Home Tutorials The Easy Way to Roughen Your Typography in Illustrator

The Easy Way to Roughen Your Typography in Illustrator

In this quick tutorial, I'll share a pro tip for giving your typography a subtle grungy, roughened effect. It's perfect for adding an old print effect to your designs, and the imperfections can even create a handlettering feel.

Do you like these kinds of tutorials? Let me know in the comments and I'll keep making them!

Also, if you have any requests for the next short tutorial let me know and maybe I'll make it!

Stuff used in this tutorial:

Futura Bold

Yeah, it costs money. But it's such a great font it really does pay for itself. So if you don't already have it be sure to pick it up next time you have some extra cash! If you need something free and kind of similar you might try Source Sans Pro.

Click here to get Futura Bold

Standard Issue Subtle Grunge Textures

This is a massive collection of subtle grunge textures ready to add to your work fast. We've also specially process them so they look great out of the box. Just place them on top of your work and set the blending mode to Multiply, Linear Burn, Color Burn, or Screen.

Click here to get Standard Issue Subtle Grunge Textures now

Comments

Tim B.

In this video you noted that there was an issue with the rounded corner effect on the curve of the ‘R’ — you noted that this could be corrected, but that this was something for a different tutorial. Can you point us to that tutorial? Thanks!

April 12, 2018

Suzanne at RetroSupply

Hey everyone! Thank you for the wonderful feedback! Joann M., to answer your question, yes! To slant the text like that, just use the shear tool.

June 30, 2017

Ron

Great tutorial — quick, concise, easy to follow. Please continue with these… I need all the tips I can get!

June 30, 2017

Joann M

Hey Justin, I like this type of video.
How are you putting the type on a slant? Are you using the sheer tool?

April 17, 2016

Samantha

Love the tutorial! I pretty much use the same tools in Illustrator all the time to do my work, so I try to make an effort to learn something new every once in a while. :) I can’t remember the last time I used Roughen, and I had no idea all the corners could be rounded at the same time! Thanks!

April 16, 2016

E Clark

Wonderful video – and your entire site and offerings are ingenious. Thanks!

April 16, 2016

F L

Good tutorial!

April 15, 2016

Vincent Morales

Thanks for the tutorial and the secret setting on roughen.

April 14, 2016

Andrew Hernandez

Thanks for the video. Easy to follow and straight to the point.

April 14, 2016

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