Free Old Paper Textures and Parchment Paper Backgrounds

Here is a collection of the most popular backgrounds used in Photoshop for texturing photos and pictures. Lets get on with some images starting with one that isn’t old but is still paper so I’ll include in anyway.

Old Paper and Parchment Textures.

edit: I’ve used an automated plugin to list them. This means that this page is always up to dated and it now shows large images so it is easier it see what it is. However, that means a lot more scrolling and I can’t adjust the order and group them into subcategories like I used to do meaning that some of the most popular ones are at the bottom. The image of a shrine has a drawing on paper version of it on the same page and I have no idea why the bamboo is showing twice :)

Another Image of a shrine in Vietnam – Photo on old vintage paper

Here are two free stock images of shrine in the jade emperor pagoda in Vietnam.

Vietnam is a antastic place for ...

Another rough old paper background texture with torn and ripped edges

Another rough old paper background texture with torn and ripped edges

 

Hi, here is another rough old paper background texture with torn and ripped edges. Like the last one I posted, ...

background of an old folded paper texture with ripped and torn edges

background of an old folded paper texture with ripped and torn edges

Hi, here is a great old folded paper texture with ripped and torn edges. Could just as easily be parchment, ...

Excellent faded and worn floral design on old paper or parchment texture

Excellent faded and worn floral design on old paper or parchment texture

Well plenty of people will recognize the design of this one. It is based on this parchment image which is ...

torn and worn grunge paper background image free texture

torn and worn grunge paper background image free texture

Hi, an old parchment texture that has a lot of marks and grunge paper as well torn and ripped edges.

 

Excellent vintage and old yellow and brown parchment paper

Excellent vintage and old yellow and brown parchment paper

Another old paper texture, added more yellow and some nice grunge dirt and watermarks, enjoy!

 

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45 Free ...

Old paper with torn edges and a faded floral design

Old paper with torn edges and a faded floral design

Hi, another old paper texture image. I took an old parchment with torn and ripped edges and then used a ...

Excellent old brown paper texture background

Excellent old brown paper texture background

Hi, Here is another old paper texture. It is made from three or four other images, downplayed the colours and ...

Another old grunge paper or parchment background image

Another old grunge paper or parchment background image

 

Here is a reworked image from some of the other papers that I have done. I added more contrast and ...

Old paper with bamboo imprint background

Old paper with bamboo imprint background

old paper or parchment

Hi, This is a bit of odd one ...

image of a book of ruled or lined paper background

image of a book of ruled or lined paper background

Here is a free image of a book of ruled or lined paper. Actually a generated image, I think it ...

old parchment or grunge paper texture

old parchment or grunge paper texture

Another free old parchment or grunge paper texture. Again it is a composite from the other old paper textures with a ...

Images of a shrine in Vietnam - Standard photo

Images of a shrine in Vietnam – Standard photo

Here are two free stock images of shrine in the jade emperor pagoda in Vietnam.

Vietnam is a fantastic place for ...

grunge background of old paper texture background

grunge background of old paper texture background

Free grunge background of an old paper texture with faded and dirty floral design. Another I made the other day ...

brown paper texture or parchment paper with ornamental border edge

brown paper texture or parchment paper with ornamental border edge

Free old brown paper texture or parchment paper with a nice ornamental floral border edging. Worn dark and dirty it ...

vintage paper texture with design

vintage paper texture with design

Free vintage paper texture with old design, nice and yellowed with age and a bit of grunge

Old paper texture that is worn, faded and has floral print

Old paper texture that is worn, faded and has floral print

Old Paper Texture

Hi, Free old parchment or paper that made the other day. I took an old photo of some ...

Yellow and worn old paper with print

Yellow and worn old paper with print

A free yellow and worn old paper texture with a faded butterfly and floral print. This is another old parchment ...

Another vintage brown old paper with grunge background

Another vintage brown old paper with grunge background

Free image of a vintage brown old paper with grunge background

Hi, Here is one  I created last night. To give the ...

Two old faded and cracked wallpaper backgrounds

Two old faded and cracked wallpaper backgrounds

Here are two free images of faded, cracked and grungy old wallpaper backgrounds.

