JP3492151B2 - Image sharpness processing method and apparatus, and storage medium storing program - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image sharpness processing method for emphasizing or conversely reducing the gradation change of an outline portion of an original image in a plate making process, etc. Regarding the medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The principle of sharpness processing will be described with reference to FIG. First, it is assumed that the image signal (original signal) S of the original image is as shown in FIG. Pixels of interest are sequentially set in the original image, and an average signal of each pixel in a region of, for example, 5 × 5 pixels is obtained centering on each pixel of interest. This is Fig. 9 (b)
Is the unsharp signal U. Next, the unsharp signal U is subtracted from the original signal S to obtain an unsharp mask signal (S-U) as shown in FIG. 9C. When this unsharp mask signal (S-U) is added to the original image S, a signal in which the contour portion is emphasized is obtained as shown in FIG. 9 (d). At this time, the unsharp mask signal (SU) is multiplied by the parameter k to adjust the processing intensity. When the value of the parameter k is k> 0, an image with sharpness enhancement is obtained. On the other hand, the value of the parameter k is -1 <k
If <0, an image located in the middle of FIGS. 9A and 9B, that is, an image subjected to blurring processing is obtained. Conventionally,
Such sharpness processing is usually performed with a uniform intensity on the entire original image.

[0003]

However, if the sharpness processing is applied to the entire original image with uniform intensity, the following problems occur. When an image of a distant object such as a landscape is taken by a camera, for example, a foreground region where the lens is focused has a sharp outline, and a distant view region is blurred. In this way, the degree of blurring of the image changes depending on the perspective of the subject, so that an image with a sense of perspective is often obtained. However, if the sharpness is evenly emphasized over the entire image of an original image obtained by shooting a subject in the distance, the contours of not only the foreground region but also the foreground region will appear clearly, which gives a sense of perspective of the original image. The problem of being damaged arises.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a sharpness processing method capable of effectively expressing perspective and stereoscopic effect of an image, its apparatus, and a storage medium recording a program. Is intended to provide.

[0005]

The present invention has the following constitution in order to achieve such an object. That is, the invention according to claim 1 is an image sharpness processing method for emphasizing or conversely reducing the gradation change of the contour portion of the original image, and at least the strength of the sharpness processing should be gradually changed. A processing direction designating process of designating a direction on the original image displayed on the display screen, and sharpening processing of each pixel in the original image so that the strength of the sharpness processing gradually changes in the designated sharpness processing direction. And an intensity derivation process for obtaining the intensity of the image and a process for performing sharpness processing on the original image according to the obtained intensity of the sharpness process for each pixel.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the method according to the first aspect, in the process direction designating step, along with a direction in which the strength of the sharpness process should be gradually changed,
Specify the area on the original image to be sharpened.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the method according to the second aspect, in the process of designating the processing direction, at least two arbitrary points are designated on the original image displayed on the display screen. The direction of the vector connecting the two points specifies the direction in which the strength of the sharpness processing should be gradually changed, and the sharpness processing range is defined by dividing the original image by virtual lines orthogonal to the vector at both ends of the vector. In the intensity deriving process, the intensity of sharpness processing is uniformly increased for one end region of the original image that is out of the intermediate region sandwiched between the virtual lines, and the original image is out of the intermediate region. The strength of the sharpness processing is uniformly weakened to the other end area of the same, and the sharpness processing strength of the one end area is set to the intermediate area. Over sharpening the intensity of the other end region from obtaining the intensity of the sharpness processing for each pixel such that the intensity of the sharpness processing in the direction gradually changes in the vector.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image sharpness processing device for emphasizing or conversely reducing the gradation change in the contour portion of the original image, wherein the image data of each pixel of the original image is processed. Original image data storage means for storing, image display means for displaying an image, and an original image read from the original image data storage means are displayed on the image display means, and at least a direction in which the strength of sharpness processing should be gradually changed Processing direction designating means for designating on the original image displayed on the image display means, and sharpness processing of each pixel in the original image so that the strength of the sharpness processing gradually changes in the designated sharpness processing direction. Intensity deriving means for obtaining the intensity of the original image, and processing means for sharpening the original image according to the obtained intensity of the sharpness processing for each pixel. And it said that there were pictures.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to the fourth aspect, the processing direction designating means designates at least two arbitrary points on the original image displayed on the image display means. The intensity deriving means divides the original image by virtual lines orthogonal to the vector at both ends of the vector connecting the two points, and one of the original images deviated from the intermediate region sandwiched by the two virtual lines. Of the edge region of the sharpening process is uniformly increased, the intensity of the sharpness process is uniformly decreased for the other end region of the original image deviated from the intermediate region, and the intermediate region is From the sharpness processing strength of one end region to the sharpness processing strength of the other end region, the sharpness processing strength gradually increases in the vector direction. Determining the intensity of the sharpness processing of the pixels to vary.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium in which a program for causing a computer to execute image sharpness processing for emphasizing a gradation change in an outline portion of an original image and conversely reducing the gradation change is provided. There is at least a direction in which the strength of sharpness processing should be gradually changed,
The process of specifying the processing direction on the original image displayed on the display screen, and the strength of the sharpness processing of each pixel in the original image is changed so that the strength of the sharpness processing gradually changes in the specified sharpness processing direction. It is characterized in that a program for causing a computer to execute the required intensity deriving process and the process of performing the sharpness processing of the original image according to the obtained intensity of the sharpness processing of each pixel is recorded.

