This tutorial will show you how to
use the various blur commands in Paint Shop Pro 9.0 to add interesting effects
to your images.
The Blur command can be used to
soften an entire image or only a selection of the image. Paint Shop Pro 9.0
offers six different blur commands: Average, Blur, Blur More, Gaussian Blur,
Motion Blur and Radial Blur.
To apply a blur effect, click the
layer on the Layer palette containing the area you want to blur. If you want to
limit the blur to a specific area, make a selection in the image. Choose Adjust
> Blur, then choose the effect you desire. (For the Blur and Blur More effects,
the effect is applied to the image or selection; for the Average, Gaussian and
Motion effects, a dialog box opens prompting you to enter a value.)
Average: This command removes noise
that occurs throughout an image by adjusting the intensity of each pixel to the
average intensity of the surrounding pixels. Following is an example of the
Average blur command.
The original photo:
The same photo with Average applied
with a Filter Aperture of 3:
The Blur and Blur More effects remove
noise by applying smooth transitions and decreasing the contrast in your image.
The Blur More effect applies the Blur effect with more intensity. Either effect
can be used to reduce graininess in your image.
The original photo:
Blur effect applied:
And Blur More effect applied:
The Gaussian Blur command blurs an
image by an adjustable amount. The effect blends a specific number of pixels
incrementally, following a bell-shaped curve. The blurring is dense in the
center and feathers at the edges.
The original photo:
A rectangle selection was made,
inverted and a Gaussian Blur command applied with a Radius value of 4:
The Motion Blur command blurs in a
particular direction (from 0 to 359 degrees) and at a particular strength (from
1 to 100). This effect can be used to simulate taking a picture of a moving
object using a fixed exposure time.
The original photo:
A rectangle selection was made on the
bottom portion of the photo and the Motion Blur effect applied with an Angle of
56 and a Strength of 34%:
The Radial Blur command can be used
to simulate spinning motion, zooming motion (as in the photographic effect of
zooming a lens during a slow exposure) and twirling motion.
The original photo:
The Spin Blur Type applied at 20%
Strength and centered over the seagull’s face:
The Zoom Blur Type applied at 50%
Strength and centered over the seagull’s face:
The Twirl Blur Type applied with 50%
Strength, 45 Twirl Degrees and centered over the seagull’s face:
As you can see, the Blur commands in
Paint Shop Pro 9.0 can be used in many different ways to achieve the special
effect you want. Have fun experimenting!
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