VFX Atlas
M 022 / 18301 Edge & Featuresalgorithm output

Kirsch Compass Edges

edge & features

Typeface · Tauri

Atlas demonstration: the free source photo and the computed Kirsch Compass Edges. A young child gazes upward, their profile silhouetted against a cluttered background. The directional filters isolate the sharp contrast of the facial profile and the intricate patterns of the knitted cap.
Atlas demonstration: the free source photo and the computed Kirsch Compass Edges. A young child gazes upward, their profile silhouetted against a cluttered background. The directional filters isolate the sharp contrast of the facial profile and the intricate patterns of the knitted cap.Image: Oshomah Abubakar oshomah · CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons), processed for the AtlasView source ↗

Prompt

Transform this image into a Kirsch Compass Edges map with a nearly black background and bright white, pixel-sharp directional contours. Emphasize the strongest boundary response at each location, revealing angular silhouettes and textured edge fragments while removing continuous surface shading. Keep the original subject and composition.

Paste it into LetzAI with your own image to apply the effect ↗

Identify

You see a dark background where the strongest directional outlines of shapes are highlighted in bright pixels.

Principle

The algorithm applies eight specific directional filters1 to the image, like a compass reading different angles. It keeps only the single strongest response at each pixel to find the sharpest boundary2.

Try it out

Look for how it captures diagonal lines just as well as strictly vertical or horizontal ones.

Classification

Calculated image processing result.

Further examples · 9 images

Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “Cozy interior with a sofa (Unsplash)”
02 Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “Cozy interior with a sofa (Unsplash)”This interior scene captures a modern living area framed by a doorway, featuring a couch and a geometric pendant light. The edges of the window frames and furniture are rendered as crisp, glowing white lines against the void.Breather breather (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “Canal and Tower Bridge (Unsplash)”
03 Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “Canal and Tower Bridge (Unsplash)”Tower Bridge and a modern glass building are viewed from a low angle across a reflective surface. The compass kernels highlight the vertical architecture and the distorted symmetry of the reflection below.David East daveast (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “Horse-drawn sled during a harsh winter (Unsplash)”
04 Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “Horse-drawn sled during a harsh winter (Unsplash)”Two horses are harnessed together in front of a wooden log structure while handlers stand nearby. Every horizontal gap in the timber and the complex curves of the harness are precisely traced by the edge detection.Les Anderson lesanderson (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “Man looks at graffiti (Unsplash)”
05 Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “Man looks at graffiti (Unsplash)”A man with a backpack stands before a wall covered in complex, stylized graffiti letters. The filter transforms the spray-painted art into a web of luminous outlines, separating the figure from the graphic backdrop.Clem Onojeghuo clemono2 (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “Red flowers from above (Unsplash)”
06 Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “Red flowers from above (Unsplash)”A dense cluster of succulent plants fills the frame, showcasing organic, overlapping circular forms. The compass-based edge detection isolates the intricate curves of each leaf with high-contrast precision against the void.Teo Duldulao teowithacamera (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “Bird Alone (Unsplash)”
07 Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “Bird Alone (Unsplash)”A small bird is perched upon a leafy branch, captured in a moment of stillness. The algorithm sharply defines the bird's profile and the distinct edges of the surrounding leaves, emphasizing the contrast between the subject and the dark background.Matías Guerrero Gatica matiasgueg (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “Food please (Unsplash)”
08 Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “Food please (Unsplash)”A wild coyote sits alertly on a dark surface, facing the viewer with focused attention. Every tuft of fur and the animal's sharp silhouette are rendered through bright, orientation-sensitive boundaries.Levi Saunders levisaunders (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “The Coffee life (Unsplash)”
09 Kirsch Compass Edges, applied to “The Coffee life (Unsplash)”A tall glass filled with a sparkling beverage sits on a reflective table, with light sources visible in the background. The computational process translates the fluid dynamics and the glass's rim into a series of glowing, high-intensity contours.Linda Xu rhindaxu (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Sources