Photoshop Tutorial: VCR VHS Camcorder Glitch Effect [FREE PSD TEMPLATE INCLUDED]
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The VHS effect in Photoshop recreates the glitchy, low-quality look of an old VCR tape or camcorder.
Just like with old, low-quality photos, there is something nostalgic and charming about the imperfections of a worn-out VHS tape.
There are many different techniques you can use to replicate that old-school video quality in your photograph.
But we will focus on non-destructive techniques, which means you can always come back and make changes later!
You can even use the final PSD as a template file to easily apply the effect to any other photo!
The video was recorded in Photoshop 2018, version 19.1. Every tool it uses, from Smart Objects to the Shear filter and Selective Color, still works the same way in the current version of Photoshop.
Key Takeaways
- A Smart Object holds the whole VHS effect nondestructively, so swapping in a different photo updates every layer at once.
- Unchecking a channel in Advanced Blending Options is what splits the red, green, and blue color info onto separate layers.
- The Shear filter creates the wavy line-shift look of a bad tape by nudging pixels along a curve, not by warping the whole image.
- A Pattern Fill layer set to Multiply is the fastest way to add realistic scan lines without painting a single line by hand.
- Selective Color pushes the shadows toward blue, the same adjustment that creates a cinematic color grade in other tutorials.
- Because the whole effect lives in Smart Objects, the VHS effect in Photoshop works as a reusable template, not a one-time edit.
Table of contents
- What You Will Learn
- Requirements
- VHS Effect in Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts
- Step 01 – Convert Your Image Into a Smart Object
- Step 02 – Duplicate The Smart Object Four Times
- Step 03 – Apply Advance Blending Options
- Step 04 – Apply The Shear Filter to The Green Layer
- Step 05 – Apply The Shear Filter to The Blue Layer
- Step 06 – Apply The Shear Filter to The Distortion Layer
- Step 07 – Make a Mask With Random Rectangles
- Step 08 – Apply The Scan Lines With a Pattern Fill Layer
- Step 09 – Color Tone The Image with a Selective Color Adjustment Layer
- Step 10 – Add Noise
- Final
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
- Related Links
What You Will Learn
- How to convert a photo into a Smart Object and duplicate it as a linked template
- How to isolate red, green, and blue channels with Advanced Blending Options
- How to distort a layer with the Shear filter for a glitchy shift
- How to build scan lines with a Pattern Fill layer and the Multiply blend mode
- How to color the shadows with a Selective Color adjustment layer
- How to finish the look with noise and reuse the whole effect as a template
Requirements
Before you start
- Photoshop 2018 (version 19.1 or later) or the current version
Practice Files
Download the free VHS effect PSD template and follow along step by step, or drop in your own photo right away.
VHS Effect in Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate the Smart Object | Ctrl J | Command J |
| Rectangular Marquee Tool | M | M |
| Save the Smart Object’s contents | Ctrl S | Command S |
| Fill with the background color | Ctrl Backspace | Command Delete |
| Fill with the foreground color | Alt Backspace | Option Delete |
| Group the selected layers | Ctrl G | Command G |
Step 01 – Convert Your Image Into a Smart Object
Convert your photo into a Smart Object (Layer > Smart Objects > Convert to Smart Object) and name it “Original.”
Smart Objects allow you to apply non-destructive filters, and it will also allow you to change its contents later. Meaning that the final document could be used as a template to apply the VHS effect to any photo!
Step 02 – Duplicate The Smart Object Four Times
Make four duplicates of this Smart Object by pressing CtrlJ (Windows) or CommandJ (macOS) four times.
Name the Layers “Red,” “Green,” “Blue,” and “Distortion.”
Disable the Distortion layer by clicking on the Eye icon.
This is what your layer stack should look like:
Step 03 – Apply Advance Blending Options
From the Layers Panel, right-click on the Red layer and Select Blending Options.
In the Layer Style Dialog, un-check Green and Blue from the Advanced Blending Options (Labeled “R” and “G”).
Repeat this step for the Green and Blue Layers. But only leave the Corresponding checkbox enabled for each layer.
In the Green layer, uncheck “R” and “B.” In the Blue layer, uncheck “R” and “G.”
If you did this correctly, you should see the original image without any color distortions.
Note: These checkboxes allow you to disable each of the RGB channels from the selected layer.
Tip: This same channel-isolation trick, unchecking Red, Green or Blue in Advanced Blending Options, is also how a duotone double exposure effect splits two photos into complementary colors.
Step 04 – Apply The Shear Filter to The Green Layer
To create the glitch effect, we will apply a distortion filter to several layers.
Start by selecting the Green layer and go to Filter > Distort > Shear.
This filter allows you to distort the layer by moving points along a curve.
You can add additional points by clicking directly on the curve. Keep the distortions subtle.
Step 05 – Apply The Shear Filter to The Blue Layer
Apply a subtle Shear distortion to the Blue layer. But make sure that the distortion is different than the one that you applied to the Green layer.
The distortions on the Green and Blue layers will apply a color bleed to the image.
