Adobe Photoshop, the industry leader in image editors, gives you an advanced array of tools to create a world of different textures. If you are a Web designer or 3D artist, you may have a project that requires you to make your own rust material. It's essential to have realistic weathering on any build that reproduces an urban or industrial look. Learn how to make rust in Photoshop that you can customize to meet your needs.

• To increase the crispness of final images, always work at double the size you need. Then, resize it down by 50% to get your final picture.

• Use a real life photograph of rust and color pick it for sample hues. You really shouldn't trust your screen unless you have a professionally calibrated monitor.

• Use Ctrl + F after using the Render Clouds option to get alternate cloud mixtures when the first one isn't what you wanted.

• For extra color variation, add a black and white gradient in the mask layer of colorLight.

• Read the licenses on free brushes. Some can't be used in commercial projects.

Making rust takes quite a few steps. However, they aren't extremely difficult. You need to have a basic knowledge of Photoshop's tools before attempting this tutorial. You will learn how to build up rust with rich color backgrounds, burned in splotches, dents and cracks. Give yourself 10 to 15 minutes to complete it.

Since this how to will replicate a saturated rust with various hues, you will need to make two different color layers and mix them to get a final base.

1. Create a new document by typing Ctrl+N.
2. Set the width and height to 500 pixels and give the file a transparent background.
3. Name the transparent layer colorDark.
4. Change your foreground color to d08134 and the background to 70413d.
5. Go to Filter -> Render -> Clouds.
6. Use Shift + Ctrl + N to add a new layer. Name it colorLight.
7. Change your foreground color to d99647 and the background to 8f4b1e.
8. Go to Filter -> Render -> Clouds.
9. Push the style icon at the bottom of the layer window. (It looks like a lowercase f in a circle.)
10. Choose Bevel and Emboss and take the depth down to 21%. Then, tick the Texture checkbox.
11. Under texture, change the pattern to gravel in the Rock Pattern folder. Click invert and alter the depth to 50%.
12. While still on the colorLight layer, add grain by picking Filter -> Noise -> Add Noise. Choose Gaussian and Monochromatic at 10%.
13. Change the layer blend mode to Soft Light.

You will augment the picture with even more depth in this step by layering in jagged splotches.

1. Use Shift + Ctrl + N to add a new layer. Name it splotch1.
2. Make your foreground and background colors white and black. Go to Filter -> Render -> Clouds.
3. Then, open Image -> Adjustments -> Threshold. (This will flatten out the values to just black and white.)
4. Go to Select -> Color Range. Change the Select option to Sampled Colors then activate the first eyedropper on the window. After this, click a black shape in your image window and click OK.
5. Use the shortcut Shift + F5 to bring up the fill menu. From the Contents section, pick 50% Gray.
6. Keep the selection active and push the mask icon. (It's at the bottom of the layer interface and looks like a square with a circle in the middle.)
7. With splotch1 layer active, add blur by picking Filter -> Blur -> Gaussian Blur. Enter 10%.
8. Change the layer blend mode to Color Burn with 10% opacity.
9. Repeat steps 1 through 7 on a new layer and name it splotch2.
10. Change the layer blend mode of splotch2 to Color Burn with 20% opacity.

At this point, you'll further the illusion of weathering by sprinkling the image with little dents.

1. Use Shift + Ctrl + N to add a new layer. Call it dents.
2. Make your foreground and background colors white and black. Go to Filter -> Render -> Clouds.
3. Pick Filter -> Texture -> Stained Glass. Enter the following input: Cell Size: 10, Border Thickness: 19, Light Intensity: 3.
4. Apply Image -> Adjustments -> Threshold.
5. With dents active, use Color Range to select the white specs and make a mask.
6. Add a Stroke and Bevel and Emboss layer style. (Refer to the image below for settings.)
7. Lower the Fill on the layer to 0%.

To really give extra reality to your texture, use a decay or grunge brush to layer in extra cracks, peeling and tonal depth.

1. Add a new layer. Call it dents.
2. Make the foreground black.
3. Hit B to select the brush tool.
4. Choose your decay brush from the pull down on the upper Photoshop toolbar.
5. Apply the brush to your layer with one click.

• Brush Recommendations:
• Free: Best Design Options
• Paid: Photoshop Decay and Rust Brushes