Abstract: Among other disclosures, a method includes associating an initial work area corresponding to a portion of graphical data with a graphical editing tool, receiving a request indicating a change in editing mode to use of the graphical editing tool, determining an active work area based on the initial work area associated with the graphical editing tool, and selecting the active work area, at least initially, for editing using the graphical editing tool.

Abstract: Dynamic motion path blur techniques are described. In one or more implementations, paths may be specified to constrain a motion blur effect to be applied to a single image. A variety of different techniques may be employed as part of the motion blur effects, including use of curved blur kernel shapes, use of a mesh representation of blur kernel parameter fields to support real time output of the motion blur effect to an image, use of flash effects, blur kernel positioning to support centered or directional blurring, tapered exposure modeling, and null paths.

Abstract: Dynamic motion path blur techniques are described. In one or more implementations, paths may be specified to constrain a motion blur effect to be applied to a single image. A variety of different techniques may be employed as part of the motion blur effects, including use of curved blur kernel shapes, use of a mesh representation of blur kernel parameter fields to support real time output of the motion blur effect to an image, use of flash effects, blur kernel positioning to support centered or directional blurring, tapered exposure modeling, and null paths.

Abstract: Dynamic motion path blur techniques are described. In one or more implementations, paths may be specified to constrain a motion blur effect to be applied to a single image. A variety of different techniques may be employed as part of the motion blur effects, including use of curved blur kernel shapes, use of a mesh representation of blur kernel parameter fields to support real time output of the motion blur effect to an image, use of flash effects, blur kernel positioning to support centered or directional blurring, tapered exposure modeling, and null paths.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and methods for processing digital images using multi-touch gestures are described. A multi-touch gestural input set which comprises a plurality of touch gestures may be applied to a display of an image. The gestural input set may include different gesture types, such as mobile and stationary gestures. Each gesture type may indicate a different image processing constraint that may be applied to modify the digital image. Stationary gestures may indicate constrained regions of the image that are not subject to modification. Mobile gestures may indicate regions of the image which may be subject to modification. Characteristics of the mobile gestures, such as velocity and/or pressure, may also indicate an amount by which an image may be modified over the region indicated by the mobile gesture. Image masks, which separate foreground and background regions of an image, may also be specified by the gestural input set.

Abstract: Blending techniques for curve fitting are described. In one or more implementations, an indication is received of three or more data points. A blending factor is computed based on a spatial relationship of the three or more data points to each other. A curve is fit to the three or more data points by blending a plurality or curve fitting techniques using the computed blending factor.

Abstract: Systems and methods for simulating liquid-on-lens effects may provide an interface through which users can add and/or manipulate fluids on a virtual camera lens. A physically based fluid simulation may simulate the behavior of the fluid as it is deposited on and/or manipulated on the virtual lens, and determine the distribution of the fluid across the lens. A ray tracing technique may be employed to determine how light is refracted through the virtual lens and the fluid, and to render a distorted output image as seen through the lens and the fluid. As the fluid is manipulated, corresponding changes in the image may be displayed in real time. The input image may be an existing single image or a direct camera feed (e.g., of a tablet type device). The user may select a fluid type and/or various fluid properties for the image editing operation.

Abstract: Natural language image tags are described. In one or more implementations, at least a portion of an image displayed by a display device is defined based on a gesture. The gesture is identified from one or more touch inputs detected using touchscreen functionality of the display device. Text received in a natural language input is located and used to tag the portion of the image using one or more items of the text received in the natural language input.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for simulating strobe effects with digital image content. In one embodiment, an image manipulation application can receive image content. The image manipulation application can generate blurred image content by applying a blurring operation to a portion of the received image content along a blur trajectory. The image manipulation application can sample pixels from multiple positions in the received image content along the blur trajectory. The image manipulation application can generate a simulated strobe images based on the sampled pixels and at least some of the blurred image content.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for specifying complex continuous gradients. A field blur tool may provide a user interface through which users may apply instances of a field blur pattern. The field blur tool allows the user to place one, two, or more pins over the image and to specify the blur amount (blur radius) at each field blur pin. A blur algorithm distributes the blur values for the one or more instances of the field blur pattern over the entire image, applying the blur according to the locations of the pin(s) and blur parameters at the pin(s). If the input indicates the location and the value for the blur radius of each of two or more instances of the field blur pattern, the two or more instances of the field blur pattern are combined in a blur mask by multiplying normalized radius fields of each of the instances.

