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Cyanotype Effect

Turns any picture into deep blue pigment washes on pale paper, with soft bleeding edges, grain and paper texture.

The same cornflowers rendered in deep blue and violet washes on pale paper, with dark bleeding stems, soft edges and fine grain.
Photo of five pale blue cornflowers on long green stems against a smooth blue gradient background.
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Made with a featured Nexus filter

Works in

The cyanotype effect rebuilds your picture as layered blue pigment washes on a pale sheet. Darks become dense blue, highlights stay as bare paper, and edges bleed softly with grain on top. The look starts in blue, and you can change the pigment ramp, paper color, wash density, bleed and texture.

Same effect, different settings

10 photos, each with its own settings. Try it on yours

  • Cyanotype Effect on a photo of a man with a buzz cut
  • Cyanotype Effect on a photo of a woman in white cat-eye sunglasses
  • Cyanotype Effect on a photo of a man in a white shirt
  • Cyanotype Effect on a photo of a woman with a black bob and red earrings
  • Cyanotype Effect on a photo of a man in white sunglasses
  • Cyanotype Effect on a photo of a woman with a red bob
  • Cyanotype Effect on a photo of a man with pink hair and black sunglasses
  • Cyanotype Effect on a photo of a woman in black sunglasses
  • Cyanotype Effect on a photo of a young man in black
  • Cyanotype Effect on a photo of a woman in blue glasses

Use Cyanotype Effect in Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator, Affinity or Figma

The plugins are free with an account. Paid plans add bigger renders and your own filters. See pricing

Settings worth touching

Pigment Ramp
Sets the ink colors from shadow to highlight. The look starts in blue, and you can swap the gradient for another tone.
Wash Density
Controls how heavy the pigment sits. Lower values keep more pale paper, higher values push the picture toward dense blue.
Wet Bleed
Sets how far washes spread into each other, from crisp shapes to soft, blurred edges that bleed like wet paper.

Frequently asked questions

How do I add the cyanotype effect in Photoshop?

Install Nexus for Photoshop, open the look and apply it to a Smart Object as a Smart Filter. Double-⁠click the filter any time to change the controls.

Can I animate the cyanotype effect in After Effects?

Yes. Nexus for After Effects adds it as a native effect. Drop it on a layer and keyframe any control, such as Wet Bleed or Wash Density, on the timeline.

Is there a cyanotype filter I can try free?

Yes. Open the look in the Nexus web editor and try it on your own image without an account. Exporting needs a free account, which exports images up to 720px and video up to 720px with the Nexus mark.

Can I make a blueprint effect in a different color?

Yes. The look starts with a blue pigment ramp on a pale sheet. Edit Pigment Ramp for new ink colors and Paper Color for the sheet underneath.

Does the cyanotype effect in Illustrator give vector paths?

No. This look outputs pixels only. In Illustrator and Figma the result comes back as an embedded image, never as editable vector paths.

Related effects

Try Cyanotype Effect in your browser

Free to try. Exporting needs a free account.

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