Blurring Backgrounds In Paint Shop Pro X7: A Step-By-Step Guide

how to blur background on paint shop pro x7

PaintShop Pro is a photo editing software that allows users to apply a blurring effect to their images. This can be used to soften a selection or an image, retouch a photo, or remove noise in an image. The blur commands smooth transitions and decrease contrast by averaging pixels near the edges and near areas of significant colour transitions. Users can also adjust the strength of the blurring effect, with values ranging from 1 to 100%. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to blur the background of an image using PaintShop Pro X7.

Characteristics Values
Purpose To soften a selection or an image, to retouch a photo, or to remove noise in an image
How to apply blur Choose Adjust > Blur > Average. The Average dialog box appears. Type or set a value in the Filter aperture control. Values range from 3 to 31 in odd-numbered increments. The higher the value, the greater the blur. Click OK. Choose Adjust > Blur > Blur. To double the effect, choose the command again. Choose Adjust > Blur > Blur More. To double the effect, choose the command again.
How to adjust angle Drag the angle dial, or type or set a value in the control, to set an angle from which the blurring is applied
How to adjust strength Type or set a value in the Strength control. Values range from 1 to 100%. Lower values lessen the effect; higher values intensify the effect
How to adjust blur type Spin, Twirl, Radial Blur
How to adjust horizontal and vertical offset Type or set a value in the following controls: Horizontal offset %, Vertical offset %
How to adjust protect center % Type or set a value to determine how much to diminish blurring at the image center. Higher values increase the radius of the unblurred center area

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-blur->-average'-command'>Use the 'Adjust > Blur > Average' command

Paint Shop Pro X7 offers a range of tools to blur the background of your images. One of the ways to do this is by using the Adjust > Blur > Average command.

To start, open your image in Paint Shop Pro X7. Then, navigate to the "Adjust" menu and select "Blur". From the submenu, choose "Average". This will open the Average dialog box, where you can adjust the blur settings.

In the dialog box, you'll find the "Filter aperture control" setting. This setting allows you to control the intensity of the blur effect. The values for this setting range from 3 to 31, with odd-numbered increments. The higher the value you choose, the stronger the blur effect will be. For instance, if you input 3, you will get a mild blur, whereas 31 will result in a very intense blur.

Once you've decided on the value and entered it, click "OK" to apply the changes. After this, you can further enhance the blur effect by repeating the "Adjust > Blur > Average" command. This will double the blur intensity.

The "Average" command works by averaging the pixels near the edges and areas of significant colour transitions. This smooths transitions and decreases the contrast, creating a blurred effect. You can apply this command multiple times to increase the blur as needed.

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Set the angle of blurring

To set the angle of blurring in PaintShop Pro X7, follow these steps:

  • Go to the Adjust menu and select "Blur."
  • Choose the type of blur you want to apply, such as Radial Blur, Average, or Gaussian Blur.
  • In the "Angle" group box, you will find the angle dial. Drag the dial or type/set a value in the control to adjust the angle of blurring.
  • The angle you set determines the direction of the blurring effect. For example, you can blur pixels circularly around the image centre (Spin) or in a spiralling manner (Twirl).
  • After setting the angle, you can further customise the blurring effect by adjusting the "Strength" control. Values range from 1 to 100%. Lower values reduce the effect, while higher values make it more pronounced.
  • If you need to adjust the radius of the blur to fit your image, mark the "Elliptical" checkbox. This option is particularly useful for rectangular images, creating elliptical blurring.

By following these steps and adjusting the angle and related settings, you can control the direction and intensity of the blurring effect in PaintShop Pro X7 to achieve the desired result.

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Choose the blur type

To choose the blur type in Paint Shop Pro X7, you need to first select Adjust > Blur > Radial Blur. This will open the Radial Blur dialog box. Here, you can choose from the following blur types:

  • Spin: This option blurs pixels circularly around the image centre.
  • Twirl: This option blurs pixels in a spiralling manner. You can adjust the degree of twirl by typing or selecting a value in the Twirl degrees control.

The Spin and Twirl blur types can be further customised using the following controls:

  • Strength Control: This determines the intensity of the blur effect. Values range from 1 to 100%. Lower values will reduce the effect, while higher values will intensify it.
  • Elliptical Checkbox: Marking this checkbox will produce elliptical blurring on rectangular images. It has no effect on square images. If the checkbox is left unmarked, circular blurring is produced.

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Adjust the strength of the blur

To adjust the strength of the blur in PaintShop Pro X7, you can follow these steps:

  • Go to Adjust > Blur > Radial Blur.
  • In the Blur Type group box, choose one of the following options: Spin for circular blurring around the image centre or Twirl for a spiral blurring effect.
  • Set the degree of the twirl by inputting a value in the Twirl degrees control.
  • In the Blur group box, adjust the strength of the blur effect. Values range from 1 to 100%. Lower values will reduce the blur effect, while higher values will increase it.
  • If needed, mark the Elliptical checkbox to squeeze the radius to fit the image. This will produce elliptical blurring on rectangular images and have no impact on square images.
  • In the Center group box, you can further adjust the blur effect on the centre of the image:
  • Horizontal offset %: Set the horizontal centre point of the blur.
  • Vertical offset %: Set the vertical centre point of the blur.
  • Protect centre %: Determine how much to diminish blurring at the image centre. Higher values will increase the radius of the unblurred centre area.

By adjusting these settings, you can control the strength and impact of the blur effect on your image in PaintShop Pro X7.

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-blur->-radial-blur'-command'>Use the 'Adjust > Blur > Radial Blur' command

To blur the background of an image in Paint Shop Pro X7, you can use the Adjust > Blur > Radial Blur command. This command is accessible through the "Adjust" menu in the software. Once you have selected "Radial Blur," a dialog box will appear, providing you with various options to adjust your blur effect.

In the Radial Blur dialog box, you will find the Angle group box. Here, you can use the angle dial to set the angle from which the blurring effect will be applied. You can also type or set a value in the control box. The values range from 1 to 100%. Lower values will result in a subtle blur effect, while higher values will create a more intense blur.

Additionally, you can adjust the blur transition between the foreground and background using the Feather edge setting. This setting allows you to control how smoothly the blur blends into the surrounding area. Adjusting this setting can help create a more natural-looking blur effect.

You can also use the Focus range slider to adjust the amount of focus on the background. This setting determines how much of the background remains in focus relative to the foreground. Play around with different settings until you achieve the desired result.

Remember that you can apply any of the Blur commands multiple times to the same image to increase the blurring effect. This can be useful if you want to create a more pronounced blur or soften transitions further.

Frequently asked questions

To blur the background of an image, you need to first select the background. Then, go to Adjust > Blur > Average. From there, you can adjust the blur strength.

In the Blur group box, type or set a value in the Strength control. Values range from 1 to 100%. Lower values will lessen the effect, while higher values will intensify it.

In the Angle group box, drag the angle dial or type/set a value in the control to set an angle from which the blurring is applied.

Yes, you can apply blur to a selection, a layer, or an entire image.

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