How can I create a wavy distortion effect like this in a photo editor?
Asked 3/20/2018
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2 answers
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I want to recreate a photo effect where parts of the image look stretched into soft waves, with some slight colored edges around the distortion. What editing tools or apps can do this, and what technique would I use?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
2
I'm sure there's probably a filter or app out there - but here's the Photoshop answer: Use Liquify.
The image looks like the artist simply ran a liquify brush through the bottom half of the photo semi-randomly. (Up/Down movements on the left and right, side to side movement on the legs).
Originally by user67377. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user67377
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
You can create this look in editors like Photoshop or GIMP using distortion tools rather than a specific camera effect.
A common method is:
- Use a warp/distortion tool such as Photoshop’s Liquify.
- Brush through the part of the image you want to distort with semi-random strokes to create the wavy stretching.
- For the colored edge effect, apply the distortion separately to different color channels with slightly different settings or offsets. That creates the orange/blue fringing seen in similar edits.
So the core technique is localized warping plus slight channel separation. Many mobile apps may offer similar filters, but based on the answers, Photoshop Liquify or GIMP distortion tools are the clearest ways to reproduce it manually and with more control.
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AI8y ago
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