise to this layer. Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise and set the Amount to 15%, Distribution to Gaussian, and check the Monochromatic box.

Step 4

Now go to Filter Gallery and select the Crosshatch effect with the following settings:

• Stroke Length: 17
• Sharpness: 4
• Strength: 1

Step 5

After that, we need to apply the Water Paper effect from the Filter Gallery and use the following settings:

• Fiber Length: 15
• Brightness: 60
• Contrast: 62

Step 6

As you can see, our texture becomes completely white. To fix it, we need to change the Blending Mode of the Filter. Double-click on the icon near the Smart Filter and set the mode to Darken and the Opacity to 100%.

Step 7

Now, let's add a Texturizer filter to the layer and set the Texture to Canvas, Scaling to 50%, and Relief to 2.

Step 8

Go to the Filter Gallery one more time and select Note Paper with the following settings:

• Image Balance: 21
• Graininess: 10
• Relief: 11

Step 9

Change the Blend Mode of this Smart Filter to Darken.

Step 10

Let's apply the last filter: Craquelure. Set the Spacing to 20, Depth to 4, Brightness to 9, and then change the Blend Mode of the Smart Filter to Multiply and the Opacity to 35%.

Here's our canvas texture. As you can see, it looks pretty boring without shadows, but we'll fix that in the next step.

Step 11

Create a new layer by pressing Shift-Control-N and then go to Filter > Render > Clouds.

Step 12

And finally, change the Blending Mode of this layer to Soft Light and the Opacity to 55%. 

This is how our texture should look now:

2. How to Add a Canvas Texture in Photoshop

Now let's add our texture as a background to a painting. I've created this beautiful artwork with the Watercolor Photoshop Action by UnicDesign. I highly recommend checking out this effect, as it will help you to create amazing paintings from your photos.

Step 1

Let's Right-Click on any layer and select Flatten Image to merge all the layers into one.

Step 2

After that, all you need to do is drag and drop the texture above the Background layer.

And this is what our artwork looks with the canvas texture applied as a background:

3. How to Use a Canvas Texture as an Overlay

Step 1

Let's try to use our canvas texture as an overlay. I took another photo and added an effect with the watercolor action. Drag and drop your canvas texture above all the layers.

Step 2

And after that, just change the Blend Mode of the texture to Multiply.

Step 3

If you don't like how your overlay looks, you can try other blend modes or change the brightness and contrast of the layer. Let's select our canvas texture and go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast and set the Brightness to 35 and Contrast to 45.

Awesome Work, You're Now Done!

Today you've learned how to create canvas texture in Photoshop from scratch, and how to use it as a canvas texture overlay and background. I hope you enjoyed the tutorial, and now I would like to recommend some of the best canvas texture Photoshop packages available on Envato Elements:

Delightfully Subtle Texture Pack (JPG, PSD)

This canvas paper texture Photoshop pack contains 30 unique canvas textures in JPEG format. You'll also find a layered, print-ready PSD file with different variations of the sizes, so you can easily choose the texture that fits your needs. You can use these textures as backgrounds, textures, overlays, and more.

Canvas Texture Backgrounds (AI, EPS, PNG, PSD)

Are you looking for a carefully handcrafted canvas texture background? This product contains ten dirty textures in different file formats from vector EPS to PSD and will be a good addition to your collection of Photoshop resources. This canvas texture background pack is great for almost any purpose: you can use it for prints, T-shirt design, as backgrounds, or even as overlays. All the textures are fully editable, and you can easily change the colors and scale them as you need.

Dark Grunge Canvas Texture (JPG, FIG)

Do you need a dark grunge canvas background for Photoshop? Take a look at this pack with 15 dark grunge canvas textures! These amazing textures can be used in almost any project. Create grunge overlays to make your photos look vintage or just use it as a background for your artwork. All the textures are in high resolution (6000x4000 px), and you can use them for both print and web projects.

Dirty Canvas Textures (AI, EPS, PNG, PSD)

Here's another pack of canvas backgrounds for Photoshop with a grungy and authentic look. Due to the vector format included in the package, you can change the color and scale the textures as you need! Try to use them as backgrounds or overlays or create a vintage logo or T-shirt design. This canvas texture Photoshop pack will be good for any purpose!

Black Canvas Backgrounds (JPG)

If you need a handmade canvas paper texture Photoshop pack to expand your collection, check out these amazing products! Use these natural-looking textures to create distressed effects or backgrounds for your artwork. In the main archive, you will find 12 JPEG files in high resolution (3000x2000 px).

If you liked this canvas texture background Photoshop tutorial, take a look at these other tutorials and learn how to create different types of textures:

• 
  Photo Effects
  How to Make a Distressed Effect Photoshop Action
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• 
  Adobe Photoshop
  How to Add a Texture Overlay in Photoshop
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• 
  Textures
  How to Make a Leather Texture in Photoshop
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• 
  Adobe Photoshop
  How to Make an Old Paper Texture in Photoshop
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• 
  Textures
  How to Create a Wood Grain Texture in Photoshop
  MissChatz
• 
  Brushes
  How to Create Photoshop Brushes From an Old Newspaper
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