InStep: Creating Mosaic Tile Effects with Illustrator & Photoshop

Steve Caplin

This article appeared in Issue 1 of CreativePro Magazine.

The subway system in New York (and, indeed, like that of many cities around the world) is known for the tiled signs that display the names of the stations. In the example below, showing the mosaic at Carroll Street Station in Brooklyn, the text is three tiles thick throughout.

(Image courtesy of Ben Franske, under Creative Commons.)

Creating this effect is a somewhat tricky procedure, as each letter has to be drawn by hand as simple outlines. But as the effect is more hand-lettered than mechanically typographic, any vagaries in the letterforms only add to the overall effect.

In this tutorial, you’ll start creating the artwork in Illustrator, as that program allows you to run a pattern along a path. After you’ve created the basic text, you’ll take it into Photoshop for modification. Grab on to something; here we go.

This article is for members only. To continue reading, please sign in, or sign up for a membership today. Thanks for supporting CreativePro!