Some tips and tricks for a grunge look!

Made for Paint Shop Pro X2, but could possibly be used for Photoshop too.

I’ve been using this technique in my layouts for about 2 years now, simply because I love the grunge effect and how you can do so much with it. This technique is great for layouts and banners. I’ve even used it for name tags on my college books! Enjoy!

1. Choose the image you want to use for this technique, and position it to wherever you like. I’ve chosen a background for this image as well, but that’s optional.







2. Now, using the eraser tool (Press ‘X’ on your keyboard) we’re going to completely ‘rub out’ the image, so all you can see is the background if you have chosen one. DO NOT DELETE THE IMAGE, JUST ‘RUB IT OUT’. Now choose a different eraser brush – I’ve chosen some paint splatters which you can find here at At0mica.net. Instead of using left-click to use the eraser, use the right-click over the image. You should now see part of your image again! So far it could look something like the thumbnail to the left.



3. You can also use shapes for this technique by either using shaped eraser brushes or using selections like I do (Press ‘S’ on your keyboard). If you do use selections, remember to set the Feather to 1 so you get a smoother edge. Once the shape is selected, use an eraser brush to erase the inside of the image, and you should get some smooth outlined shapes like my thumbnail to the left.





That’s basically it. Play around with this technique for a while, add some brushes, some light effects, text, whatever. This is how mine turned out after I tweaked about with it for a while: