Pixlr Editor/Windows/Modification tools

The third section of the Tools palette (called the Modification tools) holds the ten tools available to modify and tweak the image. To be sure which tool you are selecting, you need only hover your pointer (i.e. arrow) above the icon and a text box will appear naming the tool.

Blur tool
Blur Tool R is on the eighth row to the left and looks like a tear drop. The Blur tool will blur the area you brush over with the pointer (a circle with a plus sign) over. It is more effective in images 1000 x 1333 pixels or lower resolution. I did not see much effect when using the Blur tool in a high resolution image (3000 x 4000 pixels).

The Blur tool option bar from left to right is Blur tool icon, Brush with drop down arrow, and Strength with drop down arrow. When you click on the Brush drop down arrow, it will bring up a window with a variety of brush options. Note at the bottom of the window: Diameter, the brush diameter in pixels; Spacing, a large spacing makes a series of dots; and Hardness, determines how sharp the edge of the brush strokes will be. A small number makes brush strokes with a graduated density to the center of the stroke from each side. Each item shows a number which can be modified instead of using slider below. Selecting a Hard tip will make for sharp edges to the brush strokes regardless of any Hardness setting. Selecting Scatter will make brush strokes appear as scattered dots. Selecting Diffuse will make the brush strokes appear diffuse not solid. Selecting "More" will give you access to additional brushes. Using the Strength's drop down arrow you can vary the amount of the adjustment from 0 no effect to 100 maximum effect.

Sharpen tool
Sharpen tool Y is on the eighth row to the right and looks like a arrow. The Sharpen tool will emphasize edges of the area you brush over with the pointer (a circle with a plus sign) over. The sharpening effect can be quite subtle. It will not correct blurred areas of an image.

The Sharpen tool option bar from left to right is Sharpen tool icon, Brush with drop down arrow, and Strength with drop down arrow. When you click on the Brush drop down arrow, it will bring up a window with a variety of brush options. Note at the bottom of the window: Diameter, the brush diameter in pixels; Spacing, a large spacing makes a series of dots; and Hardness, determines how sharp the edge of the brush strokes will be. A small number makes brush strokes with a graduated density to the center of the stroke from each side. Each item shows a number which can be modified instead of using slider below. Selecting a Hard tip will make for sharp edges to the brush strokes regardless of any Hardness setting. Selecting Scatter will make brush strokes appear as scattered dots. Selecting Diffuse will make the brush strokes appear diffuse not solid. Selecting "More" will give you access to additional brushes. Using the Strength's drop down arrow you can vary the amount of the adjustment from 0 no effect to 100 maximum effect.

Smudge tool
Smudge tool {{key press|U} is on the ninth row to the left and looks like a finger extending from a hand. The Sharpen tool will smear the area you brush over with the pointer (a circle with a plus sign).

The Smudge tool option bar from left to right is Smudge tool icon, Brush with drop down arrow, and Strength with drop down arrow. When you click on the Brush drop down arrow, it will bring up a window with a variety of brush options. Note at the bottom of the window: Diameter, the brush diameter in pixels; Spacing, a large spacing makes a series of dots; and Hardness, determines how sharp the edge of the brush strokes will be. A small number makes brush strokes with a graduated density to the center of the stroke from each side. Each item shows a number which can be modified instead of using slider below. Selecting a Hard tip will make for sharp edges to the brush strokes regardless of any Hardness setting. Selecting Scatter will make brush strokes appear as scattered dots. Selecting Diffuse will make the brush strokes appear diffuse not solid. Selecting "More" will give you access to additional brushes. Using the Strength's drop down arrow you can vary the amount of the adjustment from 0 no effect to 100 maximum effect.

Sponge tool
Sponge tool P is on the ninth row to the right and looks like a sponge. The Sponge tool will either increase or decrease the saturation of the area you brush over with the pointer (a circle with a plus sign).

The Sponge tool option bar from left to right is Sponge tool icon, Brush with drop down arrow, Mode with Saturate/Desaturate dropdown and Strength with drop down arrow. When you click on the Brush drop down arrow, it will bring up a window with a variety of brush options. Note at the bottom of the window: Diameter, the brush diameter in pixels; Spacing, a large spacing makes a series of dots; and Hardness, determines how sharp the edge of the brush strokes will be. A small number makes brush strokes with a graduated density to the center of the stroke from each side. Each item shows a number which can be modified instead of using slider below. Selecting a Hard tip will make for sharp edges to the brush strokes regardless of any Hardness setting. Selecting Scatter will make brush strokes appear as scattered dots. Selecting Diffuse will make the brush strokes appear diffuse not solid. Selecting "More" will give you access to additional brushes. Using the Mode drop down, you can select Saturate to increase color intensity or Desaturate to decrease color intensity to the point where it is black and white. Using the Strength's drop down arrow you can vary the amount the adjustment from 0 no effect to 100 maximum effect.

Dodge tool
Dodge tool O is on the tenth row to the left and looks like a microphone. The Dodge tool will decrease exposure (i.e. lighten) of the area you brush over with the pointer (a circle with a plus sign). The effect will vary depending on which range you select.

