How to apply a solarize effect to an image?

Select your file and set the threshold value — pixels above the threshold are inverted, creating a partial negative look.

What is the solarize effect?

It inverts pixel values above a set threshold, creating a partial negative where bright areas take on an otherworldly, reversed appearance.

What's the difference between solarize and color invert?

Color Invert flips all pixel values; Solarize only inverts values above the threshold, leaving dark areas unchanged.

Is this tool free to use?

Yes — completely free, no account needed. Your images are processed entirely in your browser and never uploaded to a server. Downloads have no watermarks.

BrushCue Tool

Solarize Image Online

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What you can expect

Apply a stunning solarize effect to your images online for free. Our tool inverts colors above a brightness threshold, producing eye-catching, high-contrast photos with a surreal look. Enjoy fast processing, adjustable settings, and secure browser-based editing with no uploads stored.

Related tools

More BrushCue tools that fit this workflow.

See all tools →

Color Invert

Invert Image Colors is a simple online tool that instantly reverses all colors in an image, creating a negative effect. Upload an image to invert light and dark values directly in your browser—no downloads required.

Lightness Threshold

Applies a threshold to the OkLab L (lightness) component, analogous to how Color Threshold operates on individual RGB channels. This tool converts continuous tonal values into hard transitions, producing a stark, high-contrast, etching-like effect that emphasizes form and structure.

Color Threshold

This tool compares the linear R, G and B components of an image. If any item is below the threshold, it returns black. Otherwise, it returns white. Useful in computer vision tasks and stylistic effects.

Contrast Adjust

Use this tool to increase or decrease the contrast in your images. Values greater than 0 increase the contrast. Values less than 0 decrease the contrast.

High Contrast Grayscale

This tool applies a S-Curve to the grayscale of an image. Doing so, increasing the contrast between the light and dark areas and giving a more stark grayscale effect.

Frequently asked questions

How to apply a solarize effect to an image?: Select your file and set the threshold value — pixels above the threshold are inverted, creating a partial negative look.
What is the solarize effect?: It inverts pixel values above a set threshold, creating a partial negative where bright areas take on an otherworldly, reversed appearance.
What's the difference between solarize and color invert?: Color Invert flips all pixel values; Solarize only inverts values above the threshold, leaving dark areas unchanged.
Is this tool free to use?: Yes — completely free, no account needed. Your images are processed entirely in your browser and never uploaded to a server. Downloads have no watermarks.

For developers

Use Solarize from Python

Open the Jupyter notebook example to see how to run this tool from the BrushCue Python API, inspect the processing steps, and adapt the workflow for scripts or batch image jobs.

View Python notebook

Build your own

Solarize Image Online

What you can expect

Frequently asked questions

Use Solarize from Python

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