1. Tutorial Overview

This tutorial will walk you through the process of creating natural and realistic wood texture effects using Adobe Photoshop (hereafter referred to as PS). The method involves simple steps and requires no complex materials, making it suitable for PS beginners, graphic designers, UI/UX designers, and design enthusiasts. The completed wood texture can be widely applied to poster backgrounds, furniture renderings, UI interface elements, packaging design, and other scenarios, helping to enhance the texture and realism of design work.

2. Preparation

• Software Requirements: Adobe Photoshop (compatible versions: Photoshop CS6, Photoshop CC 2020 and above. Operations are largely consistent across versions with no significant functional differences)
• Hardware Requirements: Computer (Windows or Mac systems, ensure smooth software operation)

3. Detailed Steps

Step 1: Create a New Canvas

1. Open Adobe Photoshop and, once in the main interface, click on "File" → "New" in the top menu bar (or use the shortcut "Ctrl+N"/"Cmd+N") to open the "New Document" settings window.
2. Configure the canvas with the following parameters in the window:
   • "Name": Customizable (e.g., "Wood Texture", or leave as default "Untitled 1")
   • "Preset": Choose "Custom"
   • "Width": 1280 pixels
   • "Height": 720 pixels
   • "Resolution": 72 pixels/inch (suitable for screen display, adjust to 300 pixels/inch for printing)
   • "Color Mode": RGB Color 8-bit (mainstream design color mode, compatible with most display devices)
   • "Background Contents": Background color (background color parameters will be adjusted later, choosing "Background color" here is sufficient)
   • "Color Profile": sRGB IEC61966-2.1 (universal color profile, prevents color deviation)
   • "Pixel Aspect Ratio": Square pixels (ensures texture has no stretching distortion)
3. After setting the parameters, click "OK" to generate the new canvas.

Step 2: Adjust Background Color (Wood Base Color)

1. After the canvas is generated, click on the "Background color" icon in the lower left corner of PS (below the foreground color icon) to open the "Color Picker (Background)" window.
2. In the color picker, set the background color with the following parameters (wood base color, dark brownish red):
   • H (Hue): 0 degrees
   • S (Saturation): 43%
   • B (Brightness): 45%
   • R (Red Channel): 114
   • G (Green Channel): 65
   • B (Blue Channel): 65
   • Hex Color Code: #724141
   • (Optional) If matching other base colors, further adjustments can be made through the "Color Library", but beginners are advised to follow these parameters first
3. After confirming the parameters are correct, click "OK" and the canvas background color will update to the set dark brownish red.

Step 3: Set Foreground Color (Light Wood Texture Base)

1. Click on the "Foreground color" icon in the lower left corner of PS to open the "Color Picker (Foreground)" window.
2. Set the foreground color with the following parameters (lighter than the background color, used to create light-dark contrast in wood grain):
   • H (Hue): 0 degrees
   • S (Saturation): 34%
   • B (Brightness): 50%
   • R (Red Channel): 127
   • G (Green Channel): 84
   • B (Blue Channel): 84
   • Hex Color Code: #7f5454
3. After setting the parameters, click "OK" to complete the foreground and background color pairing (both are the same color family with different shades, ensuring natural wood grain transitions).

Step 4: Generate Base Texture with "Fibers" Filter

1. With the canvas selected, click on "Filter" → "Render" → "Fibers" in the top menu bar to open the "Fibers" settings window.
   • Operation Path Tip: If "Render" is not found, confirm the current layer is "Background" (unlocked status), or restart PS and try again.
2. After opening the "Fibers" window, there's no need to manually adjust the default parameters (software default parameters are already adapted for basic wood texture), proceed directly to the next step.

Step 5: Randomize Fiber Texture (Enrich Texture Details)

1. In the "Fibers" window, click the "Randomize" button (located on the right side of the window). Each click generates a different fiber texture. It's recommended to click several times, observe the preview effect on the canvas, and choose a style with relatively uniform texture distribution and no obvious disorder.
2. Once satisfied with the texture effect, click "OK" and the canvas will generate vertical fiber texture composed of foreground and background colors (this is the basic texture structure of wood grain).

Step 6: Check Current Fiber Texture Effect

After completing the "Fibers" filter operation, return to the main canvas interface. The canvas should now display uniform vertical dark and light brownish red texture, similar to the initial outline of wood grain. If the texture is too dense or sparse, press "Ctrl+Z"/"Cmd+Z" to undo the operation, re-execute steps 4-5, and click "Randomize" again to adjust.

Step 7: Open "Liquify" Filter (Adjust Texture Direction)

1. To make the fiber texture present natural wood grain bending and distortion effects, the "Liquify" filter is needed. Click on "Filter" → "Liquify" in the top menu bar (or use the shortcut "Shift+Ctrl+X"/"Shift+Cmd+X") to open the "Liquify" operation window.
2. After the liquify window loads, ensure "Show Background" is checked in the "View Options" of the left toolbar for clear observation of texture adjustment effects.

Step 8: Select the "Twirl Clockwise" Tool

In the "Tools" panel on the right side of the "Liquify" window, find and click on the "Twirl Clockwise" tool (icon is a curved arrow, usually located below the "Forward Warp Tool"). This tool can create rotation and distortion effects through click and drag operations, simulating the natural growth direction of wood grain.

Step 9: Adjust Brush Size and Distort Texture (Generate Final Wood Grain)

1. In the "Brush Settings" panel at the top of the "Liquify" window, adjust the "Brush Size" parameter (recommended initial setting of 50-100 pixels, adjust according to canvas size: larger canvas allows larger brush size). You can also adjust "Brush Pressure" to 30%-50% (lower pressure creates softer texture distortion, avoiding excessive stiffness).
2. Move the mouse to the canvas and click and slowly drag in the fiber texture area:
   • Vertical dragging: Simulates up-down growth texture of wood grain
   • Slight arc dragging: Simulates natural bending of wood grain (arc texture in tree growth)
   • Operation Tips: Avoid repeatedly dragging in the same area, adjust step by step by region to ensure overall texture coordination and naturalness
3. After adjustment, click "OK" in the lower right corner of the "Liquify" window to return to the main canvas interface, where the final natural wood texture effect will be displayed.