[0011]

The operation of the invention described in claim 1 is as follows. For example, an original image obtained by photographing a subject at a distance is displayed on the display screen. The direction in which the strength of the sharpness processing should be gradually changed is specified on the original image so as to match the direction (distance direction) connecting the distant view and the near view in the original image. The strength of the sharpness processing of each pixel in the original image is obtained so that the strength of the sharpness processing gradually changes in that direction. For example, a sharpness processing parameter that gradually reduces sharpness from a near view to a distant view in the original image is required. When sharpness processing is applied to the original image under these processing conditions, the contours of the foreground in the original image become sharper and blurry images are obtained as the image becomes more distant and the perspective and stereoscopic effect of the image are effective. Is expressed as

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the most appropriate range in which the sharpness processing should be performed is specified on the original image in both the direction in which the strength of the sharpness processing should be gradually changed, and thus the perspective of the image and the The three-dimensional effect is more effectively expressed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the direction in which the strength of the sharpness processing should be gradually changed and the range in which the sharpness processing is to be performed are designated by designating at least two arbitrary points on the original image. To be done. For example, one point in the near view area of the original image and one point in the distant view area are designated. The direction of the vector connecting these two points specifies the direction in which the strength of the sharpness processing should be gradually changed. In addition, by dividing the original image at both ends of this vector with virtual lines orthogonal to this vector, the range to be subjected to the sharpness processing is specified. Specifically, the strength of sharpness processing gradually changes in the direction of the specified vector in the intermediate area sandwiched between both virtual lines, and the strength of sharpness processing in one end area of the original image outside the intermediate area. Is set uniformly and strongly, and the strength of the sharpness processing is uniformly set weak in the other end region. As a result, for example, the foreground region in the original image has a uniform sharp contour, and the intermediate region gradually becomes more blurred toward the distant view region. An image full of images can be obtained.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, on the original image displayed on the image display means, the processing direction is designated as the direction in which the strength of the sharpness processing should be gradually changed in accordance with the perspective direction of the original image, for example. Specified by means.
The intensity deriving unit obtains the sharpness processing intensity of each pixel in the original image such that the intensity of the sharpness processing gradually changes in the designated direction. The processing means sharpens the original image based on the sharpness processing intensity of each pixel, thereby obtaining an image in which the intensity of the sharpness processing is changed in accordance with the perspective direction of the original image.

According to the invention of claim 5, on the original image displayed on the image display means, for example, by using a pointing device such as a mouse, for example, one point in the foreground area and the distant view area on the original image. And one of them is specified. The intensity deriving means uses the same procedure as described in the invention of claim 3 so that the intensity of the sharpness processing gradually changes in the intermediate region of the original image sandwiched by the two virtual lines, and The strength of the sharpness processing is calculated for each pixel of the original image so that the strength of the sharpness processing is uniformly increased in one end area and the strength of the sharpness processing is uniformly decreased in the other end area. Thereafter, the processing means performs sharpness processing on the original image, as in the apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the present invention.

According to the invention described in claim 6, by causing a computer to read the program recorded in the storage medium, the computer executes the sharpness processing of the image corresponding to the method of the invention of claim 1.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of an image sharpness processing device according to the present invention.

