Comments on: How do I beat up an image in Photoshop?

Question: How do I beat up an image in Photoshop?

JPowers — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 20:28:03 -0800

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.

By: Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 20:33:38 -0800

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.

By: Robot Johnny

Robot Johnny — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 20:49:11 -0800

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.

By: Robot Johnny

Robot Johnny — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 20:50:45 -0800

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.

By: JPowers

JPowers — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 21:02:17 -0800

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.

By: argybarg

argybarg — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 21:21:22 -0800

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.

By: freakystyley

freakystyley — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 21:28:31 -0800

argybarg: you stole my technique :P!

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 04:57:39 -0800

That Wicked Worn Look series.

By: JamesMessick

JamesMessick — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 08:16:15 -0800

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.