A Tutorial to create a Eroded Grudge Effect on text with Photoshop CS

Using Photoshop CS to create an true gritty eroded grudge effect on text. that many contemporary Photoshop artists are striving for these days. [Click the image above to see 3 new variations]  A cross between stencil art and graffiti that can be found in many urban areas that are all around us.  Download the Photoshop 7 / CS zipped files ( 137 KB) that contain the objects I created for the top image text.

General
To create true gritty eroded grudge effect. on text. that many contemporary Photoshop artists are striving for these days..  Below describes one method for partially filling the characters in a text object.

1. Create a new file>Rasterize>apply filter>distort>diffuse glow

Create a new document, (Ctrl+N) size U wish (in  this case used 250 wide by 80 high 72 dpi), select the type tool (T) , select a font, and write what you want. (Used Bookman Old Style bold 72 px. crisp here) Right click on the text layer and select Rasterize layer.

Use the filter > distort > diffuse glow on the Rasterized text. Set the Graininess to 10, Glow amount to 10 and Clear amount to 15. The applied effect is should look like the text above.

2. filter > distort > ocean ripple filter

Now use the filter > distort > ocean ripple filter. Set the ripple size to 9 and ripple magnitude to 7 (Right top images) Increasing  ripple size the increases the areas of "erosion", and the increasing the magnitude the more frequently  the erosion occurs as seen in the second image to the bottom right.

3. new layer,  multiple rectangular selections, fill with black, selection to text nudged down

Create a new layer above the text "Erosion". Using the Marquee section tool (M) holding down the shift key create a number of rectangular selections over the text of varying widths over different portions of the text. It's a good idea to save the section with an appropriate name i.e. Select > Save selection while still selected fill the with black. Now to add more "edgeness" click on the rasterized layer so that the brush in on, and your selection is still placed on the text layer, select the move tool (v) now use Ctrl+arrow key down one. This makes a section of the text and nudges the selection down. Now deselect  Ctrl+D.

Download Photoshop 7 / CS zipped file (137 KB)