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Thor1151
Participant
February 17, 2026
Open for Voting

A blur tool that allows you to anchor one end of a path, then move the path that smudges the area you move over.

  • February 17, 2026
  • 2 replies
  • 7 views

I routinely need to blur things that need to appear to rotate - think propellers or fan blades.  I find it difficult to maintain the correct radius specifically with objects that may be painted as different colors leave their own colored trails in the smudge.  To have a Smudge tool that you can anchor on one end, and then move or rotate the far end that keeps the proper radius of everything between the points.  Perhaps you could even add points along the path (like illustrator) which you could also move, leaving other points in place, and smudge those moving points.

    2 replies

    Semaphoric
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    February 17, 2026

    Would this be something you would drag around with the cursor, similar to the Gradient tool interface, or something you set up and then click OK?

    Thor1151
    Thor1151Author
    Participant
    February 17, 2026

    I think so...So long as you can anchor one end of it, then grab the other end and drag it.  It would have the same functions as the normal cursor, but would maintain a line you establish before you dragging the non-anchored end of it.  I guess it would be like a wide putty knife...hold one end stationary and rotate around that point….the other end would smear in that radius….so the very end smears more than the anchored point.

    Genius
    February 17, 2026

    Radial blur maybe?

    Thor1151
    Thor1151Author
    Participant
    February 17, 2026

    I’ve tried that but (unless I’m missing it) it rotates the entire thing….I just need one end to rotate.  I I have used that feature by duplicating the layer, putting a rotational blur to it, then coming back and erasing one edge so that the trailing edge is blurred...then placing the initial image back over the top…..but I can’t quite get the desired result out of that.