Making a Grunge Background
If you don't already have some grunge brushes, there are many available online for free download. Here are a few links to good grunge brushes:
http://hawksmont.com/blog/photoshop-bru ... ge-part-1/
http://getbrushes.com/photoshop/grunge/ ... rushes.php
http://www.photoshopbrushes.com/brushes/11.htm
http://xbstock.deviantart.com/art/xbgrunge-03-35520285
http://www.brushes.obsidiandawn.com/set ... stains.htm
You can find many, many more by Googling Photoshop grunge brushes.
Start your background with a new blank document….File > New > Blank File…enter the dimensions and resolution you want your paper to be.
Create a new blank layer and fill it with a color...Edit > Fill Layer...choose a color.
Add some noise….Filter > Noise > Add Noise – about 5%
Get the Dodge tool. This tool is nested with the Sponge and Burn tool. If you don’t see it, right click on the icon square directly above the Foreground/Background color chips.
Assuming you have downloaded and installed some grunge brushes, open the brush picker menu and select a grunge brush. I used one of Hawksmont’s grunge brushes.
After picking your grunge brush with the Dodge tool, resize the brush to a large size, and in the options bar, set the Dodge tool Range to Midtones, and Exposure to about 20%.
Stamp and stroke around on your color layer to lighten areas here and there. You can change the brush to a different shaped grunge brush and continue lightening until you like it.
Now get the Burn tool, which is in the same set of tools, set it to Midtones and about 35% Exposure, and use it with different grunge brushes to darken areas as you wish, by stroking and stamping over the layer.
Note: In addition to using grunge brushes, you can use other shape brushes with the Dodge and Burn tool to lighten or darken with different shapes if you like.
Create a new blank layer above the color layer to start adding more grunge.
Get the Brush tool and select a dark grey or black Foreground color.
Using grunge or other types of brushes of your choice, lower the Opacity a little and start stamping or stroking on the blank layer to get the effects you want for your background.
You can paint with different brushes on several new blank layers using dark or light colors if you like, then lower the opacity of the layers where the effect is too bold.
If you get an effect on one layer you don’t like, just drag it to the trash bin in the layers palette and start with a new blank layer.
My final grunge background:
If you don't already have some grunge brushes, there are many available online for free download. Here are a few links to good grunge brushes:
http://hawksmont.com/blog/photoshop-bru ... ge-part-1/
http://getbrushes.com/photoshop/grunge/ ... rushes.php
http://www.photoshopbrushes.com/brushes/11.htm
http://xbstock.deviantart.com/art/xbgrunge-03-35520285
http://www.brushes.obsidiandawn.com/set ... stains.htm
You can find many, many more by Googling Photoshop grunge brushes.
Start your background with a new blank document….File > New > Blank File…enter the dimensions and resolution you want your paper to be.
Create a new blank layer and fill it with a color...Edit > Fill Layer...choose a color.
Add some noise….Filter > Noise > Add Noise – about 5%
Get the Dodge tool. This tool is nested with the Sponge and Burn tool. If you don’t see it, right click on the icon square directly above the Foreground/Background color chips.
Assuming you have downloaded and installed some grunge brushes, open the brush picker menu and select a grunge brush. I used one of Hawksmont’s grunge brushes.
After picking your grunge brush with the Dodge tool, resize the brush to a large size, and in the options bar, set the Dodge tool Range to Midtones, and Exposure to about 20%.
Stamp and stroke around on your color layer to lighten areas here and there. You can change the brush to a different shaped grunge brush and continue lightening until you like it.
Now get the Burn tool, which is in the same set of tools, set it to Midtones and about 35% Exposure, and use it with different grunge brushes to darken areas as you wish, by stroking and stamping over the layer.
Note: In addition to using grunge brushes, you can use other shape brushes with the Dodge and Burn tool to lighten or darken with different shapes if you like.
Create a new blank layer above the color layer to start adding more grunge.
Get the Brush tool and select a dark grey or black Foreground color.
Using grunge or other types of brushes of your choice, lower the Opacity a little and start stamping or stroking on the blank layer to get the effects you want for your background.
You can paint with different brushes on several new blank layers using dark or light colors if you like, then lower the opacity of the layers where the effect is too bold.
If you get an effect on one layer you don’t like, just drag it to the trash bin in the layers palette and start with a new blank layer.
My final grunge background: