Making images with a flatbed scanner instead of a camera. Because the sensor sweeps across the bed over several seconds, anything that moves during the pass is recorded as a smear — which artists began doing deliberately.

Why is there color separation in the streaks?

Scanners capture red, green and blue in separate passes or at slightly offset positions, so a moving subject lands in a different place in each channel. That color fringing along the drag is the authentic signature.

Scanography Drag applied to the same source image — The same source image before and after applying Scanography Drag.

Original source image before Scanography Drag — The same source image before and after applying Scanography Drag.

Scanography Drag Photo Filter Online

Drag the subject across a virtual scanner with colored sensor lag. Control the strength, compare the result, and download a finished image from your browser.

Upload a photo for the Scanography Drag effect

Upload an image

Drop a file here, or click to browse

Supported formats include JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, SVG, HEIC, AVIF, TIFF, RAW, PSD. Maximum file size: 11 MB.

What you can do with the Scanography Drag effect

Review the available effect capabilities before you begin.

Apply the Scanography Drag effect to any photo
Fine-tune the effect strength to taste
Preview your photo live as you edit
Download your edited photo in high quality
Apply Scanography Drag to many photos at once

Use this effect

About the Scanography Drag effect

The image is streaked along the scan axis with repeating bands and color separation, reproducing what happens when a subject moves while a flatbed scanner head passes beneath it.

How to use Scanography Drag

Upload a photo, adjust the Scanography Drag intensity, compare its processed preview with the source, and download the finished result.

Why use the Scanography Drag effect?

Scanography Drag, tuned to your photo

Use the intensity control to balance the Scanography Drag treatment with the detail and character of your original photo.

A fast Scanography Drag workflow

A reduced Scanography Drag preview keeps adjustments responsive. Free downloads are clean and web-size; Premium or a credit unlocks the original resolution.

Secure Scanography Drag processing

Scanography Drag uploads are processed on secure servers and automatically removed under the normal Pixoate retention policy.

How it works

The image is streaked along the scan axis with repeating bands and color separation, reproducing what happens when a subject moves while a flatbed scanner head passes beneath it.

Processing

Scanography Drag runs as a classic image effect and does not use an AI action.

Best for

experimental portraits, album and zine artwork, glitch-styled graphics, and abstract print design.

Less suited to: images needing legibility, since dragging destroys structure along the scan direction.

Ways to use Scanography Drag

Scanography Drag questions

What is scanography?: Making images with a flatbed scanner instead of a camera. Because the sensor sweeps across the bed over several seconds, anything that moves during the pass is recorded as a smear — which artists began doing deliberately.
Why is there color separation in the streaks?: Scanners capture red, green and blue in separate passes or at slightly offset positions, so a moving subject lands in a different place in each channel. That color fringing along the drag is the authentic signature.