The image sharpness processing apparatus according to this embodiment is composed of a computer system. A CPU 10 that executes sharpness processing on an original image is connected to an internal memory 20 composed of a RAM via a bus line BL. In the internal memory 20, a program memory 21 into which a program is ported when executing the sharpness processing, a set value memory 22 that stores various conditions of the sharpness processing, an original image memory 23 that stores original image data, Each area such as the output image memory 24 in which the image data subjected to the sharpness processing is stored is set. The CPU 10 also controls the external storage device driver 3 via the input / output interface 30.
1, a display 32, a keyboard 33, a mouse 34, and an imagesetter 35.

The external storage device driver 31 is loaded with an external storage device 36 storing original image data and an external storage device 37 storing a sharpness processing program. The external storage devices 36 and 37 are a magneto-optical disk, a CD
-ROM, floppy disk, magnetic tape, etc. The original image data fetched from the external storage device 36 is stored in the original image memory 23, and the processing program fetched from the external storage device 37 is stored in the program memory 21.

The display 32 displays the original image stored in the original image memory 23 and an input screen for setting various conditions for the sharpness processing. The keyboard 33 and the mouse 34 are used to specify at least two points on the original image displayed on the display 32, and to input and set various conditions for sharpness processing. The display 32 is also used to display the image subjected to the sharpness processing and stored in the output image memory 24, which has been subjected to the sharpness processing, and to confirm the effect.

The imagesetter 35 is composed of a recording scanner or the like for printing the sharpness-processed image stored in the output image memory 24 on a printing plate or film with high precision.

The original image memory 23 in the above-described embodiment apparatus is the original image data storage means in the apparatus of the present invention, the display 32 is the image display means, the mouse 34 is the pointing device as an example of the processing direction designating means, and the CPU
Reference numeral 10 corresponds to a strength deriving means and a processing means, respectively. The external storage device 37 corresponds to a storage medium in which the program according to the present invention is recorded.

The operation of the embodiment apparatus will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Step S1: After porting the processing program from the external storage device 37 to the program memory 21, the external storage device 36
Then, the data of the original image to be subjected to the sharpness processing is loaded into the original image memory 23. In this embodiment, three primary color components of red (R), green (G) and B (blue) are taken in as the original image data. The captured original image is displayed on the display 32.

Step S2: The type of sharpness processing is selected from the condition setting screen displayed on the display 32 as a window. The types of sharpness processing include "sharpness enhancement processing" that emphasizes the contour of the original image and "blurring processing (smoothing processing)" that blurs the contour. Either process is selected according to the operator's intention.

Step S3: A vector indicating the direction / range of sharpness processing is designated on the original image displayed on the display 32. Hereinafter, a specific description will be given with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 shows an example of the original image displayed on the display 32. This original image includes a near view area A, a distant view area B, and an intermediate area C therebetween. Now the operator
It is assumed that the intention is to enhance the perspective of the image by blurring the distant view area B of the original image. In this case, the operator selects "blurring process" in step S2. Then, in this step S3, at least two points P _S and P _E on the original image are designated by using the mouse 34. At the point P _S , the operator appropriately designates the boundary between the foreground area A where it is not desired to blur and the intermediate area C where it is desired to blur gradually. The point P _E is a direction in which it is desired to gradually change the degree of blurring with the point P _S as a reference, that is, a direction in the perspective of the original image, and the operator appropriately sets the boundary area between the intermediate region C and the distant view region B. Specify in.

Two points P _S and P designated as described above
The direction of the vector V connecting the _E 's specifies the direction in which the strength of the sharpness processing should be gradually changed. Also, P _S ,
A range to be sharpened is specified by the position of P _E. The range to be sharpened is programmed to be determined as follows. Hereinafter, FIG. 5 will be referred to. Vector V at both ends of vector V
The CPU 10 obtains virtual lines K _S and K _E which are orthogonal to the line in the process execution process, and the original image is divided by the virtual lines K _S and K _E to determine the range to be subjected to the sharpness processing. That is,
One end region (near view region) A of the original image partitioned by the virtual line K _S is not subjected to sharpness processing (blurring process in this example), and the other end region of the original image is partitioned by the virtual line K _E. The sharpness process (blurring process in this example) is most strongly applied to the edge region (distant view region) B. Then, in the intermediate region C sandwiched by the virtual lines K _S and K _E , the sharpness processing intensity of each pixel is determined so that the sharpness processing intensity (degree of blurring) gradually increases in the direction of the vector V. Details of the process of deriving the intensity of the sharpness processing of each pixel will be described later.

