Photoshop Tutorial #3: Distressed Graphic on a Rough Surface

The easy way out when it comes to having the background show through a cover image is to use one of the layer blend modes, apply it, and walk away...this works if you want to achieve the clearly "Photoshopped" look.

...for more realism, try this (see final image below)...

...i used the graphic i created for my name site (Thomas Troisch.com) and superimposed it on a weathered wood palette backdrop - then distressed it for that aged look...

...here's how...

1.   Select a base texture – wood, paper, concrete, cardboard, etc. – make sure that it is a flat texture (see image to the right)

2.   Select a rasterized image – photo, text, graphic, logo, etc. – to weather; make sure that it has a transparent background (a PNG or PSD works best, for my image i used Thomas Troisch.com)

3.    Shift drag the image onto the base texture (this action allows the image to be centered).

  

      Result:  

      layer1: base texture, layer2: image

4.   Select the image layer (L2) and change its blend mode to multiply.
(see image to the right)

5.   Select the base texture layer (L1) and duplicate it (Ctrl J), move it above the image layer (L2).

Result: 

layer1: base texture, layer2: image, 

layer3: duplicate base texture

6.   Select the duplicate layer (L3) and desaturate it (Image>Adjustment >Desaturate – Shift Ctrl U).

7.   Select the duplicate layer (L3) and apply a levels adjustment (Image>Adjustment >Levels –Ctrl L) as follows (once done, OK):

Move the black pointer around the left base of the peak and the white around the right.

Rule: all dark texture will mask the image and all light texture will reveal it.

Result: 

the more dark and/or black areas in the texture results in a grungier final image.

8.   Perform a select all (Ctrl A) on the duplicate layer (L3), then copy (Ctrl C) the selection, then deselect it (Ctrl D).

9.   Hide the duplicate layer (L3) (click on the eye icon to the left of the layer name).

10. Select the image layer (L2) and create a layer mask (click the icon – white circle in a grey rectangle – at the bottom of the layers window, or select: Layer>Layer Mask>Form Transparency).

11. Alt + Click into the layer mask in the image layer (L2) and paste (Ctrl V) the black & white texture into it.

12. Click on the eye icon next to the layer name on the image layer (L2) to view the final result.