Two images of a large Chinese lantern wall

Two images of a large Chinese lantern wall

 

Hi, Two free images of the large Chinese paper lantern wall in Singapore’s Chinatown. Great red and white photo background

 

 

 

two old free paper textures or parchment background images

two old free paper textures or parchment background images

 

 

Here is two parchment paper textures that I generated one day using a collection of filters and stuff. Should make ...

here is a free old brown parchment paper texture

here is a free old brown parchment paper texture

 

another free old brown vintage parchment paper texture for download, simply click on it to get a higher resolution

 

You may ...

free grunge texture of old vintage paper

free grunge texture of old vintage paper

 

here is another free grunge texture of old vintage paper

seeing that the old paper is so popular I have uploaded ...

old paper floral parchment background

old paper floral parchment background

An old brown paper floral parchment background texture with some nice light grunge scars etc

 

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45 Free ...

old floral paper or parchment background texture

old floral paper or parchment background texture

old floral paper or parchment background texture

this is a background texture of old parchment paper

this is a background texture of old parchment paper

this is a background texture of old parchment paper. Free for use as per the licence at the bottom of ...

old dirty floral grungy paper number six

old dirty floral grungy paper number six

 

An old dirty floral grungy paper background.

This is number six and one of the grungier versions. (not sure if grungier ...

number 5 of the texture of old grungy paper

number 5 of the texture of old grungy paper

 Texture of old grungy floral paper

This is the fifth in the series. Hit the paper category to the see the ...

old dirty grunge floral background texture

old dirty grunge floral background texture

 

number four in the this grunge background texture set

old dirty patterned grungy paper background

old dirty patterned grungy paper background

Old dirty patterned grungy paper background

The third in the set of the patterned paper. Can’t really see that this one ...

another take on the old patterned paper

another take on the old patterned paper

Here is another take at the old patterned paper background.

Another photoshop generated image, this one looks more like old paper ...

background texture of grey patterned paper

background texture of grey patterned paper

 

another generated one. Yep, this one is a bit odd with the strong pattern and all being in black and ...

background image of parchment paper with torn edges

background image of parchment paper with torn edges

Old Parchment Paper

Here is another parchment paper background that generated in photoshop one day. Has a small floral print on ...

old rough and grungy paper or parchment background texture

old rough and grungy paper or parchment background texture

 

an old rough and grungy paper or parchment

Hi, here is another old rough and grungy paper background. Actually makes a ...

another yellow abstract grunge background

another yellow abstract grunge background

Here is another yellow abstract grunge texture free for both personal and commercial use

abstract grunge background texture

abstract grunge background texture

abstract grunge background texture

greenish abstract grunge background texture

greenish abstract grunge background texture

Here is a greenish abstract grunge background, it’s rendered or generated which I sure you guessed. Almost looks like newsprint in ...

Leaf print grunge paper abstract background image

Leaf print grunge paper abstract background image

Leafy grunge paper abstract background texture

I had a play with some photoshop leaves brushes and came up with this. So ...

just an old paper or rough worn parchment background texture

just an old paper or rough worn parchment background texture

 An old and worn parchment paper background texture

Hi, this is an old paper or worn parchment background image that I made ...

old and worn grunge parchment paper background image

old and worn grunge parchment paper background image

Old grunge parchment paper background texture.

This is an illustration of an old grungy parchment paper background texture that I made ...

Brown old and worn fabric background or cloth texture

Brown old and worn fabric background or cloth texture

 

just an old and worn brown fabric background that I generated one day. Its probably a little bit too saturated, ...

old worn brown fabric texture

old worn brown fabric texture

Here is either an old worn brown fabric texture or old rough paper background

some old gray worn paper background

some old gray worn paper background

Some old gray worn paper

Here is another photoshop generated stock image. An old gray worn parchment paper background

old faded, stained and worn parchment paper

old faded, stained and worn parchment paper

An old faded, stained and worn parchment paper

Here is an old faded and stained parchment paper background. Makes a nice soft grunge ...

an old and worn brown parchment paper background

an old and worn brown parchment paper background

 Old and worn brown parchment paper background

Another old paper texture that is really great for adding texture to photos.

