Ho to add a blur to a mask layer

[Aad Slingerland]

Greetings,

For some pictures I would like to add some blur (Gaussian blur in this case) to a mask so the effect of that mask is kind off softened. I followed various tutorials but now I am stuck on some 'strange'  effetc of the Gaussain blur.

The attached picture "demo_mask_with_blur_1.png" and the corresponding (partial) screen shot of the layers panel "demo_mask_with_blur_1_layers.jpg" show the situation just before a Gaussian blur Live filter layer has been applied. So far so good.

The attached picture "demo_mask_with_blur_2.png" and the corresponding (partial) screen shot of the layers panel "demo_mask_with_blur_2_layers.jpg" show the situation just after adding a Gaussian blur Live filter layer and pull it down as a child layer of the mas and setting the blur value to 20px.

The content of the picture is blurred, not the mask effect. What did I do wrong? Is this not the correct 'recipe' for my goal?

Hope to hear, Aad.

 

[Murfee]

8 minutes ago, Aad Slingerland said:

The content of the picture is blurred, not the mask effect. What did I do wrong? Is this not the correct 'recipe' for my goal?

Hi Aad, you need to drag the Gaussian Blur layer over the mask layer not the background

 

[Aad Slingerland]

Bummer!

The only weird thing I experienced now is that the Live filter layer wont let itself nest as a child layer of the Mask. I had to move the Mask layer to the top first and then pull the Gaussian Blur down as a child of it. For the total effect it makes no difference if I leave the Mask layer (with its child) on top of the stack or pull it down below the Background. Here are the results (with the blur way to overdone)

 

 

[Ron P.]

There's a much easier way to accomplish what you're doing using the Channels. Go to the Tutorials Section of the forums, scroll down to the Advanced section and you'll find links to Channels and Channels: Selections.

The Legacy Tutorials are still found in the Tutorials Section. Scroll down to the Channels Section, there are links to 6 tutorials explaining them.

• Channels
• Channels for Alpha Masking
• Channels for Creating/Storing Selections
• Editing Single Channels
• Channels Greyscale Blending
• Channel Packing

I provided links to the specific tutorials that I think should help you understand and use them. Once you learn them, you'll see how powerful they are in Affinity Photo.

[Aad Slingerland]

37 minutes ago, Ron P. said:

There's a much easier way to accomplish what you're doing using the Channels. Go to the Tutorials Section of the forums, scroll down to the Advanced section and you'll find links to Channels and Channels: Selections.

The Legacy Tutorials are still found in the Tutorials Section. Scroll down to the Channels Section, there are links to 6 tutorials explaining them.

• Channels
• Channels for Alpha Masking
• Channels for Creating/Storing Selections
• Editing Single Channels
• Channels Greyscale Blending
• Channel Packing

I provided links to the specific tutorials that I think should help you understand and use them. Once you learn them, you'll see how powerful they are in Affinity Photo.

Thanks Ron, I'll have a look at these tutorials....

[Ron P.]

Your Welcome 😀