When you need to add character to your designs, the best thing to do is complement them with a texture. It can only be in specific places where you need to create striking elements, or in the background of the design to have a base to work on. If you are new to the world of textures, then you will want to know that the most used are those with an abstract aspect, since they look original within the compositions. Today you will get a rustic background in this list to create the best possible projects without having to resort to cheap tricks that damage your art.

A rustic pattern combines the exact amount of abstraction with everyday elements, offering the viewer something unique that they can identify. Also, most images with rustic designs are easy to edit, allowing you to use them for any purpose, from a simple background to a Photoshop brush.

The following collection is ideal if you want to experiment with new digital design techniques. All are free, so you can use them (the vast majority) in commercial and personal work without any inconvenience.

Rustic background images

Free Rusted Steel Texture Pack – Feel the rust on the metal

The eight high-resolution textures in this pack will be perfect for you to get a rusty effect on your projects. Five of the images feature a warm color gamut, while three are oriented to a cold palette, so you have a variety of finishes available.

Rust Texture For Photoshop – Full of details

This image shows a rusty metal sheet, which has so many imperfections that the original metal can hardly be distinguished. An excellent texture that you can turn into a brush or that will allow you to decorate 2D and 3D projects.

Old World Rustic Wooden Door with Bolts and Padlock – Doors tell a story

The doors of ships and castles in ancient times were made of wood and joined with a large number of bolts that ensured that they were resistant. Here you can see one of those doors, possibly from a dungeon, which creates a wonderful rustic wood background for 3D modeling work.

Rust Metal Texture High Resolution – A central pattern

If you are looking for a rusty metallic texture that can serve as a frame for other projects, then you need this image. The edges retain the gray color of the metal, but in the center, it has already started to rust, creating an eye-catching spot to place other items.

Stone Wall Texture – The Stone Age

Not only does rusted metal create great rustic background images; stone is another natural material with an uneven texture that is widely used in digital art. Their best appearances are on rock walls, like the one at this link, as they show many different colored blocks.

Additionally, this image has a vertical aspect ratio that makes it perfect as a Smartphone wallpaper.

Dark Wood Background – Create cozy scenes

Wood is one of the most widely used coatings for floors and walls due to its versatility and low costs. These horizontal planks that look like mahogany will work perfectly for drawing or modeling cozy cabins in the woods.

Grunge Peeled and Rusted Metal Texture – Not suitable for trypophobics

Trypophobic people probably want to get away from this texture of a metal sheet where the rust has opened thousands of tiny holes. However, this is a natural process from which no metal can escape, so the image only shows a realistic result. It will definitely serve to grab the viewers’ attention.

5 Rotten Rusty Textures Pack 1 – Get the necessary depth

Not all metal suffers from rust in the same way. Some begin to peel, while others change color until they turn orange. So that you can cover all these situations in your projects, here are five high-quality rustic photos.

Old Weathered Rubber With Rust Stains Texture – Even the rubber is damaged

This rustic background takes a closer look at the effect of rust on rubber, or rather, what plastic would look like if it could rust. The dust generated in a metal sheet has reached this piece of rubber, and therefore it looks rusty.

The image has a vintage flair thanks to the etchings that can barely be seen through the rust, but definitely, the most striking thing is the way the colors blend, forming sharp scratches and smudges.

Log Cabin Siding Texture – A flawless siding

The logs used to clad this cabin have been sanded to the point where they are almost completely smooth, creating that curious color gradient between the curved planks. You can still see some typical wood stains, but these only serve to give more originality to the texture, which is ideal as a rustic wooden background in your projects.

Rustic Wood Texture – The effects of time

Wood is a material that easily suffers from the passage of time when it is not cared for properly. In this rustic wallpaper, the white color of the paint has begun to fade, leaving golden stains that show the deterioration of the coating.

Rusted Iron Metal Surface High Res – Generate perspective

You can almost feel the cracks that have formed on this iron sheet. The blue, orange, and brown blend subtly throughout the image, and the lighting helps the holes pop out slightly, creating a rustic look that you can even use to create a faux texture over printed work.

Buckboard Wagon – Life before cars

This ancient cart was the main means of transport before the arrival of the automobile. A work of engineering that accompanied man for millennia, and that even became a symbol of the first American pioneers. This image is a beautiful classic wallpaper, especially for its 4.608 x 3.456px resolution.

Rustic Plywood Texture – Overuse

The plywood sheet of this link has seen better days. The large number of scratches suggest that it has been used as a cutting table, leaving irreparable marks that today serve to create a striking image.

Rustic hanging outdoor clock – Urban furniture of yesteryear

Beautiful vertical photograph of a hand clock supported by a wooden pole. This is in front of a classic railway station, which gives the hanging clock an even more industrial look.

High Quality Rustic Grey Plank Surface Texture – What you need for 3D models

These monochrome images of wooden planks are the best companion for those who enjoy 3D modeling, as they can use it as an information map to add shadows.

The rustic background can also be used in 2D digital works that require a melancholic or mysterious finish. You shouldn’t miss out this free download, especially since you can get it in 3,264 x 2,448px and 1,632 x 1,224px resolutions.

Blue Peeling Paint Stock – The end of the paint

The blue acrylic paint on this metal sheet has started to peel off, so you can see some rolled edges where the holes are. A captivating image that manages to emit feelings of restlessness and tranquility thanks to its colors.

Peeling Paint Pattern Texture – A barbarian look

In this rustic background, some pieces of the paint refuse to separate from the metallic foil even though the oxide is in an advanced state. This creates a curious pattern filled with irregular geometric figures with a charred look.

Old Rusted Metal Surface Texture – A simple wall

If you want to add texture to your design that will not dull your project, you can try this rustic picture that shows a white metallic wall whose ends have some rust spots, which seem to be caused by humidity.

You can use this image with a transparent layer to add a vintage filter to other drawings.

Dry and cracked surface – The effects of heat

When the mud dries up due to the high temperatures of the sun, it begins to break apart as seen in this photograph. Thanks to the frontal plane with which it was taken, you can use it to create brushes with which to imitate the desert floor.

Grungy Textures – Metal and concrete in one package

We finish this list of rustic backgrounds with a monochrome pack of 5 images taken from different materials, such as steel and concrete. The pack has a decent 1,000 x 750px resolution, so you can texture small areas of your projects to give them more realism.

If you enjoyed reading this article about rustic background images and textures, you should read these as well:

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