This tutorial covers how to create a stainless steel or a wood grain texture in Photoshop. Shortcut keys will be listed bolded, in parentheses.
- Create a new document: File > New… Any size document will do, as long as its bigger than 400×400.
- Set the foreground color using these values (r:128 g:127 b:132). Using the Paint Bucket tool (G), fill the entire document.
- Select the Shapes tool(s), (U) or (Shift+U), depending on if you want to use a regular shape, or a custom shape. Make sure that the Paths option is selected (in the Shapes tool bar). Now click+drag to create your shape.
- Select the Path Selection tool (A), right+click on your path and choose make selection. Leave all the default options the way they are, ie: feather radius = 0, anti-alias (checked), and click OK.
- Press (M) or (Shift+M) for the Rectangular Marquee tool.
- Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise… and use these settings: Amount = 25%, Distribution = Gaussian, Monochromatic (checked). Click OK.
- Now, go to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur… use these settings: Angle = 0°, Distance = 21. Click OK.
- Rectangular Marquee tool should still be selected; if not, press (M) again. Right-click anywhere around the selection or inside of it, and select Select Inverse. Now press (delete), to clear the selection.
- Now click outside the selection to clear it. Now, go to Layer > Layer Style > Bevel and Emboss (or use the Fx shortcut on the Layers palette). Play around till you find something you like =)
To create just a simple, tileable texture:
- On step 1, use a size that is easily tileable (something less than 256×256). Flatten the image after step 2 (only if the image isn’t already flat).
- Skip steps 3 thru 5, 8 and 9.
- After step 7, go to Filter > Other > Offset, and set your horizontal offset to half of your document width. Do the same for the vertical offset (half of document height) just to check it; this is usually fine. Make sure that Wrap Around is selected in Undefined Areas. Click OK. You’ll have a seam down the middle of the document.
- Now, go to Image > Canvas Size…, and change the Canvas extension color to match the color fill of the document. Making that the anchor is set to the middle, change the document height to 300 and click OK.
- Using the Rectangular Marquee tool, make a narrow (not more than 100 pixels) selection around the entire length of the seam in the middle of the document. Right-click and select Feather… Change the value to somewhere between 12 and 25 pixels. Click OK.
- Go to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur… and use the same settings for step 7. Click OK. Use Canvas Size… again but set height back to 256.
- Go to Filter > Other > Offset, to test your tile.
Now, you should be finished!