Step 06 – Apply The Shear Filter to The Distortion Layer
To apply the distortion part of the glitch effect, enable the Distortion Layer and apply a Shear distortion that is different from the Blue and Green layers.
Step 07 – Make a Mask With Random Rectangles
Select the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M) and randomly make rectangular selections of different heights across the canvas.
Then, with the selection active, create a new Layer Mask on the Distortion layer (Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection).
This is what my Layer Mask looks like. The white rectangles represent the selected areas.
After applying the mask, Right-Click on the Distortion layer and Select Blending Options.
In the Layer Style dialog, un-check Red and Blue from the Advanced Blending Options (Labeled “R” and “B”).
Step 08 – Apply The Scan Lines With a Pattern Fill Layer
To create the scan lines, use a Pattern Fill Layer (Layer > New Fill Layer > Pattern).
From the Default Pattern list, select the second pattern in the first row and set the Scale to 150%.
Note: To reset your Patterns to the default list click on the Gear icon and select Reset Patterns.
Then change the Pattern Fill’s Blending Mode to Multiply, which will hide the bright pixels, and set the Opacity to 25%.
Tip: Not sure what a blending mode actually does mathematically? The complete guide to Photoshop’s blending modes breaks down all 31 of them, Multiply included.
Step 09 – Color Tone The Image with a Selective Color Adjustment Layer
To apply the color tone of old VHS tapes, use a Selective Color Adjustment Layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Selective Color).
From the Colors drop-down, select “Blacks.” Then add 20% to Cyan and reduce Yellow to -20%, which will add blue.
This adjustment will introduce a blue tint on the shadows.
Step 10 – Add Noise
Finalize the effect by adding colored noise to the image.
Create a new blank layer, name it “Noise,” and fill it with black.
Then go to Filter > Noise. In the Add Noise dialog enter an Amount of 400%, Check Uniform, and uncheck Monochromatic.
Final
This combination of blends, distortions, and textures does a good job of recreating the old VHS tape look. What do you think?
Want to try a related mood next? A duotone effect uses the same kind of nondestructive adjustment layers to give a photo a completely different, stylized look.
Also, since we are working with Smart Objects, you can go back and replace the original image with any other photo.
From the Layers Panel, simply click on any of the Smart Object’s thumbnails.
Doing so will open a new tab where you can replace the original photo. Once you save the Smart Object, the working document will update and apply the VHS effect to your new photo!
Links:
VCR Font
How To Color Tone Photos in Photoshop
Frequently Asked Questions
The VHS effect in Photoshop recreates the soft, glitchy, color-bled look of an old VCR tape or camcorder recording. It combines a blurred Smart Object, channel-shifted color layers, scan lines, and noise. The result works as a reusable template you can drop any photo into.
Duplicate the photo’s Smart Object four times and apply a subtle Shear filter distortion to each copy. Then use Advanced Blending Options to isolate one color channel per layer, so the red, green, and blue information no longer lines up.
It removes that color channel from the layer entirely, leaving only the channels you left checked. Doing this on three separately distorted layers is what creates the color-fringed, misaligned look of a bad tape.
Create a Pattern Fill layer, choose one of the default line patterns, and set its scale to about 150%. Change its blending mode to Multiply and lower the opacity to around 25% so the lines sit on top of the image without hiding it.
Selective Color lets you push just the shadows toward a color, in this case a touch of blue, without affecting the rest of the image’s brightness. It’s the same adjustment layer used to build a cinematic color grade.
Yes. Because the whole effect is built on Smart Objects, double-clicking a Smart Object’s thumbnail opens the original photo in its own tab. Replace it and save, and every linked layer updates with the new image.
No, but it saves time. The free PSD already has the layers, blending options, and adjustment layers set up, so you can drop in your own photo instead of building the effect from scratch.
Yes. Every step uses a Smart Object, an adjustment layer, or a layer mask, so you can reopen any filter or adjustment and change it later without starting over.
Conclusion
The VHS effect in Photoshop comes from a few nondestructive layers working together: a blurred Smart Object, three channel-shifted color layers, and scan lines from a Pattern Fill layer.
A Selective Color tint and a layer of noise finish the look.
None of it is permanent. Every filter and adjustment sits on its own layer or inside a Smart Object.
You can always go back and change the amount of distortion, the color tone, or the noise level.
Watch the full video above, and comment on the video with the photo you used the effect on.
Selections and Masking Mastery
Complete course includes 2.5 hours of step-by-step lessons, 6 structured modules, downloadable practice files, and custom Photoshop brushes. Everything you need to master selections and masks in one place.
Keep going
Next, learn how to export LUTs in Photoshop so you can reuse a color grade on any photo or video.
Related Links
Final Image
Drag the slider to see before and after
![After: Photoshop Tutorial: VCR VHS Camcorder Glitch Effect [FREE PSD TEMPLATE INCLUDED]](/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/final-1000x563.jpg)
![Before: Photoshop Tutorial: VCR VHS Camcorder Glitch Effect [FREE PSD TEMPLATE INCLUDED]](/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/before-1000x563.jpg)
