Right-click on the layer name and choose Duplicate Layer, or press Shift + Ctrl + D (use Shift + Command + D on macOS). Open up GIMP and the image you want to blur, then find the Layers palette down in the bottom right of the interface. Let’s explore the process in a bit more detail so you can see how it works. Thanks to the layer mask, it’s possible to create some really cool effects fairly easily using gradients and a bit of mask editing. Then we’ll apply a Gaussian Blur that layer, and combine it with a layer mask so we can control where we see the blurred image and where we see the untouched sharp image. To use the Gaussian Blur layer method, we’ll need to create a copy of your existing image on a new layer. Once you get used to the process, it can be faster than brushing, undoing, and rebrushing with the Blur Tool. Step 2 Click on the Image Effects & Filters tool on the top left toolbar. Step 1 Select an image in PNG or JPG format and upload it in the editor, or drag and drop it directly in it. It’s a bit more work, but you get a much greater degree of control over the final results. Blur the background to make the subject of your image sharp and put it in focus, removing unnecessary elements by fading them off and smoothening the visual noise. In case you haven’t guessed, this is the method that I recommend for most situations. It also allows you to maintain a consistent blur level, so you don’t have to worry about overlapping your Blur Tool strokes and creating patchy inconsistent blur amounts in different areas of your image. If you’re working on a high-resolution image and a large brush, you’ll probably notice immediately input lag as GIMP struggles to keep up with the movement of your cursor, which can be frustrating to work through.įor larger images, the layer method is much more effective.

Then you simply need to brush over the areas that you want to blur. Tweak your brush size, make sure the Convolve Type is set to Blur, and adjust the Rate setting at the bottom to determine how quickly/strongly the blur effect is applied by the tool. At this point, the process basically explains itself.

Blur background of photo