Step S4: Select a mask size used to create an unsharp mask signal (see FIG. 9B) during sharpness processing. In this embodiment, 3
A mask of × 3 pixels, a mask of 5 × 5 pixels, and a mask of 7 × 7 pixels are prepared. A small size mask is selected when it is desired to emphasize the fineness of the original image, and a large size mask is selected in the opposite case.

Step S5: The processing characteristic of the sharpness processing is set. This will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing processing characteristics of sharpness processing, where the horizontal axis corresponds to the position on the vector V shown in FIGS. 4 and 5,
The vertical axis represents the strength of sharpness processing corresponding to each position. Processing intensity N is not standardized, the starting point P in _S "0" (untreated) of the vector V, is set to the end point P _E of the vector V "1" (maximum intensity). This step S
In 5, the operator appropriately specifies the processing intensity N _M of the point P _{M which} is the intermediate position of the vector V. When the processing intensity at the intermediate position is designated, the CPU 10 automatically sets a smooth conversion characteristic (for example, a quadratic function) passing through the point (P _M , N _M ).

Step S6: The maximum value K of the sharpness processing strength is set. The strength of the sharpness processing at the maximum strength "1" in the standardized conversion characteristic shown in FIG. 6 is set by a numerical value. Therefore, the strength (parameter) F of the sharpness processing at each position on the vector V is the normalized processing strength N determined by the conversion characteristics of FIG. 6 and the maximum value K of the processing strength designated in step S6. It is represented by a multiplication value (F = K · N). The processing conditions set in the above steps S2 to S6 are stored in the set value memory 22.

Step S7: Based on the sharpness processing condition pointed out by the processing up to step S6,
The strength of sharpness processing of each pixel in the original image is calculated. The process of step S7 will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

Pixels of interest are sequentially set in the original image, and the
The pixel is the imaginary line K shown in FIG._S, K _EArea divided by
It is determined which of A, B and C belongs (step S
7₁). The pixel of interest belongs to the area A in FIG.
If it is, the processing intensity N standardized for the pixel of interest is set.
To set "0" (step S7)₂). The pixel of interest
Is included in the area B in FIG. 5, the pixel of interest is standardized.
"1" is set as the processed intensity N (step S
7₃).

On the other hand, if the pixel of interest belongs to the area C of FIG. 5, the pixel of interest is the vector V of FIG.
Find which position above corresponds. Specifically determine the position of an intersection P _i of a perpendicular line which defeated the Q points belonging to the region C to the vector V as shown in FIG. 5 (Step S7 _4). Since the positions of the designated two points P _S and P _{E and} the position of the target pixel Q are known, the position of the intersection P _i can be geometrically easily calculated. When the position of the intersection point P _i is obtained, determine the normalized processing force N _i of the target pixel point Q from the process characteristics shown in FIG. 6 (step S7 _5). As is clear from the above description, the same strength processing intensity is set at each point on the perpendicular line orthogonal to the vector V, and the processing intensity increases from the starting point P _S toward the ending point P _E.

Step S8: When the standardized processing intensity N of each pixel of the original image is obtained, each pixel of the original image is sharpened based on the following equations. r _ij = R _ij ± K · N (S−U) …… (1) g _ij = G _ij ± K · N (S−U) …… (2) b _ij = B _ij ± K · N (S− U) (3) In the above formulas (1) to (3), r _ij , g _ij , and b _ij are RGB components of pixels subjected to sharpness processing, R _ij , G _ij , and B.
_ij is the RGB component of the pixel of the original image, and S is the gray component of the pixel of the original image. The gray component is obtained, for example, by the average value (S = (R _ij + G _ij + B _ij ) / 3) of the color components of each pixel. U is an unsharp signal of the gray component S of the original image and is obtained using the mask of the size set in step S4. “±” in the equations (1) to (3) is determined according to the type of sharpness processing set in step S2. When “sharpness enhancement processing” is selected, “+” is displayed and “blur” is displayed. When "Process" is selected, each is set to "-". K is the maximum value of the processing intensity set in step S6, and N is the standardized processing intensity of each pixel of the original image derived in step S7.

