scan-and-paper-textures

name	scan-and-paper-textures
description	Use when adding hand-made or scanned feel to digital surfaces. Scan textures (dust, grain, fold lines) add tactile authenticity.

Scan and Paper Textures

Scan textures = digital signal of physical origin. Subtle dust, grain, fold lines suggest the artifact came from print, not pixels.

Texture types

1. Paper grain — fine fibrous pattern (5-10% opacity)
2. Scan dust — small particles (random spots, 3-5% opacity)
3. Fold lines — vertical creases (5-8% opacity)
4. Halftone dots — large-grain pattern (subtle)
5. Edge wear — feathered/torn edges on photos
6. Film grain — even pixel noise (5-10% opacity)

Where to apply

1. Photo overlay (entire image)
2. Editorial article body backgrounds
3. Section divider backgrounds
4. Pull-quote backgrounds
5. Hero compositions

Not for:

• Buttons (interferes with click target)
• Form fields
• Mobile viewport (performance)

Implementation

Method 1: SVG filter (procedural)

.texture-overlay::after {
  content: '';
  position: absolute;
  inset: 0;
  background-image: url('/textures/paper-grain.svg');
  opacity: 0.08;
  mix-blend-mode: multiply;
  pointer-events: none;
}

Method 2: PNG overlay (pre-rendered, smaller file)

Where this fits in the X3 empire

Used in CardPrepAI editorial and methodology pages for tactile feel.