Abstract: Parametric curve fitting using maximum curvature techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a parametric curve is fit to a segment of a plurality of data points that includes a first data point disposed between second and third data points by setting a point of maximum curvature for the segment of the curve at the first data point. A result of the fitting is output by the computing device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for simulating strobe effects with digital image content. In one embodiment, an image manipulation application can receive image content. The image manipulation application can generate blurred image content by applying a blurring operation to a portion of the received image content along a blur trajectory. The image manipulation application can sample pixels from multiple positions in the received image content along the blur trajectory. The image manipulation application can generate a simulated strobe images based on the sampled pixels and at least some of the blurred image content.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for simulating a sequence of discrete natural effects, each natural effect of the sequence being based on an initial natural effect, an immediately preceding natural effect, and a time interval since the immediately preceding natural effect. The initial effect is a two-dimensional simulated natural effect and wherein a last one of the second consecutive simulated natural effect is a three-dimensional simulated natural effect.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing simultaneous, non-destructive blur patterns in an interactive environment. A blur module may render physically-realistic, spatially-varying blurs in digital images while at the same time giving users the flexibility to produce creative blur effects. The blur module may provide different types of blur patterns, including field blur, iris blur, and tilt-shift blur, all of which are available in a given session. Each different blur pattern can be combined with one or more of the other blur patterns non-destructively. Each blur pattern has a corresponding on-canvas user interface element or elements that can be manipulated for a live preview. A bokeh technique may be provided to create bokeh effects in digital images by simulating bokeh in the resultant blurred image. A selection bleed technique may be provided that allows the user to control bleeding at the edges of selections for any of the blur patterns.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for creating bokeh effects in digital images. A bokeh technique is described that may provide double threshold image bokeh boosting. The bokeh effect may be controlled by a boost amount, an upper threshold value, and a lower threshold value. Colorfulness may be added to the bokeh effect applied to specular highlights according to a variable colorfulness value. A soft threshold may be implemented that results in most but not all energy of the boosting of the intensity falling between the upper and lower threshold values. The bokeh technique may achieve creative bokeh effects in digital images by simulating bokeh in the resultant blurred image. The bokeh technique may, for example, be used in combination with any of various blur patterns, and also may be used with combinations of two or more blur patterns.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling bleeding at the edges of a blur region or selection. A technique for aesthetically controlling the bleeding of blur introduced by blurring selections, referred to herein as a selection bleed technique, may enable continuous adjustment of the amount of bleeding of image blurs between a selected image region and its complement (the unselected region, e.g. the background). The selection bleed technique may allow selections to go from no-bleed to full-bleed and in between via a percentage indicated by one or more user interface elements, for example a slider.

Abstract: Natural language image spatial and tonal localization techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a natural language input is processed to determine spatial and tonal localization of one or more image editing operations specified by the natural language input. Performance is initiated of the one or more image editing operations on image data using the determined spatial and tonal localization.

Abstract: Natural language image tags are described. In one or more implementations, at least a portion of an image displayed by a display device is defined based on a gesture. The gesture is identified from one or more touch inputs detected using touchscreen functionality of the display device. Text received in a natural language input is located and used to tag the portion of the image using one or more items of the text received in the natural language input.

Abstract: Natural language vocabulary generation and usage techniques are described. In one or more implementations, one or more search results are mined for a domain to determine a frequency at which words occur in the one or more search results, respectively. A set of the words is selected based on the determined frequency. A sense is assigned to each of the selected set of the words that identifies a part-of-speech for a respective word. A vocabulary is then generated that includes the selected set of the words and a respective said sense, the vocabulary configured for use in natural language processing associated with the domain.

Abstract: Natural language and user interface control techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a natural language input is received that is indicative of an operation to be performed by one or more modules of a computing device. Responsive to determining that the operation is associated with a degree to which the operation is performable, a user interface control is output that is manipulable by a user to control the degree to which the operation is to be performed.