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Why doesn't the blur tool EVER work?


O

Oneiromancer

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Even though the strength of the blur tool has been set to 100%, the image mode is set to RGD, and I'm applying the blur tool to the right layer, it has no effect whatsoever. Can anyone help? Thanks in advance.
 
Try this...

First, make sure you are on the correct layer you are trying to blur.
Second, if you are on the correct layer, make sure nothing is selected; to make sure, do a command D.
Let me know if this helps.
 
Thanks. I hadn't selected anything, but I just found out the problem: actually, the blur tool works for me, but it only does so for very small features, so that the effect is virtually invisible. That doesn't solve the problem, though.

Is there any way of making it stronger? It's already on 100%, and its set on "normal" mode.

I want to use the blur tool like a tortillon or tissue in traditional drawing.
 
I have the exact same problem and I'm really surprised to see that I can't find a patch or fix anywhere.

I really don't know why the Photoshop Blur tool is so weak. I sometimes work with Zbrush and the blur tool while painting in that program has 10 to 50 times the strength that the Photoshop tool has. THAT is how it should be. Users shouldn't have to make a selection on the section of the picture that they want to blur on, add a feather on the selection and then use the Gausian Blur filter. That brutally lacks user-friendliness and efficiency. Adobe should rework the next Photoshop to have a much, much stronger blur tool. If the user wants to have a weaker blur with the tool to emulate what the current blur tool does, they would only need to put the tool strength at 10% or less. That way, those of us that want a stronger blur can get it and those of us that want the old type of blur can also have it.

Is there anybody that has some kind of patch or fix that they could share with us to allow us to strengthen the Blur tool effectiveness? It would be really appreciated.
 
Could it be that you are trying to blur the edge of a layer into the colour of another layer. In which case, you will need to select both layers at the same time, duplicate them, then merge the duplicated layers. Hope this helps!
 
Nope, the same thing happens if I use a picture that's on a single layer.
If i have a high rez picture of a random person, it's virtually impossible to change the face into an indistinguishable blur. This is an extreme example, but it's just to illustrate my point. More often, Ill be coloring in some shadows or highlights or something and I'll notice that the gradient between some colors might be too sharp. If I use the blur tool to soften the gradient, it'll take dozens and dozens of stroke to smooth out the gradient instead of what should be possible to do in a single or perhaps 2 strokes.
 
Though I would like to note that I actually only have Photoshop CS3 and not CS4. Perhaps CS4 has a stronger blur tool that I'm not aware of.
Let me know if it is.
 
you can set the blur tool to any strength you want Zbrush has "NOTHING OVER Ps.imo"
 
iDad

Find me a way to tweak my settings so that I can turn a line of text into an indistinguishable blur in a single brush stroke from the blur tool and I will love you forever.

By leaving the strength of the blur tool to 100% and by flattening some 72 pt text to the same layer as the background, even after two dozen strokes over the text with a brush thats largely bigger than the text height, you can still very easily see that it was text that was attempted to be blured

Now undo the blur stokes with the blur tool and apply a gaussian blur filter with 34 of radius. See how the text is now just a blob of color? THAT is how strong the blur tool should be at 100% strengh with a single stroke.

You said that you can get the blur tool to any strength. Can you do that?

If you can. Please share it cuz I'm sure that there are a lot of people that would love to know how to do this.
 
The blur tool has never given me a big blur either.
Copy your layer that you want the blur on. Use the Gausian or filter of your choice. Blur it until the desired part is blurred enough and maybe a little more. Say OK. Put a mask on that layer and invert it so it is black and it hides the blur. Now you can use a paint brush, hard or soft, your choice. Brush over the part you want blurred with white if you blur something you didn't want to blur, repaint that part with black. You can lower the opacity of the layer to lessen the effect also. You can also lower the opacity of the brush to sneak up on the amount you want.
 
I found that it was actually the picture itself that was causing this problem, i had the same thing happening to myself and it only occurred when i was working on specific picture. Preview the image and take a screen shot (print screen) then past it in paint then crop it, save, than open it in cs4 and everything should work fine.
 
It's not a CS3 issue, link2b. I'm running CS4 and the blur tool is no help whatsoever. I didn't think it was working at all initially then realised that it's effect was simply so slight as to be negligable. I've wasted a lot of time over this and would really appreciate any tips or decent workarounds.
 
Oronica - does this workaround maintain resolution? I'm working for print, not screen and need to maintain hi res.
 
Grab your brush and make a quickmask of what you want to blur, goto filter/blur/gaussian blur

This will give you a much more effective blur.
 
I have been struggling with the same question. One thing I found was that if you choose a very hard edged brush it has a much greater effect than a soft edge brush.
 
I'm with Scot 20015. If you need stronger blur, copy the layer, run gaussian blur at will, then mask away.
The blur tool was not made to erase facial features, but rather to soften edges, especially in masks.
It always behaved the same. But you could do a feature request on adobe.com to have a stronger effect, given the size the files we have nowadays.
The maximum brush size has evolved with time (it first increased to 600 px, then 2500 px, IIRC)
 
i use the blur tool all the time with different degrees (settings)
 
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