How do I create a worn/distressed effect in Photoshop?

Question

Notice the texture in this image:

I'm trying to create that effect. How would you recommend doing so?

I could easily overlay a pattern/texture but I don't want it to be uniform. You can see in the image that the effect is heavier on the right side.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Answer 1

I think there's more to this than noise, to me it looks like the button has had some sort of grunge texture applied. You say you don't want to apply a "pattern/texture", but I presume you mean a repeating pattern or texture, but you can get textures which consist of non-uniform high-resolution photos, which is one way to achieve this sort of effect. I tend to use one of two methods:

1. Photoshop brushes, of which there are many free "grunge" sets available online: create a layer mask and paint with your grunge brush to taste
2. Textures, typically grungy photos of crumbling concrete or similar: find an appropriate photo, put in a new layer, and adjust levels etc until it looks like it has the right amount of contrast for a layer mask (usually higher contrast than the original photo). Then select and copy your edited grungy photo layer, create a layer mask on the layer you want the effect applied to, select the mask, go to channels, and paste in your wear.

Answer 2

most of these types of textures (and 90% of what you see on dribble these days) are mostly organic in origin. In otherwords, they are textures from the real world...ink on paper, fabric, rust, photocopier, etc. Pretty much any interesting pattern you can find can be photographed then brought into photoshop and used as a texture mask. Have fun with it.

Answer 3

The best & easiest method I feel is to take out your camera (a mobile phone camera will also do for this one) and look around for the object with similar texture to what you are looking for, a cardboard, the wall of your room, tarmac, concrete etc. & click a picture. Desaturate it, control light & dark areas using curves to get just the right texture effect. Use that for masking creatively & you'll have a very original, non uniform texture.

Too Lazy!! Googling images for texture also does fine. But the above process leaves you with your own collection of textures in due time, just remember to name & tag them properly.

Hope this was useful. :)

Answer 4

This effect is called noise, and its is applied partially heavy on some part and light on some part intentionally, you can do this easily.

there are some similar question to the situation please see :

• What is this pattern called and how is it created?
• How to create a background like Dribbble.com?

both above answers have 2 ways of doing the same thing.

just apply any of technique wherever you want heavy and light noise effect.

hope this will help.

Answer 5

you are designer, you know that. it's have many types. easy way is mask the pattern, where u not want.

If u apply layer styles-(pattern overlay) or texture. just click Advanced blending - layer mask hides effects (it's in Layer styles) and then apply the mask , where are u want. mask is hidden the noises