Texture masking is a great way to add character and distinctiveness to your design work, but if you’re anything like me, you probably just manually create textures for each individual project instead of putting together an inventory to draw from when needed. This is an incredible time drain, and I decided it’s about time I put a stop to it.
Grunge Textures
For this post I’ve included a zip folder with 15 different grunge style textures that I created using creative commons images found on the internet, free of charge. Simply download and enjoy. These textures are a great way to add a gritty, industrial, or even vintage appeal to your design work. The designs I’ve compiled are as follows…
Having this folder handy will save you the hassle of having to create a new texture every time you look to use one, and the variety of styles should keep you from getting bored with it for a while.
How To Use with Inkscape
Fortunately, Inkscape makes it very easy to mask textures over an object. Simply place the texture on top of the object you’d like to apply it to, select both objects, then go to Object -> Mask -> Set. If the texture is in true black and white (like all of the textures in this bundle are,) Inkscape will create negative space in your object where the black areas are.
Here’s an example of one of the textures. Notice how it’s all black and white…
And here’s how it looks once I mask it over my emblem logo…
The masking function within Inkscape removed the portions of the emblem where the black portions of the texture image placed on top of it were.
Video Tutorial
To further demonstrate, here’s a tutorial I made in the past where I used texture masking in Inkscape. Skip to the 16:35 mark for the masking part of the tutorial.
Free Download
All 15 textures can be downloaded at this link. This is a free resource — no money, no mailing lists, no survey, no other catch. Simply download and enjoy!
Become A Master of Inkscape!
Want to learn more about how Inkscape works? Check out the Inkscape Master Class – a comprehensive series of over 50 videos where I go over every tool, feature and function in Inkscape and explain what it is, how it works, and why it’s useful.
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Nick, I’m brand new to both Inkscape and logo design. Thanks so much for these helpful and concise tutorials.
Hello, I just wanted to say Thank you for the free textures! Awesome tutorials!
Hi there kindly i would like to say thanks 2 you much love here all the way from Tanzania ( africa ).
Glad to help!
Thank you so much for the free grunge downloads. EXACTLY what I was needing and just in the “Nick” of time 😉
BTW, also HUGE thank you for your fantastic easy to follow tutorials! They are a game changer for me.
Blessings!
Thanks Katie, glad you found it useful.
i couldnt download it dunno why
It’s just a zip folder. What happens when you try?
Great info Nick!
I`m using Photoshops “threshold” layer settings to get the 2-color tone separation. You can adjust the level of details easily with the slider. I’m currently working on a CC0 free license image pool to share as a resource for work like this – maby you got some use for it here – plenty of abstract textures:
https://www.abstractbackground.net/
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you very much for these much useful pack!
thank u very much 🙂
Hi Nick – When I’m uploading these to Inkscape they have a solid white background – not transparent. Am I doing something wrong?
Nope, they’re supposed to have white backgrounds. Masking removes the white areas once applied.
thank you a lot for your textures, you’re awesome man
Hello, I want to download your this 15 grunge but I can’t. I can’t find the download option. Can you please help me?
I am trying to add the texture to Just a colored rectangle, (like the background image in the thumbnail of your youtube video. But when i hit Control V to paste the texture in to the clipping mask, nothing happens.
Any tips?
Thanks
Hi Justin, textures are applied via layer masks, not clipping masks. The method of application depends entirely on which software you’re using.
hello, Thank you for the quick response. I meant to say layer mask. Im using the new illustrator software on my macbook chrome. I screen recorded my issue if you could take a look. I tried following along and it looks like im doing everything right, i just dont know what im doing wrong. Again, Thank You. I appreciate you taking the time to help.
Did you check the tutorial I made on this? Here is the link: https://logosbynick.com/apply-a-distressed-texture-with-illustrator/
yeah i watched it, idk. I copy The texture, I click on my black rectangle which im trying to add the texture to, i hit make mask, i click the black box in the transparency panel, but when I hit control v to paste the texture nothing happens. idk what im missing.