Step S9: When each pixel of the original image is sharpened, the image data is output to the output image memory 2
4 and is output to the imagesetter 35 as needed. In this example, since the "blurring process" is selected, the foreground region A in FIG. 4 has a sharp contour, the intermediate region C is gradually blurred in the direction of the vector V, and the distant view region B is strongly blurred. The output image thus obtained is obtained.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be modified as follows. (1) As shown in FIG. 7, the start point P _S may be specified on the distant view area B side and the end point P _E may be specified on the near view area A side, and “sharpness enhancement processing” may be selected as the type of sharpness processing. By doing so, the distant view area B is not subjected to the sharpness enhancement processing, and in the intermediate area C, the degree of sharpness enhancement gradually increases in the direction of the vector V (direction from the starting point P _E to the ending point P _S ), and the near view area is obtained. Since sharpness is strongly emphasized, an image full of perspective can be obtained as in the above-described embodiment.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the direction in which the strength of the sharpness processing should be gradually changed by designating two points on the original image and the range in which the sharpness processing is performed are set. You may specify a point and set the direction and range of sharpness processing. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, first, "blurring process" is selected and a vector V ₁ determined by the start point P _S1 and the end point P _E1 is designated on the distant view area side. Then, the "sharpness enhancement process" is selected, and the vector V ₂ determined by the start point P _S2 and the end point P _E2 is specified on the near view area side. In this case, first, the first processing intensity of each pixel of the original image is obtained based on the pair of designated points P _S1 and P _E1 . continue,
The second processing intensity of each pixel of the original image is obtained based on the other pair of designated points P _S2 and P _E2 . Then, for each pixel of the original image, the average intensity of the first processing intensity and the second processing intensity is obtained, and the original image is sharpened based on these average intensities. As a result, in the example of FIG. 8, the sharpness processing is not performed on the area C, the degree of sharpness enhancement is gradually increased in the area B in the direction of the vector V ₂ , and the area A is uniformly and strongly sharpened. Further, the degree of blurring gradually increases in the area D in the direction of the vector V ₁ , and the area E is uniformly and strongly blurred.

(3) Further, in the embodiment, the direction and range of sharpness processing are designated, but only the direction of sharpness processing may be set by two points designated on the original image. In this case, the strength of the sharpness processing may be uniformly changed in the direction of the vector determined by the two designated points.

(4) In the embodiment, the gray component of the original image is extracted, the unsharp signal is obtained from the gray component,
The unsharp signal was used to perform sharpness processing on each of the RGB components.
It is also possible to obtain an unsharp signal from each of the B components and perform sharpness processing on each color component.

(5) Further, the present invention is not limited to the sharpness processing of the RGB color components, but the sharpness processing is performed on each color component of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (K) of the original image. It can also be applied when applied.

[0040]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention has the following effects. According to the image sharpness processing method of the first aspect, the strength of the sharpness processing can be gradually changed according to the perspective direction of the original image, so that the perspective and stereoscopic effect of the image are effectively expressed. be able to.

According to the image sharpness processing method of the second aspect, since the most appropriate range to be sharpened is specified on the original image, the perspective and stereoscopic effect of the image are more effectively expressed. it can.

According to the image sharpness processing method of the third aspect, by specifying at least two points on the original image, the direction in which the strength of the sharpness processing should be changed in accordance with the perspective direction of the original image, Since the range of sharpness processing can be specified, it is possible to easily obtain an image full of perspective and stereoscopic effect.

According to the image sharpness processing device of the fourth aspect, it is possible to obtain an image full of perspective and stereoscopic effect in which the strength of the sharpness processing is gradually changed according to the perspective direction of the image.

According to the image sharpness processing device of the fifth aspect, at least two arbitrary points on the original image displayed on the image display means are designated by using a pointing device such as a mouse. For the desired range on the original image, the strength of sharpness processing can be gradually changed according to the perspective direction of the image.
Images with rich perspective and stereoscopic effect can be easily obtained.

