Very few items are needed to make a distressed sign - the base material wood in this example, paint primer, paint and sandpaper

Step 1:

once you selected your base material do not send it smooth, just carve the image, clean it up if needed and and apply paint primer on it.

Step 2:

Once primer is dry paint it with a paint of your choice I use oil based paint but latex or acrylic paint will work too.

Let is dry for 24 hours at the room temperature

Lightly sand the surface with a 120 GRT sandpaper trying to distress the desired area.

Once you achieve the wanted effect you can apply a protective finish like a clear lacquer or a polyurethane

Keep in mind that some finishing products will change the color, for example polyurethane add an amber hue.