Buzz
In this article, Mytour will guide you on how to create a transparent 'blur' effect for an image in Photoshop. You can follow the instructions below for both the Windows and Mac versions of Photoshop.
Steps
Launch Photoshop. The app icon resembles a blue 'Ps' on a black background.
Open the image in Photoshop. This is the image you want to apply the 'blur' effect to. Here's how to open it:
- Click on File
- Select Open...
- Choose the image.
- Click Open...
Click on the 'Quick Selection' tool. This tool is represented by a paintbrush icon with a dotted line beside it. You can find this option in the toolbar on the left side of the screen.
- Alternatively, you can press the W key to activate the tool.
Select the entire image. Click on the image using the 'Quick Selection' tool, then press Ctrl+A (for Windows) or ⌘ Command+A (for Mac) to select the entire image. This ensures no part of the image is left out during the blurring process.
Click on the Layer tab. This tab is located at the top of the window. Clicking on it will reveal a dropdown menu.
Select New. This option is located at the top of the dropdown menu under the Layer tab.
Click on Layer Via Cut. This option is found in the dropdown menu of New. A 'Layers' window will appear in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
Select the main layer of the image. Click on the Layer 1 option in the 'Layers' window.
- If there is a layer named 'Background' or something similar below the main layer, first select this layer and press the Delete key.
Click on the 'Opacity' dropdown menu. This menu is located at the top-right corner of the 'Layers' window. A slider will appear.
Reduce the image's opacity. Click on the slider and drag it to the left to decrease the image's opacity, creating a blur effect.
- If the image becomes too transparent, you can drag the slider to the right to fine-tune the transparency.
Add another image if desired. If you want to blend the first image into another, follow these steps:
- Drag another image into the main Photoshop window and drop it there.
- Click on the image, then select Place when prompted.
- Click and drag the first image layer to the top of the 'Layers' menu.
- Adjust the opacity of the first image if needed.
Save your image. Click on File, choose Save, enter the name, save location, and file format, then press OK on the pop-up window. Your blurred image (or the entire set) will be saved to your preferred file location.
Tips
- Another popular blur option is Gaussian Blur, which can be applied by selecting the layer, clicking on the Filter menu, choosing Blur, and selecting Gaussian Blur from the dropdown menu. Adjust the Radius setting to your desired level of blur.
Warnings
- Any Photoshop operation often requires experimenting with different methods until the right one is found, as no two Photoshop projects are exactly the same.
