I have made new python plug-in for GIMP3, named Spots removal mask maker. Last year, I posted an article named “How to fix many dust and scratch spots on film-scanned images at once with GIMP”.
I think the idea is not bad, however the editing process is a little complicated and is difficult to put into practice.
To make the process easier, I made this script. With it, you can skip complicated layer manipulation process. This is still a prototype version.
This script is useful for spot removal in relatively simple contexts, such as the sky or out-of-focus areas.
The steps are explained below:
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You can see many spots of dust in the original image.
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If you install this script, you can run it from [Layer] in menu.
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First, you select the channel image from which you make the spots removal mask. Choose the channel where scratches and dust are most clearly visible.
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Next, apply Gaussian blur to the selected channel image until the spots are no longer visible.
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If you check [View upper layer], you can view the mask image. You can also save the mask image as a separate TIFF file, which will be saved in the same directory as the original image.
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If you click OK, the script duplicates the original image layer and add the mask. After the process executed, the image will be “Show Layer masks” mode, and you can see the mask image.
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Paint the unnecessary area of the mask with black.
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Adjust the contrast of the mask with level tool to effectively remove the spots on the image. You may also apply Gaussian blur to the mask itself as needed.
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Editing is completed. Spots are removed effectively.
To make this plug-in, I used some of the code from “Frequency separation plug-in” made by @chuckhenrich. Many thanks to the author and anyone who offered advice.
Download Link