To achieve a pixel blur (also known as mosaic or block blur) in Photoshop, you primarily use the Pixelate filter, not the Blur filter. Here's how:
1. Select the Area to Blur:
- Use a selection tool (like the Rectangular Marquee Tool, Lasso Tool, or Quick Selection Tool) to select the specific area of your image where you want to apply the pixel blur effect. If you want to blur the entire image, skip this step.
2. Apply the Pixelate Filter:
- From the top menu, navigate to Filter > Pixelate > Mosaic.
3. Adjust the Cell Size:
- The Mosaic filter dialog box will appear. Here, you'll control the intensity of the pixel blur.
- Adjust the "Cell Size" slider or enter a specific value in pixels. A larger cell size creates larger, more noticeable pixels, resulting in a stronger blur effect. Smaller cell sizes create smaller pixels and a less intense blur.
4. Confirm the Changes:
- Click OK to apply the pixel blur effect to the selected area.
Summary of Steps:
- Select Area: Select the portion of the image to blur.
- Access Mosaic Filter: Go to Filter > Pixelate > Mosaic.
- Adjust Cell Size: Set the desired cell size (pixel size).
- Apply: Click OK.
Example Scenario:
Let's say you want to blur out someone's face in a photo for privacy reasons. You would:
- Use the Lasso Tool to carefully select the face.
- Go to Filter > Pixelate > Mosaic.
- Experiment with the cell size until the face is sufficiently blurred/pixelated to obscure their identity. A cell size of 10-20 pixels is usually a good starting point.
- Click OK.
The "Mosaic" filter is the standard way to achieve the effect of showing distinct pixels in Photoshop. Other methods, like blurring and then posterizing, might give you related effects but won't create the distinct pixelated look directly. The Blur filters (e.g., Gaussian Blur, Motion Blur) instead smooth out the image, rather than creating discrete pixels.
