Corel PHOTO-PAINT Help | Bokeh Blur effect

Bokeh Blur effect

The Bokeh Blur effect lets you control the amount of blur applied to the outside of an editable area and adjust the transition between the area in focus and the blurred area. You can also choose between circular and hexagonal aperture shapes. The aperture shape can affect light patterns that appear in the out-of-focus areas. This effect is most noticeable in small pinpoints of light on a dark background. For example, it can be used to simulate the way a camera lens handles lights that are out of focus.

This effect can also be used effectively in combination with the Planar mask tool. For more information, see Editable areas defined by using the Planar Mask tool.

The Bokeh blur effect has been used to define an area of focus in the middle, leaving the rest of the photo out of focus.

To apply the Bokeh Blur effect

1 Using a mask tool, select the area of the image that you want to keep in focus.

2 Click Effects

Blur

Bokeh blur.

This applies the effect destructively. To apply the effect non-destructively, click Window

Dockers

Effects, then click the Add effect button

, and choose Blur

Bokeh blur.

3 Perform a task from the following table.

To	Do the following
Invert the selected area	Enable the Invert mask check box.
Adjust the amount of blur in the area that is out of focus	Move the Blur amount slider. Moving the slider to the right increases the blur; moving the slider to the left decreases the blur.
Specify the aperture shape for the blurred area	Enable one of the following options in the Aperture shape area: • Circular • Hexagonal
Adjust the transition between the area in focus and the blurred area	Move the Feather edge slider. Moving the slider to the right increases the feathering; moving the slider to the left decreases the feathering.
Fine-tune the size of the area in focus	Move the Focus range slider to the left to shrink the area in focus, or move the slider to the right to expand the area in focus to the edge of the selection.

Make your selection slightly larger than the area you want to keep in focus, and then fine-tune the edge of the selection by using the Focus range slider.