Applying filters in Photopea is a straightforward process to enhance or modify your images. You can use filters to add artistic effects, sharpen details, blur areas, and much more.
Steps to Apply Filters
Using filters in Photopea follows a simple path through the application's menu system.
- Click Filters in the top menu: Locate the "Filters" option in the main menu bar at the top of the Photopea window.
- Choose the category of filters: Hovering over or clicking "Filters" will reveal a dropdown menu containing various filter categories, such as Blur, Sharpen, Stylize, Pixelate, and more. Select the category that contains the type of effect you want to apply.
- Choose a specific filter: Within the chosen category, a list of specific filters will appear. Click on the name of the filter you wish to use.
Many filters will open a dialog box where you can adjust parameters (like radius, intensity, threshold) before applying the effect. Others might apply the effect directly.
Layer Compatibility for Filters
It's important to note that filters (and Adjustments) in Photopea are designed to work with regular layers.
- Regular Layers: These are typically pixel-based image layers. Filters can be applied directly to these.
- Non-Regular Layers: These include layers like Text layers, Shape layers, and Pattern Fill layers. These layers are vector-based or procedurally generated and do not contain fixed pixel data in the same way regular layers do.
As stated in the reference, you can not blur the text layer or a pattern fill layer directly. To apply filters to these types of layers, you would need to rasterize them first.
What is Rasterization?
Rasterizing a layer converts its content into a pixel-based image. Once a text layer or shape layer is rasterized, it becomes a regular layer, and you can then apply filters to it. Keep in mind that rasterizing a layer makes it non-editable in its original form (e.g., you can no longer easily change the text content or shape points).
To rasterize a layer, right-click on the layer in the Layers panel and select "Rasterize".
Exploring Filter Categories
Photopea offers a wide array of filter categories to achieve different visual effects. Here are just a few common examples:
| Category | Description | Example Filters |
|---|---|---|
| Blur | Softens focus, reduces detail | Gaussian Blur, Motion Blur |
| Sharpen | Enhances edges, increases detail perception | Sharpen, Unsharp Mask |
| Stylize | Adds artistic or pronounced visual effects | Oil Paint, Emboss |
| Pixelate | Divides an image into blocks of color | Mosaic, Crystallize |
| Render | Creates patterns or elements | Clouds, Lens Flare |
By experimenting with different filters and their settings, you can significantly alter the appearance of your images or specific elements within them.
