[bombingpixels]

How would I go about making a scratchy background effect like on this image? I have asked about a border like this but I don't have photoshop. I have Illustrator and studio mx so photoshop brushes won't do the trick. Any other easy way?

Cheers, Jeff
http://bombingpixels.com

[Bill Posters]

Check out the Adobe Studio Exchange and you'll find plenty of brushes and other custom resources to add to Photoshop (et al).
There are a good range of grunge brushes which can be used, layered and built upon to create any degree of 'scratchy fill effect'.

You're sure to find many more if you check out the Google SERPs for:
photoshop "grunge brushes"

[bombingpixels]

But I don't have photoshop?

[Bill Posters]

Sorry, I should've read it properly. :mybad:

Still, the Adobe Studio Exchange is likely to have a range of grunge effect brushes for Illy too.
And a Google with Illustrator instead of photoshop will likely turn up some more.

Failing that, do a Google for grunge "texture map" and see what that turns up.

Fwiw™, Photoshop brushes (.abr) will work in Paintshop Pro, if that's you're particular poison.


If you don't have any photomanipulation app (photoshop, photoshop elements, psp, ...), then I really recommend picking up a (legit) copy of Photoshop or maybe Photoshop Elements, even second-hand if neccessary.
Perhaps you could produce the effect you're after using the downloadable tryout.
If you download the tryout of photoshop then you should be able to import any/all of the many grunge brushes available on the adobe studio exchange site.
An app like Photoshop will give you loads more flexibility and control when producing textures, especially those of the grunge variety.
(If the downloadable tryout is too chunky then you're likely to find the tryout on one or more computer/graphics magazine cover CD

[bombingpixels]

anything a bit simpler?

[gray]

does this work? .. I use freehand myself so i cant test it, but i used the "export paths to illustrator" option in photoshop...

[Bill Posters]

There are a few 'no brainer' suggestions in my posts that should be tried before throwing your initiative out of the window.

A quick Google turned up at least one site giving away a range of prefabricated grunge textures that you could open in Illustrator or Fireworks.

It's still worth picking up a 'proper' photo/bitmap app such as Photoshop or even *cough*PaintShopPro*cough*.
'Best tools for the job' and all that.

[bombingpixels]

ok, thanks I can understand something like that , and grey: I have freehand so you can just give it to me in freehand fomrat because that file you gave me is empty. Thanks though.

[Brown]

how about buying some wrapping paper, screwing it up, unscrewing it and then scan it.

[bombingpixels]

ok, I'll try that, and by the way, I tried a new google search and it worked, the last couple of times I had texture map in quotes and I didn't get very good results, so I took it out and it worked well... thanks

[bombingpixels]

ok, so once I have an image I want to use as a texture map, how do I make it an actual texture for an image, in illustrator I mean

[Brown]

read a book?

[dcloud]

Originally Posted by bombingpixels

ok, so once I have an image I want to use as a texture map, how do I make it an actual texture for an image, in illustrator I mean

Hello bombingpixels,

If you are still looking for brushes you can find some excellent Illustrator brushes by David Nagel on the CreativeMac website:

http://www.creativemac.com/headlines/features.htm