In Photoshop, ...

old and worn yellow paper

old and worn yellow paper

 old vintage worn yellow paper

Some old yellow paper. Less grunge on this one but it still has some great marks ...

an old and worn out parchment paper background texture

an old and worn out parchment paper background texture

Old and worn out parchment paper background

The popular old and worn out parchment paper texture. Not that it matters but ...

old paper or wallpaper with paisley design

old paper or wallpaper with paisley design

old paper with partial paisley design

With the texture effect and paisley pattern I’m not sure if I should call this one an ...

another worn and rough fabric or paper texture

another worn and rough fabric or paper texture

another worn and rough fabric or paper texture

Here is another old fabric texture or very rough vintage paper from that ...

old and worn fabric or paper with torn edges

old and worn fabric or paper with torn edges

Old and worn fabric or paper with torn edges

HI, I took one of the other vintage paper or old fabric textures ...

old brown rough and worn fabric or paper background

old brown rough and worn fabric or paper background

 

old brown rough and worn fabric or paper background

Here is an brown rough or worn fabric texture. Could also be a ...

rendered torn wallpaper paper background texture

rendered torn wallpaper paper background texture

 

torn wallpaper paper texture

Ok, another vintage wallpaper, lots of old tears and marks. Now that I come back and look ...

rendered rough wallpaper paper background texture

rendered rough wallpaper paper background texture

 

Rough wallpaper paper background

Went for blue wallpaper this time in making an old wallpaper image

 

rendered old rough wallpaper paper background texture

rendered old rough wallpaper paper background texture

old rough wallpaper paper background texture

Another in the vintage wallpaper series, this time we have the wooden wall showing through ...

rendered old grungy wallpaper paper background texture

rendered old grungy wallpaper paper background texture

 

 old grungy wallpaper paper background texture

So had a play and made some old vintage wallpaper textures. Hope you like them

So what is it? Well I’m glad you asked (I’m sure you didn’t but I am going to tell you anyway).

Paper is a thin versatile material with many uses. It is made by pressing together moist fibers of a cellulose pulp, usually wood, rags or grasses. On a trip to Thailand I went to an elephant sanctuary where they made paper from elephant dung and gave a great story of how a guy first made it using the kitchen blender, not surprisingly his wife was not impressed :) While paper is most commonly used for writing and printing upon, it is also used for packaging and in cleaning products as well as a number of industrial and construction processes and sometimes even as a food ingredient (particularly in Asian cultures – hmm, hope no-one uses the elephant dung paper).

It is thought to be first developed in China during the early 2nd century AD. Paper spread from China through the Middle east to Europe  in the 13th century, where the first water-powered paper mills were built. During the 19th century new processes for pulping wood fibers where developed in Canada and Germany and with lower manufacturing costs the use of paper grew. Nowadays the paper manufacturing industry is global with China then the United States being the largest producers (no surprises here).During a conference in Beijing, there was a one day field trip where we did the whirlwind tour to see the sights (like the people six deep trying to see the Pandas at the zoo during peak season :). Anyway one stop was the museum, after wandering around for a while the guide asked what the most valuable item in the place was, after the usual responses of the pile of gold coins, religious artifacts etc he mentioned that it was the ancient paper in a case that we had all seen as it was oldest paper in the world. So if you are really really into old paper, head over to Beijing :).

But what about Papyrus, that’s old paper? Although the modern word is derived from it, paper is different from Papyrus which was used in Ancient Egypt and other Mediterranean cultures as the two are produced very differently. Papyrus is created by laminating, whereas paper is macerated fibers. Ok, so what about parchment paper? Well parchment is technically dried animal skin that is limed, scraped and dried under tension to be really really thin.     

So there is your history lesson for today :).

References

Paper http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper

Parchment http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parchment

About myfreetextures

Hi, Welcome to my site. My name is Phil. About me - Husband, father, geographer, traveler, photographer and all round nice guy :) I have love for the oddities, doors, windows, textures etc and I'm used to the strange looks I get when taking a photo of a wall, the grass, a road or a something I find interesting. Some of those images end up here and I hope you find them useful. Please remember to check the license!

11 comments

  1. Thanks for these, really helped with a little art project. Really good textures.

  2. The Dreaming Sentinel

    Thank you so much, these are some of the most beautiful textures I have ever seen, and I love the trouble you’ve taken in your explanation. The quality is amazing, and it has made my life so much easier <3 ! I'm hoping to illustrate a book with these, I might give you a link to a free e-download when it's done :) It's so hard to find good paper textures, usually I have to blend together cement with rocks n shit -.- I am DEFINITELY book-marking this page! <3 <3 <3

  3. Hello, I used your textures for my inktober artworks and I also put the link to your page <3

  4. Thank you so much,
    its amazing that someone will share these for free, so much online is stock.
    you really helped me with these!

    thanks again :)

  5. Thank you, these textures are incredible! :)

  6. Hey, I love your paperbackgrounds – especiallly those with the flowers and butterflies… Can you make more from them? I use it for stationery and its so beautiful!
    Thanks a lot!

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