The Dodge tool option bar from left to right is Dodge tool icon, Brush with drop down arrow, Range with drop down arrow, and Exposure with drop down arrow. When you click on the Brush drop down arrow, it will bring up a window with a variety of brush options. Note at the bottom of the window: Diameter, the brush diameter in pixels; Spacing, a large spacing makes a series of dots; and Hardness, determines how sharp the edge of the brush strokes will be. A small number makes brush strokes with a graduated density to the center of the stroke from each side. Each item shows a number which can be modified instead of using slider below. Selecting a Hard tip will make for sharp edges to the brush strokes regardless of any Hardness setting. Selecting Scatter will make brush strokes appear as scattered dots. Selecting Diffuse will make the brush strokes appear diffuse not solid. Selecting "More" will give you access to additional brushes. Using the Range drop down, you can select Shadows, Midtones, or Highlights. When select Shadows and brush over an area in shadow the effect is more pronounced. The same goes for Midtones and Highlighted areas of the image. Using the Strength's drop down arrow you can vary the amount of the exposure adjustment from 0 no effect to 100 maximum effect.

Burn tool
Burn tool {{key press|N} is on the tenth row to the right and looks like a hand with the fingers together ready to pick up a small object. The Burn tool will increase exposure (i.e. darken) of the area you brush over with the pointer (a circle with a plus sign). The effect will vary depending on which range you select.

The Burn tool option bar from left to right is Burn tool icon, Brush with drop down arrow, Range with drop down arrow, and Exposure with drop down arrow. When you click on the Brush drop down arrow, it will bring up a window with a variety of brush options. Note at the bottom of the window: Diameter, the brush diameter in pixels; Spacing, a large spacing makes a series of dots; and Hardness, determines how sharp the edge of the brush strokes will be. A small number makes brush strokes with a graduated density to the center of the stroke from each side. Each item shows a number which can be modified instead of using slider below. Selecting a Hard tip will make for sharp edges to the brush strokes regardless of any Hardness setting. Selecting Scatter will make brush strokes appear as scattered dots. Selecting Diffuse will make the brush strokes appear diffuse not solid. Selecting "More" will give you access to additional brushes. Using the Range drop down, you can select Shadows, Midtones, or Highlights. When select Shadows and brush over an area in shadow the effect is more pronounced. The same goes for Midtones and Highlighted areas of the image. Using the Strength's drop down arrow you can vary the amount of the exposure adjustment from 0 no effect to 100 maximum effect.

Dodge and Burn are terms that originated when photos were developed from film and have carried over to digital photography. When photographers used to develop pictures they would mask or filter portions of light to photos for the desired effect. The more light (Burn) to the photo the darker it got and less light (Dodge), the lighter.

Red eye reduction tool
Red eye reduction tool is on the eleventh row to the left and looks like an eye. The Red eye reduction tool will replace the red in a red eye caused by camera flash with black. To modify the effect, create a duplicate layer, make the red reduction on the duplicate layer. Then adjust the opacity of the duplicate layer to produce a brown eyed effect and merge the layers.

The Red eye tool option bar from left to right is Burn tool icon, and Tolerance with drop down arrow. Using a high tolerance increases the area of the eye affected by the red eye adjustment. A low tolerance minimizes that area which is usually preferable.

Spot heal tool
Spot heal toolF is on the eleventh row to the right and looks like a strip bandage. The Spot heal tool will is to clear spots and other image flaws in a manner similar to the Clone tool. The difference is the Spot heal tool automatically samples the area adjacent to the spot to be removed. To use the Spot heal tool position the pointer (a circle with a plus sign in the center) over the spot and click or brush. Be aware some distortion may occur if you use a large point and there are objects close to the spot or flaw you attempting to clear/fix.

The Spot heal tool option bar from left to right is Spot heal tool icon, Size with drop down arrow, Type with Blend nearby and Generate pattern. The Size of the point goes from 10 to 200 pixels. Selecting the Blend nearby type, uses the immediately area of the spot to determine the correction. Selecting Generate pattern will work with the local texture to determine the correction.

Bloat tool
Bloat tool A is on the twelfth row to the left and looks like a square with a circle inside with 4 arrows. The Bloat tool expands a portion of the photo say for example you wish to make someone's nose bigger. To use place the pointer, a circle with a plus in the middle over the portion you wish to expand.

The Bloat tool option bar from left to right is Bloat tool icon, Size with drop down arrow, and Strength with dropdown arrow. The Size of the area affected goes from 4 to 400 pixels. Strength ranges from 0 to 100 with 100 being the maximum effect. Given the higher resolution on today's cameras and the 400 pixel area limit the bloat effect may be limited.

Pinch tool
Pinch tool KSpot heal toolF is on the twelfth row to the right and looks like a square whose sides arc inward as in being pinched. The Pinch tool has the opposite effect of the Bloat tool in that it contracts the portion of the image that is clicked on.

The Pinch tool option bar from left to right is Bloat tool icon, Size with drop down arrow, and Strength with dropdown arrow. The Size of the area affected goes from 4 to 400 pixels. Strength ranges from 0 to 100 with 100 being the maximum effect. Given the higher resolution on today's cameras and the 400 pixel area limit the bloat effect may be limited.