13:46
Photoshop
A specific, repeatable, non-AI Photoshop workflow — built on layer duplication, the little-known "step and repeat" technique, and a selection-derived layer mask — turns any photo into a fully customizable "slice" effect, and the video ships two free downloadable PSD templates that let viewers reproduce the same effect just by dragging their own photos in.
The video opens by branding the technique as manual: "no AI," "no generative credits," fully non-destructive, with full creative control.
Two free PSD templates (thick/thin bars, horizontal/vertical) are offered so viewers can drag-and-drop their own photos and get the effect automatically.
First step on any image: double-click the locked Background layer and hit OK to convert it into a regular, movable layer.
Duplicate the base photo layer (Cmd/Ctrl+J) to create the layer that will later be masked and shifted.
"Step and repeat" is presented as a Photoshop "insider secret" not found in any menu: create one bar shape, then use a two-part keyboard-shortcut process to evenly duplicate it across the image.
The initial bar shape is made with the rectangular marquee tool on a new layer, filled with white via Edit > Fill.
The "step" is Option+Cmd+T (Mac) / Alt+Ctrl+T (PC): shift-drag the shape into its offset position and confirm.
The "repeat" is Shift+Option+Cmd+T (Mac) / Shift+Alt+Ctrl+T (PC), pressed repeatedly to duplicate that same spacing across the whole image, then Select > Deselect.
The bar layer's shape is loaded as a selection (Cmd/Ctrl-click its thumbnail) and applied as a layer mask on the duplicated photo layer, hiding the bar layer itself once the selection is captured.
With the mask applied, holding Shift while using the Move tool nudges the masked strips left/right in a straight line to create the visible slice offset.
Linking vs. unlinking the layer and its layer mask (via the chain icon) produces two distinct effects: linked keeps duplicated features moving together (e.g., duplicate eyes); unlinked makes features slide/hide behind the layer beneath.
Bar thickness (thin vs. thick) is a freely adjustable, purely aesthetic choice with no effect on the underlying non-destructive process.
A second full example is demonstrated with thick bars, then redone with thin bars on a duplicated layer so both versions can be toggled on/off and compared.
The presenter treats the choice of thick/thin and linked/unlinked as photo-dependent and subjective rather than prescribing one correct setting.
The included PSD templates cover thick and thin versions in both horizontal and vertical orientations.
Step and Repeat — A Photoshop technique the video calls an "insider secret" not found in any menu, used to duplicate and evenly space a shape by combining a 'step' (offset transform) with a 'repeat' (repeated duplication) command. Apply: Create a shape, press Option+Cmd+T (Mac) or Alt+Ctrl+T (PC) and shift-drag it into position to set the 'step,' confirm, then repeatedly press Shift+Option+Cmd+T (Mac) or Shift+Alt+Ctrl+T (PC) to 'repeat' that same offset across the image.
Converting a Background Layer to a Regular Layer — The default locked 'Background' layer Photoshop assigns to any opened image, which must be unlocked before it can be moved or manipulated. Apply: Double-click the Background layer in the Layers panel and click OK in the 'New Layer' dialog to convert it into an editable regular layer (e.g., Layer 0).
Layer Duplication — Creating an identical copy of a layer so a shiftable, maskable version of the photo can be worked on while the original stays intact underneath. Apply: Select the layer and press Cmd+J (Mac) or Ctrl+J (PC) to duplicate it before applying a mask and moving it.
Rectangular Marquee Tool + Fill — Photoshop's rectangular selection tool, used on a new layer together with Edit > Fill to draw and fill the single bar shape that later gets step-and-repeated. Apply: Select the Rectangular Marquee tool, click-drag on a new layer to draw a thin or thick vertical (or horizontal) selection, go to Edit > Fill, choose White as Contents, and click OK.
Load Selection as Layer Mask — A method of generating a precise layer mask directly from an existing selection (here, the shape of the step-and-repeated bars) instead of painting one manually. Apply: Cmd/Ctrl-click the thumbnail of the bar-shape layer to load its content as an active selection, select the target photo layer, then click the layer mask icon in the Layers panel to apply that selection as a mask.
Move Tool with Shift-Constrained Drag — Using the Move tool while holding Shift to nudge the masked, bar-shaped strips of the top photo layer in a straight horizontal line, producing the visible slice offset. Apply: Select the masked layer, choose the Move tool, then click-drag left or right while holding Shift to shift the masked strips relative to the layer underneath.
Linking/Unlinking Layer and Layer Mask — A toggle (the chain icon between a layer thumbnail and its mask) that determines whether the mask moves together with the layer content or stays fixed while the content moves independently, producing two different slice-effect variants. Apply: Click the chain-link icon between the layer thumbnail and mask thumbnail to unlink them before shifting, producing a 'sliding behind' look instead of the default 'duplicated feature' look seen when linked.
Because the mask is generated from a selection rather than painted by hand, the bar pattern itself is swappable without redoing the masking step — shown by duplicating the layer and applying a differently-sized bar selection as a new mask for a thick-vs-thin comparison.
Linking or unlinking the layer/mask chain doesn't just tweak the look cosmetically — it structurally changes which content becomes visible during the shift (duplicated feature vs. feature sliding behind/occluded), from an identical underlying setup.
The video foregrounds "no AI / no generative credits" as its opening hook before any technique is shown, framing the whole tutorial as a manual alternative to AI-based slice/glitch effects.
Thick and thin bar versions are kept as separate, independently toggleable layers on the same image, so a single file can hold multiple ready-to-compare variants of the effect simultaneously.
The presenter explicitly declines to declare one version "correct," instead framing linked/unlinked and thick/thin as decisions to be made per photograph based on how subtle or dramatic the shift should look.
«Today, we're building a cutting-edge, really cool slice effect in Photoshop.»
— 00:00
«And the best part of all, there's no AI.»
— 00:04
«This is no generative credits.»
— 00:07
«Everything that you need to follow along is free.»
— 00:24
«This is a little bit of a Photoshop insider secret. It's not in any of the menus.»
— 01:43
«So, you can totally decide if you want to be linked together or unlinked. Either way, you're going to be getting your slice effect.»
— 09:02
«I love this effect. I think it's so incredibly cool and it's simple to do.»
— 12:58
Reception
Enthusiastic audience reception with strong appreciation for manual tutorials and clear, inspiring instruction.
A tightly scoped, step-by-step Photoshop compositing tutorial that teaches a named technique (step and repeat) plus supporting workflow (masking from selection, shift-nudged duplicate layer) to produce a customizable slice effect, packaged with free PSD templates and explicitly marketed as a manual, non-AI method.
13:46