Glow Effect in Photoshop
Bloom, anamorphic streaks and glare, placed exactly where you want them. Each effect renders to its own layer, so your original stays untouched.
Drag to compare. Original on the left, Glow Machine on the right.
The short answer
To make a glow effect in Photoshop, choose the bright areas that should give off light, then add a soft bloom, directional streaks or sharp glare. Glow Machine, a Synkit plugin for Photoshop 25.0 or later, does all three in one panel and renders each effect to its own layer. Your original artwork stays untouched.
At a glance
- What it is
- Glow Machine, a Photoshop plugin
- What it does
- Adds Bloom, Anamorphic streaks and Glare where you choose
- Works in
- Photoshop 25.0 or later
- Format
- Photoshop plugin
- Non-destructive
- Each effect renders to its own layer
- License
- Single License with 2 seats, Team License with 5 seats
- Also available
- Glow Machine Action Pack + Brushes, no plugin needed
- Made by
- Synkit, by Jorge Lopez
What it is
A glow effect in Photoshop usually means stacking Outer Glow, blurred copies and blend modes until the light looks right. Glow Machine is a Photoshop plugin that does it in one panel: Bloom for a soft halo, Anamorphic for directional streaks and Glare for sharp star shaped glints.
You choose what starts glowing with the highlights threshold, use a color or brush mask to decide where the light goes, and preview it live in the viewer or in your document. Bloom, Anamorphic and Glare each render to separate layers.
Examples
Same effect, different settings
Six renders, all made with Glow Machine. Try it on yours
How to Photoshop 25.0 or later
Add a glow effect in five steps
Open Glow Machine
Install the plugin using the instructions in your download, then open the Glow Machine panel in Photoshop.
Pick a source
Follow the active layer, lock a layer while you work, or take a Snapshot of the visible composition.
Choose the light
Use Bloom, Anamorphic or Glare on its own, or build the finish with all three.
Control where it glows
Set the highlights threshold, then use a color or brush mask so the glow only starts where you want it.
Render
Bloom, Anamorphic and Glare render to separate layers at your document's full resolution. Save the settings as a preset for next time.
Settings
Three settings that matter
Bloom
Amount, size and highlights threshold
The highlights threshold decides what starts glowing. Amount and size then keep the halo tight or open it into a wash of color.
Anamorphic
Streak length, width and direction
Stretch highlights into streaks and set their angle so the light moves through the composition.
Glare
Rays, angle and spread
Choose 2, 4, 6 or 8 rays, then set the angle and spread of the glints.
Compare
Built in vs Glow Machine
| What you want | Photoshop built in | Glow Machine |
|---|---|---|
| Soft bloom on highlights | Duplicate, blur and blend layers by hand, or use Outer Glow | Bloom with amount, size and highlights threshold |
| Directional streaks | Motion Blur on a copy of the highlights | Anamorphic with streak length, width and direction |
| Star glints | Paint them one by one with brushes | Glare with 2, 4, 6 or 8 rays, angle and spread |
| Choose where light goes | Mask the result after the fact | Color or brush mask decides where the glow starts |
| Keep the original safe | Depends on how you built the stack | Each effect on its own layer, original kept separate |
| Final quality | Depends on the blur settings you used | Renders at your document's full native resolution |
FAQ
Glow effect, quick answers
Which Photoshop version do I need for Glow Machine?
Glow Machine requires Photoshop 25.0 or later.
Does Glow Machine change my original artwork?
No, Bloom, Anamorphic and Glare render onto separate layers. Your original stays separate and you can adjust or hide each effect.
Does preview quality affect the final glow render?
No, preview quality only controls the working preview. The final render uses your document's full native resolution.
How do I control where the glow appears in Photoshop?
Use the highlights threshold to choose what starts glowing, then a color or brush mask to target the glow.
How many seats does a Glow Machine license include?
The Single License is for individual use and includes 2 seats. The Team License includes 5 seats.
Can I make a glow effect without the plugin?
Yes, Glow Machine Action Pack + Brushes adds bloom, glare and specular highlights with 3 glow modes (Small, Medium and Big), a grain preset action and 5 custom spark brushes.
Related
More effects
Photoshop plugin
Glow Machine for Photoshop
Bloom, anamorphic streaks and glare in one Photoshop panel. Single License with 2 seats, or a Team License with 5 seats.
