Akvis Artwork - Review
Donny Yankellow
Writer
Wednesday, 01/28/09
Artwork
Company: Akvis
Price: $72 - $129
akvis.com
Have you ever had a photo or photos that you wanted to have converted into a painting? This can be extremely expensive. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars you can spend less than $100 and do it yourself with AKVIS Artwork.
Artwork allows you to take a photograph and convert it into a painting. OK, it can't really make it a painting created by a brush, but it can create an image that looks like a painting created by a brush.
Believe it or not, the program is really easy to use. You open you image and start manipulating it using the slider controls to make the brush strokes look the way you want. This is where you have to be careful. Push the sliders too much or too little and it won't look like a painting.
Once your image is finished print it out on canvas paper or another really nice quality paper and you are done! Keep in mind, the paper and printer quality will effect the final image.
So how are the results? As an art teacher for over 12 years, I think the program works great! With the right amount of adjusting the paintings I made looked like a painting. However, my wife looked at the images and thought differently. She did not think it looked like a painting. I guess it depends on the eye of the viewer.
The program itself is available in two versions. One is a Photoshop Plug-In and the other is a stand alone program. Obviously, if you don't have Photoshop you'll want the program. Unfortunately, you have to spend more money to get both in the deluxe version ($129), which also allows you to control the stroke direction. I personally think you should get both versions for the standard $72.
So is it worth spending $72 on Artwork? That depends on you. The price seems a little expensive for a program the does one thing. However, it does one thing well, and that is turning a photo into a painting. Converting photos into paintings can be very pricey (as I said earlier) and if you are computer savvy and enjoy doing things on your own Artwork can save you a lot of money- especially if you want to convert more than one photo. Basically, it is up to you.
MyMac.com rating 4 out of 5
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For those of us who do have Photoshop do you think this is any better than some of the "art" tools available with that PS3? I'm sure you've seen "watercolors," "pencil drawing," etc.
Posted by artie alinikoff
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I definitely think it is better. It gives a more painterly look. I have never had much success with the filter like watercolor and pencil drawing in Photoshop. Honestly, I think the colored pencil filter in Photoshop is AWFUL. I tell my students to avoid it.
Posted by Donny Yankellow
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