• Fastest masking available today - from loading to final cut-out. Turn hours of tedious work into something that's short to complete and fun to do.
• Quick and easy to pick up, Fluid Mask 3 offers an intuitive workflow. Check out the edge guides that makes selecting the cut-out as easy as coloring by numbers and the always visible interactive help.
• Amazing edge quality. Fluid Mask 3 takes blending to a new level by preserving the edge data. In the final result, natural edge blur and contour is preserved for the best, most authentic cut-outs ever.
• Fluid Mask will also work in standalone mode (i.e. not as a plug-in).
• There is now an XML based Help file which may be searched by sections or by keywords. Also included are video tutorials.
• Fluid Mask may be used with a Wacom tablet, now pen pressure is hooked up to Brush Size.

To learn more visit the Fluid Mask 3 - Discount Deal Page.

Photoshop CS3 Upgrade Options And Bundles From The Adobe Store

Photoshop CS3 Extended is ideal for film, video, and multimedia pros and for graphic and web designers using 3D and motion. Get the full version for US $999, or upgrade for US $349. The standard version of Photoshop CS3 is available for US $649, or as an upgrade for US $199.

Photoshop Extended is also available as part of Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium ($1,799/$440), which combines all-new CS3 versions of Photoshop, Flash Pro, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, InDesign and Acrobat 8 Pro. International options are available at Adobe's UK Store, Europe Store, and Australia Store.

AutoFX PhotoGraphic Edges - Review
Review by Jennifer Apple

A few years ago I was in charge of putting together a monthly film magazine and I was constantly looking for ways to make the pages look more visually appealing. Photo/Graphic Edges came to the rescue! I could select a frame or edge, make a couple of quick tweaks, and suddenly I had a highly stylized photo to drop into the layout.



To show the various effects of Photo/Graphic Edges I've used just one single image. This will make it easier to see just how much the mood and feeling of a photo can be changed by incorporating different edges and frames.

Read the full PhotoGraphic Edges review (includes link to free demo).

AutoFX Photoshop Plugins - 30% Discount - PhotoGraphic Edges, DreamSuite 1 & 2, Mystical Lighting, Mystical Tint, Plus Bundle Deals

For Photoshop plugin fans, this is really sweet — AutoFX is offering a solid 30% discount promotion for a limited time. This discount is across their entire line of products and even includes specials on their super bundle deals and video training. Simply enter in Coupon Code 55525 during check-out at the AutoFX website and the 30% discount will be applied. Following are links to the various pages we have with reviews of the AutoFX products:

PhotoGraphic Edges
This new version of Photo/Graphic Edges includes dozens of new features and effects. PGE 6 includes SmartLayers, Visual Layer Presets, Brush Effects, Unlimited Undo and lots of new creative content. Photo/Graphic Edges 6.0 includes a stand-alone imaging application as well as a plug-in that works with Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Corel Paint Shop Pro, Corel Photo Paint, and Corel Draw. Learn more about PhotoGraphic Edges.

DreamSuite 1 & 2
DreamSuite Series One is a suite of powerful visual effects that allow anyone, professionals or novices alike, to create beautiful images and artwork. DreamSuite lets you achieve visual results that are difficult or impossible to attain using any other software.

DreamSuite Series Two is a powerful collection of 14 unique visual effects for enhancing photographs. Series Two offers a wide diversity of visual options to make any photo you have more distinctive. Learn more about DreamSuite 1 & 2.

Mystical Lighting
Mystical Lighting lets anyone apply photo-realistic lighting and shading effects to digital images. With this software you can enhance the ambiance of your images and improve its beauty. Mystical Lighting includes 16 visual effects, over 400 presets for instant results and an infinite variety of looks. Mystical Lighting also includes powerful features such as layers, unlimited undo's, visual presets, masking and dynamic effect controls that make exploring and applying effects very fun and easy to achieve studio quality results. Learn more about Mystical Lighting.

