Authentic text effect

[Supernube]

Hello all. Just joined and have many questions lol.
I have recently been trying to figure out how to copy or replicate rather... old scanned document text. I have actually done a pretty good job but definitely not the right way.
Basically the text on a scanned certificate looks fine until you take a closer look...then its all jagged and a little pixelated with differing pixel colours within each letter.
I trying to replicate it to look the same on text I add... basically forging a certificate... but dont worry its a school merit certificate of my sons lol.
As far as my son is concerned its perfect... but its far from ok in my head as I know there will be a Photoshop way of doing a much better and much easier job.
I may not have described it very well... but Its basically just normal sized text from a scanned document....that looks odd when I zoom in on it...and I want to replicate that look... its not just pixelated...its because it was scanned originally I suppose.
Thinking maybe a clipping mask ? but will that work on small text or a way of creating a font from the look of the original ??
I'll stop talking now lol.
Any help or advice will be very much appreciated.
Thank you
Daniel

 

[Rich54]

Is something like this what you have in mind? Let me know and I'll tell you how I did it.

 

[Supernube]

It's very similar to that yes... maybe more damaged looking... on the edges.. this is from my phone.

 

[Rich54]

Any better???

 

[Supernube]

Oooooh that's soooo close.. very good... thank you.
Please tell

 

[Rich54]

I'm not sure of your general familiarity with Photoshop, so if I say something you don't understand, just ask. Here are the steps:

• Create a new Photoshop document with a white background.
• Add a text layer using the Text tool. Choose any font (I used Arial with font size of 96) and select a font color that is dark gray but not black.
• Convert the text layer to a smart object. This allows you to apply filters to the text while preserving it as an active text layer where the text can be changed later.
• Apply a Pixilation filter to the text layer (Filter>Pixilate>Mosaic). I used a mosaic cell size of 3, but that amount will vary based on the size of your text.
• Apply a Ripple filter to the text layer (Filter>Distort>Ripple). I chose "small" ripples and a ripple amount of 69%. These may change based on your own taste and the specific text you are using.

• For the colored pixilation effect, create a selection of the text and then expand that selection by 2 or 3 pixels.
• With that selection active, create a new layer above the text and fill it with 50% Gray.
• Add noise to that gray layer (Filter>Noise>Add Noise). When adding noise, you want colored noise, so make sure to un-check the "monochromatic" box. I forgot what amount of noise I chose, but probably 5% to 10% will work.
• Go to Filter>Pixilate>Mosaic and use the same setting as you used above.
• Change the layer blend mode to Hard Light and reduce the layer opacity to around 50%.

• For all the distortion surrounding the text: create a selection of the text and expand it by 8 pixels.
• With that selection active, create a new layer and fill it with 50% Gray.
• Add noise (Filter>Noise>Add Noise) of about 2% or 3%. This time we don't want colored noise, so you need to go back and check the "monochromatic" box.
• Change the layer blend mode to Hard Light. Reduce the layer opacity slightly if you think it needs it.

That's pretty much it.

Rich

 

[Supernube]

Thank you so much... that's really good of you.
I'll have a go later... my son is on the PC now lol.
I got close myself using a few things you mentioned here but also DIDN'T do a few things you mentioned here lol.
Thank you very much for your efforts and time.
Daniel