Gaussian Blur
Blur
Soften the whole layer evenly.
The standard blur. Every pixel becomes a weighted average of its neighbours, with the weights falling off on a bell curve — which is what makes it look smooth rather than boxy.
When to reach for it#
- Depth of field — blurring background layers so the subject reads as in focus.
- Softening a harsh element.
- Animating a focus pull, by keyframing the radius.
Parameters#
Blur strength in pixels. Cost grows with radius, and a very large radius on a full-canvas layer is one of the slower things in the stack.
Whether the blur samples transparent pixels beyond the layer edge. Sampling them pulls the edge toward transparent, which reads as a fade; clamping keeps the edge solid.
Things that catch people out#
Blurring shrinks apparent size
A blurred layer's visual weight moves inward. When blurring a background copy behind a sharp original, scale the blurred copy up slightly to compensate.
See also#
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