How do I beat up an image in Photoshop?

July 6, 2006 8:28 PM

How do I beat up an image in Photoshop? In other words, how do I add what looks to be physical wear-and-tear to images, like this, or the border images here. I love that look.
posted by JPowers to computers & internet (8 comments total)

this might help. Throw a 'rough' texture from mayang.com on as a layer mask. Use filter/other/highpass to 'normalize' the texture to get an even amount of wear or lighten and darken areas where you want more wear, etc.
posted by Paris Hilton at 8:33 PM on July 6, 2006

If you're willing to spend a little money, the Machine Wash filters are high quality textures you can add to any layer or layer group on Photoshop.

But you can just as easily recreate the same effects for free with any textured image by, like Paris Hilton suggests, by applying it as a layer mask. Adjust the levels and/or erase to taste.

Cameron Moll created a series of tutorials that I think you'll eat up: That Wicked Worn Look.
posted by Robot Johnny at 8:49 PM on July 6, 2006

Also, a Google search for "grunge brushes" will give you loads of customized Photoshop brushes of dirt, grime, and scratched up textures that you can use to just manually paint the wear-and-tear on.
posted by Robot Johnny at 8:50 PM on July 6, 2006

I know it seems silly to mark all three of the first answers as "Best," but they have each helped me a great deal. Perfect! Thanks guys.
posted by JPowers at 9:02 PM on July 6, 2006

Actually, I've found that the best way to get roughed-up type is to print it, crumple it, attack it with masking tape, sand it, etc., then re-scan it. Any of the filters look too glossy and perfect by comparison.

Images are a little trickier, but you can usually find noise to sample. Try ripping up masking tape, scanning it, and tweaking the levels until you've blasted the texture way, way up. Then take it and use it as a layer (mask) over the image you want to distort.

Or print, rumple, photocopy (several times perhaps), scan the photocopy and use it as a layer on top of the original (perhaps an overlay at 20% opacity or the like).

Great textures are everywhere and most of them fit on your scanner. It's way more fun to scoop up textures this way than to choose a bunch of filters from a menu.
posted by argybarg at 9:21 PM on July 6, 2006

argybarg: you stole my technique :P!
posted by freakystyley at 9:28 PM on July 6, 2006

That Wicked Worn Look series.
posted by kirkaracha at 4:57 AM on July 7, 2006

I don't know, but The Screen Savers (US) had a regular guest who was a Photoshop expert, Bert something, that did this one time.
posted by JamesMessick at 8:16 AM on July 8, 2006