Texture from Type

Photographed texture

Texture recreated using only type

Description of the original texture: "The soft texture is made up of many grid-like, rectangular bumps, similar to kernels of corn on the cob. Each bump is made up of dozens of small threads that create a nap to the texture. Running a hand down the nap feels smooth and velvety. Running a hand up the nap creates a little more resistance and a fuzzy surface like the coat of a short-haired dog. Then, each thread is more noticeable as they brush against skin."

In recreating the texture with only type, I used 25 layers in Illustrator. Garamond works well with its serifs occasionally reading as loose bits of thread sticking out of the fabric. The typeface's humanist strokes of subtly varying widths and angled serifs and strokes helps to portray the looseness of fabric. A sans-serif, slab-serif, or even modern typeface may have been too machined, rigid, or structured to give off the feeling of fabric.

Type has the potential to do a surprisingly large amount of what photographic images can do. It can communicate depth, texture, space, color, lighting, etc. With enough type and enough painstakingly long hours upon hours upon days upon weeks... I don't see why type couldn't finally achieve the photorealism of a photograph. The only problem is that the computer might explode before that point.