Blend/De-Grain background of photo leaving middle object

[tocof]

Hello,

I am new to this forum and paint.net and am in TOTAL awe of the progam, the plugins, the art work produced etc.

Being a new user to this type of program, I have had a reasonably easy time finding my way around the program, but I am stumped now and need a little help.

I took a picture and would like to modify the background without affecting the object that the picture is focused on. My camera is an older 2.1 mega pixel and it leaves the background of the picture more grainy than I would like. I would like to 'smooth' the backgound, getting rid of the imperfection (dust) etc, without affecting the object of the photograph.

Is it possible for someone to give me some steps to follow, or even direct me to a tutorial in the forum or elsewhere (I looked but no luck). Thanks in advance.

[Sarkut]

If you can select the background area and leave the object unselected, then you can

use blur on the background to smooth it out.

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Link Removed.

The second and third stickyed tutorials here can help you with separating

out areas. Just don't proceed to the cutting out part, but use blur instead.

Be sure to make your outline on a separate transparent layer.

Edited April 8, 2010 by Sarkut

[tocof]

Sounds like a plan. Guess I would need to know how to select just the background without selecting the object in the picture.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Try the magic wand and tune the selection by adjusting the tolerance (%).