When you hear the word “distort,” you may think of optical illusions or funhouse mirrors. In Photoshop, the Distort filter offers a similar effect, but with much more control.
You can use the filter to twist, pinch, bulge, or stretch an image in a number of ways. The filter is found under the Filter > Distort menu.
The most common use for the Distort filter is to correct images that have been scanned or photographed at an angle. For example, if you scan a photo that’s placed at an angle on your scanner bed, the resulting image will be angled as well. You can use the Distort filter to straighten such an image.
To use the Distort filter, first select the area you want to distort. Then choose Filter > Distort > Arc (or any of the other available options).
A dialog box will appear with settings for controlling the amount of distortion. By default, the Arc setting will create a U-shaped distortion, but you can click and drag one of the corner handles to change the shape.
After you’ve applied the distortion, you may want to use the Free Transform tool to fine-tune the result. To do this, select Edit > Free Transform or press Command-T (Mac) or Ctrl-T (Windows). This will bring up handles around your distorted selection that you can use to make further adjustments.
What Does Distort Mean in Photoshop?
The Distort filter in Photoshop is used to twist, pinch, bulge, or stretch an image in a number of ways. It is most commonly used to correct images that have been scanned or photographed at an angle. The Distort filter is found under the Filter > Distort menu.
