Distressing a photo

[Brettaney]

My client wants this photo to look faded and distressed. I decreased the saturation to fade it. (Was that the best way to do it?) She would like scratches and scuffs along the edges. I'm sure I could probably buy an overlay for that  somewhere, but do you know of a way I could achieve the look in PS?

I have a picture of a painting with the kind of distressing she wants, but I can't find it online to link to it. Am I allowed to post the example photo here? I could even just post a close up of the corner if that would be better.

[Damien Symonds]

Yes, a closeup of the corner would be good, thanks.

[Brettaney]

[Brettaney]

I was thinking I'd do the scratches a greyish brown colour since white won't work on the photo she selected. 

[Damien Symonds]

Hmmm ... what am I looking at, exactly?  The edges just look a bit blurred to me?

[Brettaney]

There are white scratches and scuffs. To me it looks like a canvas that has been roughed up with sandpaper or something. The photo I took these from is a cell phone photo of the painting, so the quality is awful. Can you see the scratches in the first photo? The one with the feet?

[Damien Symonds]

Oh, sorry, I see what you mean!

Yes, if you don't wish to buy a suitable overlay to use, you really would make one with sandpaper, I reckon.  Probably paint black paint onto white paper, then scuff it artistically.

[Brettaney]

Just to clarify, after painting and scuffing, would I just take a picture of it and create an overlay to apply to my photo?

[Damien Symonds]

That's right, or scan it.

[Brettaney]

Thank you!

[Brettaney]

One more question, would I do my cropping and sharpening for print before adding the overlay?

[Damien Symonds]

Oh, that is SUCH a good question.  I don't know for sure.  But no, I rather think you'd add the overlay to the master file.