Mystical Tint
Mystical Tint Tone and Color is a suite of 38 color effects that are both easy to use and provide you with professional results in seconds. The effects are applied by brushing on or removing the effect from the desired area. Mystical Tint Tone and Color provides the professional an efficient workflow for combining multiple editing steps into a simple dynamic interface with unlimited undo and redo, layers, visual presets and a robust set of tools.

Mystical Tint Tone and Color includes a stand-alone imaging application as well as a plug-in that works with Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Corel Paint Shop Pro, Corel Photo Paint, and Corel Draw. Learn more about Mystical Tint.

PhotoTools and PhotoTools Professional Edition (10% Discount)

onOne has announced two new digital imaging software plug-ins - PhotoTools and PhotoTools Professional Edition. onOne Software's new PhotoTools is a flexible yet powerful new Photoshop plug-in that utilizes the power of Photoshop Actions to provide a wide range of imaging tools including effects, corrections and production automation in a full-featured interface. PhotoTools allows users to preview effects individually or combined/stacked together in a layer-like configuration as well as save their favorite combinations as presets to be used in the future.

Exclusive 10% Discount On All onOne Photoshop Plugins
Enter our exclusive discount coupon code - PSSPPT06 - during the checkout process at onOne Software for an instant 10% discount on all onOne products.

"Whether a user is new to photography or an experienced professional, they will appreciate the range of authentic camera, filter and darkroom techniques that can be easily replicated with PhotoTools," said Craig Keudell, president of onOne Software. "Working with well-known and respected photographers and educators Jack Davis and Kevin Kubota, we have been able to reproduce their signature Photoshop techniques with the simplicity of a single click that users are sure to appreciate. Every photographer and graphic artist will enjoy having onOne PhotoTools in their Photoshop effects plug-in collection for it's versatile range of creative effects and the simplicity of finding and applying these effects to their images."

Read the full PhotoTools & PhotoTools Pro review.

SiteGrinder 2 — Photoshop Plugin Review
Review by Jennifer Apple
(Mac OS X and Windows versions of the SiteGrinder unlockable demo are now available.)

There often seems to be a strict division of labor within the world of web design and development. Creative professionals tend to stick to the Photoshop domain, while those well-versed in scripting are left to the task of implementing their work. Indeed, the two realms are quite different from each other, to which any of us even vaguely familiar with either can easily attest.

Essentially, Photoshop is a no-holds-barred design studio, offering the artist a seemingly endless array of creative options. On the other hand, HTML, CSS, Java and the like follow strict rules of engagement, requiring the developer to take any number of esoteric concerns into consideration in order to ensure that designs are properly displayed on the web.

Turn Photoshop Into A Complete Web Design Tool
SiteGrinder 2 seeks to bridge this gap between design and development. Basically, this program turns Photoshop into an easy-to-use and fully functional web design tool. With SiteGrinder 2, designers will now have the freedom to totally let their creativity loose and then, without skipping a beat, transfer their designs to the web. Bringing esthetic concerns together with more practical considerations, this program is an amazingly powerful tool that would make a fantastic addition to any web designer's bag of tricks.

Read the full review...

Akvis Photoshop Plugins

Visit our Akvis page to find info on Akvis Enhancer, Akvis Retoucher, Akvis Decorator, Akvis Photo-To-Sketch, Akvis Frame Suite, and Akvis LightShop.

AKVIS Sketch Plugin: Photo-to-Sketch Conversion

AKVIS has announced the release of AKVIS Sketch plug-in v.3.0 for Windows and Macintosh. By popular request, the possibility to save user presets for subsequent use has been added. Besides, new to version 3.0: compatibility with Windows Vista, new installation method on Macintosh, bugs fixed. Upgrade for registered users is free. Many photo editing enthusiasts have already appreciated Sketch's features. You can see a gallery of examples. AKVIS Sketch also enjoys attention of professional designers. The program was awarded "Best Image Editing Software 2006" by "DT&G Magazine".

