Here's a tutorial on the Akvis site using Xara and their sketch plugin.
http://akvis.com/en/sketch-tutorial/vector-image.php
Christine
Printable View
Here's a tutorial on the Akvis site using Xara and their sketch plugin.
http://akvis.com/en/sketch-tutorial/vector-image.php
Christine
Thanks for the link
Interesting that SnapArt and Sketch both came out around the same time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Christine Farrelly
I do have reservations about these type of programs. They are fine as far as they go, but I think people would tire rather quickly of these as they are not the same as actually doing digital painting as in Painter, PhotoShop, ArtRage2, etc.
Iguess these plugs are a bit like the old 'paint by number' kits.
Okay Christine, now that you've let the cat out of the bag ... do you have an opinion about this plugin????
A good Value?
Speed in applying its affects?
Ease of use?
?
Regards, John
Try the demo? ;-)Quote:
Originally Posted by jclements
I tried it, and it doesn't do too bad a job of creating pencil sketches. Rather slow rendering though. Dead simple to use, but not as many options or as versatile as Alienskin SnapArt for few dollars more if you are an existing customer.
Sketch isn't too bad for $72, just rather basic.
I tend to use a either Sketcher or the Akvis sketch plugin - Sketcher is from Little Ink Pot and very reasonably priced - both work with Xara OK.
http://www.littleinkpot.co.uk/
Christine
Christine - Sketcher vs Akvis.
Pros? Cons?
Second opinion.
Sketcher is cheap, and would work with the two other plugins. Altogether, about still cheap.
Sketcher appears to use B&W bitmap textures to do what it does. I don't know if you could use your own textures. There is a 72 DPI set, and a 300 DPI set.
The demo has lines. Best thing is to try it.
I prefer the Akvis. A little slow on my system because I don't have very much RAM. Look at the system requirements. I like the recoloring option. Demo available that will return useable results.
Rich
Something I noticed about the Akvis plugin was that when the plugin returns to XXP, it remains linked. I did something to the image, and it appeared to be running the plugin. Then XXP closed. I believe it was something like applying transparency. I'll try and keep track.
My impression is the plugin is looking at the tones in the image. i.e. variations in darkness.
Rich
hi there! btw about Akvis. :D
I've read news about its christmas raffle - they offer to win a key for new program:
http://akvis.com/en/lightshop/preset...ing-effect.php
these pictures look so cute! :p i guess i will try... i want to test this program as soon as possible.
A waterfall example. Recoloring is somewhat desaturated, and I made a round white circular transparent brush in XXP. I set the brush to saturation transparency and painted over the folage areas.
Rich
An Akvis poppy painted with a saturation brush in XXP. Rich
amazingly, indeed
A fairly large image. It took a little while to process, but due to my system limitations. I locked the effect when it was returned to XXP.
Top is the original, middle is processed and the bottom is locally resaturated in XXP.
Rich
Trying the plugin on one of my PNG images. Rich
OK, Rich...What is a saturation brush and where do I find one?Quote:
Originally Posted by molucca
As usual, the images you show us are truly superb!
---
Will
Will,
I make a round object in Xara with no line, and apply a circular transparency. Usually white of a lighter shade. Make a bitmap copy.
Use the freehand and brush tool to make a brush. Go to edit brush, fill properities, and turn off tile fills. Get a spacing you like.
Draw a path with the freehand tool, and set the transparency to saturation. Go to utilities and set the most recent attrubutes on.
I have probems getting the sequence just right, and you might have to try a little. You can adjust the saturation or make a brush of a different shade to control the amount of effect. Sometimes a white brush is way too much.
Then draw where you want to locally adjust saturation.
It is similar to drawing a filled rectangle filled with white and setting it to saturation. Just that now you can control the application by brushing on.
I always start with the recent attributed off. Otherwise it may not work to have a brush that paints with saturation. It would paint white, and you woould have to set it to saturation. The other way, you can see the effect as you paint.
Rich
A view of the brush before Saturation transparency. Seems to draw white and change to saturation transparency when ending the path. Nothing special. I set this to 90% to build the effect a little at a time.
Rich
Rich...
Thanks so much for taking the time to explain. This looks like an extremely useful tool to have in my workshop.
I truly appreciate it!
---
Will
Greetings.
Any reason why the AKVIS SKETCH plugin does not work in XXP? If does load, it applies the effects, but when accepted, all I end up with in XXP is a ghost image and noting else... no borders, no pic (it vanishes), no effects...
I know it is there because if use the selection tool and drag around it, i can see the four corners of the original image... Any suggestions on how to fix this would be appreciated.
Thks. Joa1
I believe I have seen that before. It seemed to be a refresh problem as far as I could tell.
I had a problem with the progerss bar before my system suffered from an overvoltage condition, and with the new system, that went away.
Sketch runs differently from XPE. In XXP, I lock the effect and make bitmap copies. This keeps the plugin from rerunning when making a bitmap copy. Difference bewteen running from vector and bitmap , I think.
Akvis is very good at responding to problems, and you might write to them.
If I see this again, I'll make a note of what happens.
Rich
I can get this effect sometimes in different circumstances.
ctrl-shift-T to redraw, or minimise to desktop and restore, usually helps
think like said it is a graphics card refresh issue?
Thank you Rich and Steve for your feedback...
I am still trying to figure this out. Refreshing the screen does not seem to work... and I am having this problem in 3 different machines I tried SKETCH on... all very same problem.
Also tried Xara X (SKETCH produces an error and does not load).
XPE has the same problem.
I do manage, however, to save the image directly from the Xara image editor to disk, and then import it into XXP, XPE, etc. This of course does not allow me to fiddle with the plugin settings any more (this is probably what you mean by locking the image, Rich!?)
I have not yet tried SKETCH on a vector, as exemplified here (http://akvis.com/en/sketch-tutorial/vector-image.php), but will try it next... what I am trying is using it on a BMP/JPEG, then go vector, etc.
I did write Akvis. I will post their solution here in case they come up with one.
Thks again.
Joao
hi there!
Please try:
1. Open an image in Xara Xtreme (I tested with v. 3.2)
2. Select in menu Utilities - Bitmap Editor
3. Launch the Sketch plugin by pressing the button "PS Plug-in"
4. When you are satisfied with the result in the Sketch window, press the button "Apply".
You will return to Picture Editor.
5. Save the result right here, in Picture Editor (the button "Save")!
6. Then select in the same menu "Edits" and remove Sketch from a list. It will prevent the
program from running again.
7. Exit Picture bitmap editor and return to Xara.
8. Open the picture that you saved before.
Sketch 7 is now available.
Rich