Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
Alien Skin’sSnap Artis a natural media fireplug - in for Adobe Photoshop ( ) , Photoshop Elements ( ) , andPhotoshop Lightroom ( ) . Geared toward professional photographers and graphic designers , creating fine art from a photo has never been easier . Using a powerful lot of well - organized and customizable presets , you could produce amazing graphics with nary a manual brushstroke .
In Snap Art 3 , you ’ll find a flowing interface , crayon presets , improved placement of brush strokes for more realistic upshot , and a Flickr uploader . Perhaps the most exciting feature in this version is the addition of a detail masquerade party , which enable you to enshroud impression from important area such as faces .
New interface
Launch Snap Art 3 by open up a photo in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements , and then choose Filter - > Alien Skin - > Snap Art 3 ( the Alien Skin category is new in this version ) . In Lightroom , select your image(s ) and then start the plug - in by command - clicking and choose Edit in Alien tegument Snap Art 3 ( Photoshop and Elements do not support batch processing ) .
Once the plug - in surface , you ’ll notice a streamlined interface with hundreds of presets on the left — use your pointer key to peruse them — and a turgid preview sphere in the center . tool beneath the viewing area let you pan and rapid climb , as well as add a level masquerade ( more on that in a minute of arc ) . On the right side you ’ll find circumstance that allow you fine - tune result presets with controls for rouge reporting ( so more or less of the canvass show up through ) , paint heaviness , stroke color variance , color saturation , canvas texture , light , and more .
These preferences are categorized into clickable “ lozenge ” and let in Background , Layers , Color , and Canvas . Each tab stop a preset tonic - up bill of fare as well as multiple luger for even more customization ( hover over each slider for a descriptive peter peak ) . Sure there are a great deal of Pseudemys scripta , but the video tutorials onAlien Skin ’s websiteare incredibly helpful .
By using detail masking, you can apply an abstract effect to your photo while keeping faces recognizable.
By using detail masking , you may apply an abstractionist effect to your photo while keep open faces recognisable .
Detail Masks
Snap Art 3 lets you create up to three layers , each with an individual masquerade . This is helpful for fine - tuning outcome in specific area of your photo in different ways … an sheer must for portraits . For illustration , by using mask you’re able to employ more of an abstract painted look to the scope of your photo , yet retain point and exposure pragmatism in your subject area ’s fount .
To lend a mask , chatter the circle within a square image at the bottom of the Snap Art interface ( it ’s identical to the mask ikon in both Photoshop and Photoshop Elements ) . Mouse over to the preview area and paint across any area you do n’t want affected by change made with the options on the right-hand side of the interface .
As you paint , your brush strokes appear as a Battle of Magenta overlay ( toggle the overlay on or off by pressing M ) . The programme automatically switches to the Layers tab on the right , too , which contains controls for refining the burden and the masquerade itself . flick the tiny triangle to the right of the Mask Tool region and you ’ll reveal even more options for changing mask blurriness and persuasiveness ( think opaqueness ) . Once you ’ve added a masquerade party , apply the Effect protrude - up menu to change the room the dissemble area is wield ( choose Detail to apply few effects to the block out domain ) . Click the triangle to its right to reveal even more option for fine - tune up your art .
Using the new crayon preset, you can take a photo from flat to fabulous in minutes.
Once you ’ve added a mask , it ’s preserved while your exposure is open — even when try out with other presets . Once you ’re happy with the impression , save it — and your mask — by pressing Command - S ( it appears in the User options orbit at bottom left ) .
Clicking alright close down Snap Art 3 and land you back within Photoshop , where you ’ll spot a new layer containing your fine art ( fresh in this version ) . Lightroom works a petty otherwise and makes copies of your images for usage in Snap Art ; you ’ll spot the fresh art - worthy images next to the archetype in your Lightroom catalog ( though you may force it to edit the original if you like ) . Also raw in this version is a handy Flickr uploader for sharing pic online .
Using the newfangled wax crayon preset , you could take a photo from flat to fabulous in minutes .
Macworld’s buying advice
If you ’ve ever had the hankering to wrick a photo into a house painting , you ’ll eff this software ; the interface is favorable and you could produce amazing solvent tight . If you ’re a photographer see for additional creative merchandise to sell to clients , Snap Art 3 will make a profitable addition to your studio apartment . If you ’ve been using it antecedently , the unexampled interface and detail masks are worth the upgrade . And yes , if you had inexhaustible meter and patience , you might be capable to play similar effects using a variety of Photoshop ’s filter , but why get at ? Using Snap Art 3 is both effective and fun .
[ Lesa Snider , writer of Photoshop CS5 : The Missing Manual and joint author of iPhoto ’ 11 : The Missing Manual ( Pogue Press / O’Reilly ) is chief evangelist ofiStockphoto.comand founder ofPhotoLesa.com . Twitter:@PhotoLesa ]
