toast, instead of trying to simulate the removal of paint with the paintbrush tool, use a color selection of a photosource to get a more natural paint removal.
Like so:
[Blocked Image: http://img10.paintedover.com/uploads/10/paint_removal_step1.jpg]
Make a base texture. This is your average flat metal, made with a dark grey background and some nice photosource metal shrunken to fit properly and set to difference as its layer effect at 10% opacity.
[Blocked Image: http://img10.paintedover.com/uploads/10/paint_removal_step2.jpg]
Next make your paint as a seperate layer. Then the detail paint (text and outline) as another layer. Fiddle with the colors to suit.
[Blocked Image: http://img10.paintedover.com/uploads/10/paint_removal_step3.jpg]
The crucial step. Make your base texture's photosource metal have more opacity so that you can get a good selection with the color selector (select>color range) and eye dropper. Fiddle with the color depth of your selection, but I prefer no greater than 40 for crisp paint flake edges, so I chose 25 this time around.
[Blocked Image: http://img10.paintedover.com/uploads/10/paint_removal_step4.jpg]
Now click on the mask tool and convert your color range selection to a mask. Erase portions of it for the non-flaked away sections. Revert to selection and delete the selection from both of your paint layers.
[Blocked Image: http://img10.paintedover.com/uploads/10/paint_removal_step5.jpg]
Now it ought to look something like this. Now all that's left is to add little details like rust and perhaps bolts.
[Blocked Image: http://img10.paintedover.com/uploads/10/paint_removal_step6.jpg]
I didn't go with bolts at the end of all of this, and settled on just a plain sign with heavy rust. Mmm, rust!
I hope you enjoyed this quick tutorial!
-Posteh
