In a few simple steps make your own chalkboard background from scratch. Let’s begin!
(For a larger view click on the images.)
1. Create a new document. Mine was 1000×1000 pixels. Set foreground color to #494748 and background color to #2e2d29. Then go to Layer > New Fill Layer > Gradient. On the New Layer window click OK. When you get to Gradient Fill window first click on the gradient and on the Gradient Editor choose Foreground to Background gradient (it should be first). If you don’t see it click on the „flower“ on the right and choose Reset Gradients. On Gradient Fill choose Radial Style.
2. Right Click on that Gradient Fill layer and and convert it to Smart Object. Now we are going to apply a Smart Filter. (We are applying Smart Filters because this allows us to go back and modify our values.) Go to Filter > Noise > Add Noise… (Amount: 2%, Distribution: Uniform, Monochromatic checked)
3. Next we are going to apply Pattern Overlay so that we get a more textured look on our chalkboard. Open Layer Style window by double clicking on the Gradient Fill layer and go to Pattern Overlay – Blend Mode: Color Burn, Opacity: 15%, Pattern: Stone (80 by 80 pixel) (you can find it in Artist Surfaces), Scale: 100 %.
And here is our basic chalkboard texture. But we need to distress it a bit, make it look used and abused :)
4. First, we need to make some scratches. Create a new layer and name it Scratches. Pick a round brush, size 1 px, hardness 100%, color #2d2b2b and make some random scratches.
5. Now we are going to play around with some chalk stains. Make white your foreground color. Create a new layer and name it Chalk 1. Choose the Brush Tool and pick the Chalk 60 brush (it should be in default brushes), size 100 px, and make some random strokes. You don’t have to be precise because we are going to blur them. Convert Chalk 1 layer to Smart Object and apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur (Radius: 25 Pixels). Lower the Opacity of that layer to 3%.
6. Create another new layer and name it Chalk 2. Again select Chalk 60 brush, size 100 px, and make some strokes. Have in mind that these strokes are going to be more visible, so think about their placement. Lower the Opacity of that layer to 1%. And that’s it! Off course, you can add some more chalk layers, or play around with filter values for the best result.
Final result: