I get lots of questions about how to get the grunge or distressed look in Silhouette Studio and I think I finally have a good solution for you! Download my new free distress kit file here and watch the video below to learn how to use it to easily add a fully adjustable level of distress to your cut files. For those of you who like written instructions, here are the general steps.
-Open the distresskit.studio file. -File>Merge to add your image to the distress kit document. (Instructions assume a black image.)
-Size your image to the desired size.
-Place either of the distress overlays (bounded in pink) on top (right click and Bring to Front or, if using V3DE, open the layers panel and drag your image layer to the top of the list) of your image and size to fit. Note: The overlay on the bottom is lower density and seamless.
-Adjust the scale, angle and position of the overlay using the Pattern Fill>Advanced settings. Multiple overlays can be overlapped for different effects.
-When your image looks satisfactory, click the Trace button and select Trace Area, being careful to avoid the overlay’s pink boundary.
-Uncheck the High Pass box and click Trace.
-Separate pieces and copy your newly distressed shape to a new document for cutting.
Thanks so much for this file, I always learn something from your videos. You are so talented with the Silhouette and you have a great way of teaching. Have a great day.
This is fantastic! I have learned so much from your blog & videos. Thank you so much for all of your help.
Thank you. Have a good afternoon.
Sue
thank you!!!! I love it!!!
I wish words could express how much I appreciate that you took the time to create this and share it with us. I use distress a lot for my teen grand kids. This file will be extremely helpful!
Kay you are AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful video & written directions. I have learned so much from your videos! Many thanks!
Thank you so much for posting this!!!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Merci de nous offrir ces motifs .
Thank you for doing such informative and easy-to-follow videos….this ones great and I appreciate your doing this.
Now, I’m still not at your level (not even CLOSE to it!!!!) of expertise and wonder the best (least frustrating?) way a person weeds this? Thanks in advance if anyone has tips!
The overlay is designed with weeding in mind, and you can adjust the size and density of the pattern to suit your individual weeding tolerance, but, of course, any distress design is going to involve extra weeding. You might want to look into “reverse weeding” which is basically treating adhesive vinyl as if it was heat transfer vinyl by transferring the entire cut to the film first, then weeding from there.
Thank you! Even though I am not normally a big fan of the distressed look, this is still a useful file to have on hand and I learned some software tips from your video.
Thank you so much, Kay!!! I’m going to get a lot of use of this file. I always stop what I’m doing when you have a new post because I know I’m going learn something new and will love it. So glad you are out there experimenting and sharing.
Kay – Can you share where you got the Class of 2015 image? I looked in the silhouette online store and couldn’t find it. Thanks! Lynette
It’s a freebie from me! Check the blog post before this one.
Thanks Kay. You are incredible.
Thank you Kay for all your lessons, much appreciated
.
Thank you sooooo much, Will have to play with it, never would have thought how to do this process, you’re so talented.
Hi Kay, I am unable to open the download. My message is that Safari cannot open the download. Any suggestions???
You do not want to open it, you want to save it. Then go to Silhouette Studio, choose File>Open and navigate to your Downloads folder and select it and open it that way.
Okay thank you!!!! Silly me!
Not your mistake so much as a glitch with Silh Studio. Hope you enjoy the file!
Hello Kay, thank you very much for the distresskit. Love it.
But when i open a black file, the distress look doesn’t show. In youré video you just put the file before the blocks and it distress. What step do i miss. in youre writing steps you say file -Merge.
In dutch translate “bestand samensmelten”. But when i do that, something else happens.I tried group together, add paths, but nothing works.
Hi Kay, me again 🙂
My husband has found the answer. I just needed to put the cutfile backwords, instead of put on background. 🙂
Thanks so much! Very generous of you to share.
Regards,
Sheila A
Thanks so much for this file. So fun! It came in very handy for my last two projects. Do you have a page to show off our finished designs? So much inspiration out there!
Would love to link to any pics of this in use!
Love this kit!!! Thanks for the good tutorial on you tube! Greetings from Holland, Marlies
I am lost! I downloaded the distress kit and have it on the Silhouette page. When I place the distressed area over my design…..the distressed area is behind the design not on top, so the distress doesn’t show. What am I doing wrong?
As I mention in the written instructions, right click the overly and select Bring to Front. Or you can select your design and right click>Send to Back.
This really is usefull! Thank you very,very much for sharing!
Thank you so much for the distress kit. This is going to be very useful and thanks for the video too!