Vancouver, Canada (PRWEB) August 15, 2009 -- AKVIS Sketch is an award-winning program for conversion of photos into pencil sketches and watercolor paintings. The program has already won the recognition of professionals and delighted home users with its neat results. However, there is no end to perfection and the company released a new version of AKVIS Sketch with many improvements.
With AKVIS Sketch one does not need to handle a pencil to feel like an artist. All a user needs to create original work of art is good taste and AKVIS Sketch. Make any photo look like a B&W or color drawing, imitate the technique of graphite or color pencil, charcoal or watercolor painting.
The program works in an entertaining way. One can observe the conversion of a photo into a drawing or watercolor painting in real time and even interrupt the process (Esc button) when the required result is achieved.
Once the photo has been converted into a drawing, special effects can be added (the Background tab). Create a blend of a drawing and a photo; imitate motion or add a "time machine effect" by swirling the background. Put an accent to certain parts of the image by blurring the rest of it in an artistic way. It is especially useful when the final drawing contains too many details in the background that divert attention.
Also, the parameters on the Canvas tab can add a rough surface to the image, as if it has been drawn on canvas, corrugated paper, brick wall, etc.
It is also possible to add a signature or a greeting to one's pencil drawings to personalize the work of art.
Version 9.0. of AKVIS Sketch has a new improved algorithm for photo-to-sketch conversion (the option to use the old algorithm remains). The program has a new parameter field for edge definition. Now it is possible to manipulate the thickness and sharpness of the outlines.
The version adds the possibility to change the saturation of color strokes when using color pencil drawing mode (check-box Color Pencil).
Also it is now possible to import/export a list of presets.
Many photo editing enthusiasts have already appreciated the Sketch' s features. Take a look at the examples gallery (many created by users) at http://akvis.com/en/sketch/examples-pencil-drawing.php
Sketch can be useful on many occasions. Friends and relatives will be surprised when presented with their pencil portraits. A room can be decorated with a watercolor painting made from a nature photo. A user's portrait can be converted to a color sketch to print on a T-shirt. A comic can be created from party videos.
The program can be helpful to designers who need to quickly bring images to one style for a web-site or an advertisement booklet.
Using batch processing in Photoshop or Paint Shop pro (only for the plugin version) once can even convert a film into a cartoon, like here: http://akvis.com/en/sketch-tutorial/cartoon-film.php
For a free trial, AKVIS offers 10 days of fully functional use. Details are available at http://akvis.com/en/sketch/index.php
AKVIS Sketch is available as a standalone application, as well as a plugin to a photo editor.
The plugin version of AKVIS Sketch is compatible with Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, Corel Painter, Corel Photo-Paint, Paint Shop Pro, PhotoImpact, and ACD FotoCanvas. AKVIS Sketch runs on Microsoft Windows 2000/2003/XP/Vista and on Macintosh Mac OS X 10.4 (Intel/PPC) and above.
AKVIS Sketch Home License (plugin or standalone) sells for $72 USD or 55 Euro, downloadable from http://akvis.com . Home users can enjoy the full line of AKVIS plugins in the AKVIS Alchemy bundle (Sketch, Chameleon, MultiBrush, Retoucher, Coloriage, Noise Buster, Decorator, Enhancer, LightShop, SmartMask, ArtSuite, Magnifier, ArtWork) for USD $325 USD, huge savings over purchasing each separately. For business licenses consult the official web-site. One license key permits a user to run the software on two computers, for example, on a desktop and a laptop.
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