Sharpen part of an image

[MartinWales]

Hi,

I have an image of a plane against a hillside and need to sharpen just the plane. I understand that in PS, I'd just duplicate the layer, apply the sharpening to the whole of the duplicate layer using the Topaz plugin, then erase part of the original layer over the plane to expose the sharpened plane on the duplicate layer.

How do I do this in Affinity Photo?

TIA.

Martin.

[John Rostron]

When you duplicate a layer, the new layer, on top,  becomes the active layer.  So, if you apply your plugin it is applied to this layer. You then need to erase the sharpened non-plane part of the layer.

This is not the only way. You could make a selection of the plane, duplicate, and then sharpen the duplicated selection. There are other ways still.j

John

[MartinWales]

35 minutes ago, John Rostron said:

When you duplicate a layer, the new layer, on top,  becomes the active layer.  So, if you apply your plugin it is applied to this layer. You then need to erase the sharpened non-plane part of the layer.

This is not the only way. You could make a selection of the plane, duplicate, and then sharpen the duplicated selection. There are other ways still.j

John

Hi John, thanks for that.

As a total newbie I'm still not sure what I should be doing! 🤠

Which method would you recommend?

[John Rostron]

It really depends on how distinct your plane is against the background. Look at the videos for selecting an object from the background. Start by searching for "How to create perfect selections in Affinity Photo".

John

[IanSG]

You could use a live filter layer - sharpen the image without copying it and then erase the sharpening layer where you don't want it.  Alternatively, invert the sharpening layer and then use a white brush to apply the sharpening where you want it.

 

[walt.farrell]

7 minutes ago, IanSG said:

You could use a live filter layer - sharpen the image without copying it and then erase the sharpening layer where you don't want it.  Alternatively, invert the sharpening layer and then use a white brush to apply the sharpening where you want it.

 

Or make a pixel selection of the plane, and apply the filter while you have the selection. That will automatically mask its effects to the region of the selection.

[IanSG]

1 hour ago, walt.farrell said:

Or make a pixel selection of the plane, and apply the filter while you have the selection. That will automatically mask its effects to the region of the selection.

True, and probably better in this case, but I usualy like a "soft" border between sharpened and unsharpened areas.  I should probably learn how to feather selections!

[iconoclast]

To release the plane from the background, I would use a mask, because it allows non-destructive erasing. Everything you erase - with a mask, you use the paintbrush with the foreground color black for it - can be restored by painting with the foreground color white. And you can switch between foreground and background color by pressing the "X" key. You can also fill a selection with black on the mask to make the selected area transparent.

But it is important that the mask sublayer is highlighted when you want to paint on the mask to erase or restore. So have an eye on it.

[MartinWales]

On 2/11/2022 at 6:43 PM, walt.farrell said:

Or make a pixel selection of the plane, and apply the filter while you have the selection. That will automatically mask its effects to the region of the selection.

How do I do that? Total newbie! 🤠

[MartinWales]

On 2/11/2022 at 8:09 PM, iconoclast said:

To release the plane from the background, I would use a mask, because it allows non-destructive erasing. Everything you erase - with a mask, you use the paintbrush with the foreground color black for it - can be restored by painting with the foreground color white. And you can switch between foreground and background color by pressing the "X" key. You can also fill a selection with black on the mask to make the selected area transparent.

But it is important that the mask sublayer is highlighted when you want to paint on the mask to erase or restore. So have an eye on it.

How do I do that? Total newbie! 🤠

[walt.farrell]

Just now, MartinWales said:

How do I do that? Total newbie! 🤠

You could draw around it using the freehand selection tool (lasso), or using the selection brush.

[MartinWales]

33 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

You could draw around it using the freehand selection tool (lasso), or using the selection brush.

OK, that worked, but is there an easier way to select a whole plane, rather than using a freehand tool? It's a bit tedious using a trackpad!

[walt.farrell]

13 minutes ago, MartinWales said:

OK, that worked, but is there an easier way to select a whole plane, rather than using a freehand tool? It's a bit tedious using a trackpad!

Depending on the image, the Selection Brush might be easier. Or the Flood Select tool. Or some combination.

Or maybe you should get a mouse

[iconoclast]

Just now, MartinWales said:

OK, that worked, but is there an easier way to select a whole plane, rather than using a freehand tool? It's a bit tedious using a trackpad!

As Walt said, you could use the Selection Brush (the one with the brush symbol and a circle). If you draw with it on an object it will be selected. For its sensitivity, play with the brush size. Bigger brushes are more tolerant for what they include into the selection.

To use a Layer Mask, click on the Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel. You will get a Child Layer then, that represents the mask. This must be highlighted to work on the mask. The mask allows to make parts of a layer transparent by painting the parts that you want to have transparent with black color. But this parts will not be lost, not really erased. You can restore them by painting over this areas with white color. You can even do that without a selection, but selections help to make bigger areas transparent quicker, easier and cleaner. For that, select the object you want to release from the background (f.e. your plain), then create a mask and fill the selected background - on the mask! - with black color. If the result isn't really as clean as you want, you can refine it by painting pieces away or back whenever you want.