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Fast Blur Effect

****Apply blur effect to an image faster by using a scale factor to downscale, blur, then upscale back. Three controls: kernel size (blur radius), color multiplier (brightness), and scale factor (downscaling ratio). Trade slight quality loss for significant speed gains. Perfect for real-time workflows, batch processing, or when speed matters more than perfect quality

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What it does

Image Fast Blur applies Gaussian blur more efficiently by downscaling the image first, applying blur at lower resolution, then upscaling back to original size. This is much faster than full-resolution blur. Three controls: kernel size (blur radius at downscaled resolution), color multiplier (brightness adjustment), and scale factor (downscaling ratio). Lower scale factor = faster but lower quality. Higher scale factor = closer to full quality but slower. Ideal for speed-critical workflows.

Problem it solves

• Fast blur processing – Blur images quickly for real-time workflows
• Batch processing – Blur many images quickly
• Performance critical – When speed matters more than perfect quality
• Real-time effects – Apply blur without long processing waits
• Glow layer creation (fast) – Quick glow overlays for Image Add
• Privacy blur (fast) – Quickly blur faces for privacy
• Artistic effects (fast) – Fast artistic blur without waiting
• Speed/quality tradeoff – Controlled quality loss for significant speed gain

Input/Output

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• Input: Single image (any size)

  

• Output: Blurred image

  

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Configuration Options

• Kernel Size (Blur Radius): The size/radius of the Gaussian blur window.
  • Range: Typically 3 ~ 21 (3×3 to 21×21)
  • Effect: Larger kernel = softer, more blurred result
  • Note: Kernel is applied at downscaled resolution (scales with image)
  • Examples: 3 (3×3, subtle), 7 (7x7, medium), 13 (13×13, heavy)
• Color Multiplier (Brightness Adjustment): Multiplies the color brightness of the blur.
  • Range: Typically 0.5 to 2.0 (or higher)
  • Effect: Controls glow vs shadow intensity
  • Examples: 0.7 (dark), 1.0 (normal), 1.3 (bright glow)
  • Use cases: <1.0 for shadows, >1.0 for glow effects
• Scale Factor (Downscaling Ratio): How much to downscale before blurring
  • Range: Typically 0.1 to 1.0 (10% to 100%)
  • Effect: 0.25 (25%, 4× faster), 0.5 (50%, 2× faster), 1.0 (no scaling)
  • Effect on speed: Lower scale = faster, less quality loss
  • Effect on quality: Lower scale = slight quality loss, pixelated edges
  • Workflow: Downscale → Blur → Upscale back to original

How to Use