Tracing Paper Effect

Apply Tracing Paper to images and videos online

Soften a photograph as though it sits behind a textured sheet of tracing paper. Uneven blur, layered pale surfaces, and tonal adjustments create a veiled, tactile image treatment.

Original image before applying Tracing Paper effect Before
Image with Tracing Paper effect applied After

Ideas for using the effect

Quiet editorial portraits

Reduce sharp detail while keeping the subject's larger forms visible.

Layered moodboards

Use the paper veil to push supporting images behind a stronger focal image.

Book and journal artwork

Create a soft photographic base for a restrained cover or page.

Ambient visual sequences

Apply the texture treatment to slow footage for a muted, material-inspired look.

Use Tracing Paper in Photoshop, Figma or on your desktop

One account, the same effect everywhere.

In Photoshop

Apply it to a layer in Photoshop 2022 and later, on macOS or Windows. The plugin renders on your own GPU and hands the result back as pixels on a new layer.

get the Photoshop plugin →

In Figma

Run it on images and frames without leaving the canvas. The Figma plugin is this same editor, pointed at whatever you have selected.

get the Figma plugin →

On desktop

Install the macOS or Windows app when you want a window of its own, with your account and your presets already there.

download the desktop app →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply Tracing Paper online?

Open the Tracing Paper preset, add your image or video, and adjust the loaded effect layers to suit your source. Preview the result before exporting.

What creates the tracing-paper appearance?

Texture Blur softens the source unevenly, two Layer Mix layers supply surface detail, and Curves adjusts the tones between them.

How do I reveal more of the photograph?

Reduce Texture Blur radius, then lower the overlay opacities. This lets you balance clear detail against the feeling of looking through a separate sheet.

Is the result automatically transparent?

The visual impression of translucent paper does not guarantee a transparent exported background. This preset styles the image; transparency depends on the source, layer setup, and chosen export format.

How does it compare with Thin Paper Print?

Thin Paper Print emphasizes an image printed onto an uneven surface using displacement. Tracing Paper emphasizes looking through a soft, textured layer using blur.

Try Tracing Paper now