Apply texture and surface effects to filters

Last updated on Sep 30, 2026

Use custom textures and surface controls to create realistic material effects in artistic and sketch filters.

Texture and surface controls add realistic material qualities to filtered images, making them appear painted on canvas, brick, or other textured surfaces. These settings are available in Rough Pastels, Underpainting, Glass, Conté Crayon, and Texturizer filters.

These texture options work with filters that simulate traditional art media or view images through textured surfaces. Each filter provides controls for scaling, relief depth, light direction, and texture inversion. For an overview of all available filters and their categories, see Filter Gallery overview. Before applying filters, learn how to apply filters in Photoshop.

All custom textures must be saved in Photoshop format. Most filters use only the grayscale information from color files to create the texture effect.

Load a custom texture

Select Filter and choose one of these filters: Artistic > Rough Pastels, Artistic > Underpainting, Distort > Glass, Sketch > Conté Crayon, or Texture > Texturizer.

In the filter dialog box, select the Texture menu.

Select Load Texture from the menu options.

Navigate to texture file, and select Open.

After loading a texture, you can adjust its appearance using the surface controls. These controls determine how prominently the texture appears and how light interacts with its surface.

Configure texture surface controls

With your chosen filter dialog box open, locate the texture controls section.

Drag the Scaling slider to increase or decrease the size of the texture pattern on your image.

Drag the Relief slider to adjust the depth and prominence of the texture surface. Higher values create more pronounced texture effects.

Select the Invert checkbox to reverse the shadows and highlights in the texture, creating an alternate lighting effect.

For Light Direction, select a direction from the options to control where light appears to hit the textured surface.

Adjust other filter-specific settings as needed, then select OK to apply the effect.

Tip

Preview your changes in real time within the filter dialog box. Try inverting the texture if the lighting effect appears opposite to your desired result.

The Relief control is not available in all filters. Glass and some other filters offer alternative depth or distortion controls instead. Experiment with different texture sources and settings to achieve unique surface effects that complement your image.