According to the storage medium having the program according to the sixth aspect, it is possible to cause the computer to execute the sharpness processing for gradually changing the strength of the sharpness processing according to the perspective direction of the image.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of a sharpness processing device.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the embodiment apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a process intensity calculation process of each pixel.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing how to specify a direction and range of sharpness processing on an original image.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of conversion characteristics.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another aspect of designating the direction and range of sharpness processing.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another aspect of designating the direction and range of sharpness processing.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a conventional sharpness process.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... CPU 20 ... Internal memory 21 ... Program memory 22 ... Set value memory 23 ... Original image memory 24 ... Output image memory 30 ... I / O interface 31 ... driver 32 ... Indicator 34 ... Mouse 35 ... Imagesetter 36, 37 ... External storage device

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-5-61970 (JP, A) JP-A-60-225280 (JP, A) JP-A-62-182977 (JP, A) JP-A-2- 171867 (JP, A) JP 6-83955 (JP, A) JP 7-21365 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06T 5/20 H04N 1 / 409

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A sharpness processing method for an image, which emphasizes a gradation change of an outline portion of an original image or reduces the gradation change, and at least a direction in which the strength of the sharpness processing should be gradually changed is displayed on a display screen. A process direction designating process for designating on the projected original image, and intensity derivation for obtaining the sharpness processing intensity of each pixel in the original image so that the intensity of the sharpness processing gradually changes in the designated sharpness processing direction. An image sharpness processing method comprising: a process; and a process of performing a sharpness process on an original image according to the obtained strength of the sharpness process for each pixel. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in the processing direction designating process, a sharpness process of an image is performed in which a range in which the sharpness process is to be gradually changed and a range in which the sharpness process is to be performed are specified on the original image. Method. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein in the processing direction designating process, at least two arbitrary points are designated on an original image displayed on a display screen, thereby designating a direction of a vector connecting the two points. Specifies the direction in which the strength of sharpness processing should be gradually changed, and specifies the range to be sharpened by partitioning the original image with virtual lines orthogonal to the vector at both ends of the vector. Then, the strength of the sharpness processing is uniformly increased for one end region of the original image that is deviated from the intermediate region sandwiched by the virtual lines, and the other end region of the original image that is deviated from the intermediate region is increased. Reduces the strength of sharpness processing uniformly, and for the intermediate region, the sharpness processing strength of the one end region is changed to the other end region. Over sharpness processing intensity, sharpness processing method of an image to determine the intensity of the sharpness processing for each pixel such that the intensity of the sharpness processing in the direction gradually changes in the vector. 4. An image sharpness processing device for emphasizing or conversely reducing the gradation change in the contour portion of an original image, the original image data storing means for storing image data of each pixel of the original image. An image display means for displaying an image, an original image read out from the original image data storage means is displayed on the image display means, and at least a direction in which the strength of sharpness processing should be gradually changed is displayed on the image display means. Processing direction designating means for designating on the original image, and strength deriving means for obtaining the sharpness processing strength of each pixel in the original image so that the strength of the sharpness processing gradually changes in the designated sharpness processing direction. And processing means for sharpening the original image according to the obtained strength of the sharpness processing of each pixel. Sharpness processing apparatus for an image. 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the processing direction designating unit is a pointing device that designates at least two arbitrary points on the original image displayed on the image display unit, and the intensity deriving unit. Defines the original image with virtual lines that are orthogonal to the vector at both ends of the vector that connects the two points, and sharpness is provided for one end region of the original image that deviates from the intermediate region sandwiched between the two virtual lines. The strength of the process is uniformly increased, and the strength of the sharpness process is uniformly weakened for the other end region of the original image that is deviated from the intermediate region, and the sharpness of the one end region is increased for the intermediate region. From the processing strength to the sharpness processing strength of the other end region, the intensity of the sharpness processing of each pixel is gradually changed in the direction of the vector. Sharpness processing apparatus for an image to determine the intensity of Yapunesu process. 6. A storage medium recording a program for causing a computer to execute image sharpness processing for emphasizing or conversely reducing the gradation change of the contour portion of the original image, the storage medium comprising at least the sharpness processing The direction in which the intensity should be gradually changed is specified in the process direction specifying process on the original image displayed on the display screen, and the intensity of the sharpness process is gradually changed in the specified sharpness process in the original image. A storage medium recording a program for causing a computer to execute the intensity derivation process for obtaining the intensity of the sharpness process of each pixel, and the process of performing the sharpness process of the original image according to the obtained intensity of the sharpness process of each pixel.