User Guide

CHAPTER 9
194
Applying Filters and Effects
Blur filters Soften a selection or an image. Blur
filters are useful for retouching. They smooth
transitions by averaging the pixels next to the hard
edges of defined lines and shaded areas in an
image. (See “Blur filters” on page 196.)
Note: To apply a Blur filter to the edges of a layer,
be sure to unlock the transparency in the Layers
palette. (See “Locking layers” on page 178.)
Brush Stroke filters Like the Artistic filters, the
Brush Stroke filters give a painterly or fine-arts
look using different brush and ink stroke effects.
Some of the filters add grain, paint, noise, edge
detail, or texture to an image for a pointillist effect.
(See “Brush Stroke filters” on page 197.)
Distort filters Geometrically distort an image,
creating reshaping effects. Note that these filters
can be very memory intensive. (See “Distort
filters” on page 197.)
Noise filters Add or remove noise, or pixels with
randomly distributed color levels. This helps to
blend a selection into the surrounding pixels.
Noise filters can create unusual textures or remove
problem areas, such as dust and scratches, from an
image. The Add Noise filter can be used to reduce
banding in feathered selections or graduated fills
or to give a more realistic look to heavily retouched
areas. (See “Noise filter” on page 199.)
Pixelate filters Sharply define a selection by
clumping pixels of similar color values in cells.
(See “Pixelate filters” on page 200.)
Render filters Create 3D shapes, cloud patterns,
refraction patterns, and simulated light reflections
in an image. You can also manipulate objects in 3D
space, create 3D objects (cubes, spheres, and
cylinders), and create texture fills from grayscale
files to produce 3D-like effects for lighting. (See
“Render filters” on page 201.)
When using the Clouds filter, generate
a more stark cloud pattern by holding down
Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) as you choose
Filter > Render > Clouds.
Sharpen filters Focus blurry images by increasing
the contrast of adjacent pixels. They include the
Sharpen Edges and Unsharp Mask filters, which
find and sharpen areas where significant color
changes occur (such as the edges). The Unsharp
Mask filter is commonly used for high-end color
correction. (See “Sharpen filters” on page 202.)
Sketch filters Add texture to images, often for a
3D effect. The filters also are useful for creating a
fine-arts or hand-drawn look. Many of the Sketch
filters use the foreground and background color as
they redraw the image. (See “Sketch filters” on
page 202.)
For a truer effect, change the foreground color
to one of the common Conté Crayon colors
(black, sepia, sanguine) before applying the filter.
Stylize filters Produce a painted or impression-
istic effect on a selection by displacing pixels and
by finding and heightening contrast in an image.
After using filters such as Find Edges and Trace
Contour that highlight edges, you can apply the