While working on the poster for DIT Fest last week I managed to create an impressive text effect that I will likely reuse for awhile. It’s very subtle and does not look like a filter. I’m simply adding a slightly aged, worn, or screen-printed look to any typeface. You can even apply this effect to any solid color shape or vector graphic for a hand-made screen-printed look—all done in Photoshop.

• Create your type as you normally would
• Rasterize the type
• Add noise, around 25%. Be sure the check the ‘Monochromatic’ checkbox.
• Adjust the Input Levels, bring the black level up to about 70
• Run a very slight Gaussian Blur on your type – like 1 or 2 px
• Run Smart Sharpen to remove the blur but keep some of the organic distressing / softening that occurs. Like 200% for the amount and about 15 for the radius.
• Adjust Levels again – bring black up to about 50 and white down to 69.

Or just download the Aged Text Effect Photoshop Action (8824) and never have to remember how to do it again.