Demonstrations of the plugin's features are available at the AKVIS site, along with a free 10 day trial. AKVIS Sketch plugin is compatible with Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, Corel Painter, Corel Photo-Paint, and Paint Shop Pro, ACD FotoCanvas, and Ulead PhotoImpact. AKVIS Sketch runs on Microsoft Windows 2000/2003/XP/Vista and on Macintosh Mac OS X 10.4, PowerPC G3 and above.

Page Curl Pro & Puzzle Pro From AV Bros. - Review

Read a review of Page Curl Pro and Puzzle Pro. You'll also find a special 10% discount for these products, and an interview with Page Curl Pro co-creator Alex of AV Bros.

For more news vsit our Plugins News Archives Page...


Introduction to Photoshop Plugins - Plugin Essentials
Harald Heim of the Plugin Site (listed below) has written a great Photoshop plugins introduction here with all you need to know to understand plugins and start using Photoshop plugins right away. He addresses issues such as incompatibilities, explains the differences between free and commercial plugins, and offers advice on installing your plugins, on organizing your plugins on the hard drive, and on accessing and managing your plugins.


The Plugin Site - Plugins Collection
You'll find a vast collection of plugins here.
 PhotoFreebies is a collection of free Photoshop plugins for performing useful photo manipulations and effects - including sepia effects, saturation gradients, b/w conversion, color space transformations and many more.
 Harry's Filters is a set of over 50 Photoshop-compatible and Adobe Premiere plugins with various effects.


PluginsWorld - Photoshop Plug-ins Directory
This site was created to group all Adobe plugins. Plugins can be displayed by list, categories or by editor. There's a search engine, and the ability to add comments about each plugin listed on the site. This is a great, wonderful resource!


Free Photoshop - Adobe Photoshop plug-ins
As you browse the site, you will discover over 200 pages with over 300 freeware and commercial reviews, each rated for usefulness and functionality. Over 90 companies and authors are featured. There are plenty of free Photoshop plugins, filters, styles, shapes, gradients, brushes, textures and patterns to download. Also offers a good tutorial page.


Grafnet - Plugin Site
This is a really good resource for seeing the actual effects of a variety of plugins. Currently there are 3,180 descriptions of Photoshop filters. The site is growing and worth keeping an eye on.


Auto FX Software
Auto FX Software is the world's foremost developer of visual enhancement software for Adobe Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro and Corel Photo Paint. Our software works as both a plug-in for these graphic programs and as a stand-alone imaging solution for Windows 98/NT/2000/ME/XP and Power Macintosh systems.
 AutoEye 2.0 features revolutionary new technologies that rebuild lost detail and color in images and provides amazing improvements. AutoEye uses unique color space and advanced patented technologies to give you results you cannot achieve using any other software. Images enhanced with AutoEye become razor sharp and vibrant.
 DreamSuite Series One
Includes 18 unique and effective visual design solutions for type, graphics and photographs. With Series One designers are given artistic freedom with thousands of possible visual results. These effects are easy to use and are designed so anyone, not just the pros, can achieve stunning results.
 DreamSuite Series Two
Loaded with creative options that can turn your photos into works of art and enhance your designs with ease. Turn your photos into Puzzles or 'develop' your photo inside a translucent film frame.
 DreamSuite Gel Series
A fun visual arts tool that lets you create vibrant and translucent colored artwork and images. DreamSuite Gel Series allows you to add amazing reflective and refractive depth effects. Gel includes advanced brush based tools to let you paint on depth and translucent reflections, colors and textures.
Photo/Graphic Edges 6.0
A suite of 14 photographic effects that empower anyone, regardless of experience, to give images a unique, artistic look. By giving your images shape and dimension you can add interest and appeal to your work.



Power Retouche Photoshop Plugins
Power Retouche photoshop plugins for professional photo retouching and photo editing offers 20 quality photo editing and retouching tools. Sharpen without creating halos. Correct lens distortions from pincusion, panorama and barreling. Anti-aliasing filter. Exposure correction up to at least four stops. Photographic saturation. Radial exposure and brightness correction.



PHOTO CREDIT: Monterey Bay Aquarium & Chicago airport.
© 2003 halfstring - [from iStockPhoto]