PS DarkRoom Suite for PixInsight
The PS DarkRoom Suite for PixInsight is a bundle of PixInsight processes that add classic compositing tools to PixInsight:
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| LayerBlender Full-featured layers engine for PixInsight |
DynamicLasso A flexible lasso and magic-wand tool for PixInsight |
DynamicPaintbrush A simple but effective paintbrush for PixInsight |
SpotHealing Freehand artifact remover for PixInsight |
Ever wanted to have layers in PixInsight, the way Photoshop or GIMP do, and maybe better? Welcome to LayerBlender!
LayerBlender is a multi-functional PixInsight process module that brings image layer compositing to our astrophotography workflow in a bit way. If we have ever wished we could stack images in a layer-based editor without leaving PixInsight, this is exactly what LayerBlender is for.
LayerBlender lets us build a stack of images, each on its own layer, and blend them together using a rich set of blend modes, per-layer opacity, and masks. We can work non-destructively, tweak blend parameters, and blend the result at any time.
LayerBlender also goes well beyond simple blending. We are not limited to predefined blending modes like Lighten, Color or Hard Light. We can write our own PixelMath expressions as blend formulas for any layer, and we can also apply any installed PixInsight process to the layers below as a process layer – similar to what other programs call adjustment layers – where any layer can be a PixInsight process (from HistogramTransformation, to MultiscaleGradientCorrection, MorphologicalTransformation and dozens of other processes) that adjusts the images below, turning LayerBlender into a flexible, non-destructive processing pipeline right inside the compositor.
Another great feature is that at any time we can save our entire stack of images with their masks, blending modes or formulas, and even independent process layers, as a single XISF file that when we later open within LayerBlender, it will bring our stack back right where it was, including images, masks, blending modes, formulas, and process layers. And more!!
A lifetime LayerBlender license costs $39.99. Save by acquiring the whole Suite.
DynamicLasso is a dynamic PixInsight process module for building grayscale masks by drawing regions directly on an image. Instead of relying on pixel value ranges or star detection, we trace the areas we want by hand — freehand, as a rectangle, an ellipse, a polygon, or by using the magic wand — and DynamicLasso turns those regions into a standard mask image we can apply to any view.
Each region we draw is a discrete, editable step. We can keep adding regions, subtract from what we have, soften the edges with feathering, grow or shrink the selection with contract/expand, and invert the whole result. Every action is recorded in a history, and we can undo and redo freely, modify feathering and other properties of each drawn region. The complete selection is serialized into the process instance — so it can be saved, dragged to a process icon, and re-applied later.
A lifetime DynamicLasso license costs $9.99. Save by acquiring the whole Suite.
DynamicPaintbrush is a PixInsight dynamic process that allows us to define a custom brush and use it to paint over any view (opened image) in PixInsight.
Since directly painting over an astroimage is not typically needed, the DynamicPaintbrush tool was designed to paint on images that we’d be using as masks. For that reason, this implementation only paints in black, white and any level of opacity. We can also define the brush size and softness – from 100% hard edges to nice and smooth, blurry brushes.
A lifetime DynamicPaintbrush license costs $6.99. Save by acquiring the whole Suite.
Get your PS DarkRoom Suite license
This is a lifetime license (pay once, use forever) that also allows you to install all the PS DarkRoom Suite processes on any machine, regardless of operating system (the license is valid for any and all platforms) or number of installations. Also, free upgrades within the major version of all processes. When you click on the “Buy PS DarkRoom Suite” button, you’ll be redirected to PayPal.