Filters, Tools and Utilities

The final release of AlienSkin’s reincarnation of its Eye Candy software is Impact, joining Texture and Nature as a set of reworked and improved filters. Impact contains 10 filters – 7 of which are familiar from EyeCandy 4000 and 3 new filters. Available as a separate purchase US$99 or bundled with the others in the series US$199 (with upgrading prices available) the software is a staple for many digital designers and users. Impact works successfully with PS, PSE, PSP, PI and DIP as a plug-in filter and has hundreds of presets to assist beginners as well as an extensive ability to create unique designs with specific control over each facet of creation. The interface is simple to work with and manipulate with the ability to save your own settings and increase your options with the addition of your own reflection maps.
Each of the filters included in the Impact package can be used by digital scrapbookers to create their own designs. Download the 30day fully functional demonstration version to test its capabilities.
Below are mini tutorials for several of the Impact filters in the package to help you get started with exploring its features.
( The tutorials use MSDigital Image Pro 2006 as the host package but the same settings will result in the same look in any package.)

Bevel
Creating a variety of beveled, embossed and carved shapes with the ability to add textures, this is a useful plug-in for a variety of embellishments. From a standard heart shape create this three dimensional page accent.

Insert a heart shape onto your canvas and fill with a shade of red (RGB 204, 0, 51)

Launch Bevel
Make the following changes:
Settings: Plastic
Basic: Bevel Width: 66.11; Bevel Height: 68; Smoothness: 100; Round Corners: 32; Bevel Placement: Inside Selection; Darken Deep Areas: 8; Shade Interior: yes; Surface: None.

Lighting: Direction: 135; Inclination: 45; Highlight Brightness: 98; Highlight Size: 77; Highlight Color: White; Shadow Color: Use the eyedropper to match the red of the heart then choose the color palette and darken slightly.
Bevel Profile: No changes (Button)

Brushed Metal
Create embellishments using brushed metal textures such as eyelets, rivets, tags and more. Make this quick and easy set of tags for you own pages.

Start with two basic tag shapes and one small circle to “rivet” the tags with.

Launch Brushed Metal
1st Tag Settings:
Settings: Linear Gold
Basic: Change only the Grain Contrast to 16 and Grain length to 120.02

2nd Tag Settings:
Settings: Linear Steel
Click on the Metal Color to open the color palette. Select blue.

Basic: Change only the Grain Contrast to 16 and Grain length to 120.02

Rivet:
Settings: Circular Steel

Chrome
The chrome filter creates realistic metal effects with ease and even allows you to create your own reflection maps. Metallic items are popular page accents from wire words, photo corners, to charms. Create this faux gold embossed stamp. (see close up for texture)

Select an appropriate image. (This image was taken from the DIP2006 image gallery Animals:Insects and manipulated to become a line drawing)

Launch Chrome
Settings: Gold
Basic: Bevel Width: 20.88; Bevel Height: 35; Smoothness: 9.29; Round Corners: 0
No changes to other settings.

Glass
Much improved on previous versions, the Glass filter creates shiny glass like surfaces and transparencies which are ideal for creating elements such as jewels, faux acrylics and jellies. Create your own decorative token with this tutorial.

Start with a simple circle of any color. And add your text as desired.
Launch Glass
Choose Settings: Aqua, Outside Selection
Basic:
First choose eyedropper from the Glass Color selection tool and then click on either your original image on the workspace underneath or on the image on the preview pane to regain your original color choice.
Bevel Width: 65; Bevel Smoothness: 10; Round Selection Corners:0 ; Opacity: 40; Tinting: 40; Refraction: 100; Inner Shadow Strength: 60; Drop Shadow Strength: 65; Shadow Offset: 25; Shadow Glow: 20
No changes to other settings.

Other filters include:
Backlight which allows you to create beams of light from behind objects
Extrude which creates thick 3D effects.
Gradient Glow allows you to create halos around selections.
Motion Trail can be used to create the illusion of movement
Perspective Shadow is simple to use to create drop shadows of endless variety.
Superstar generates a variety of standard and complex shapes.
For examples of these filters see the website.

If you create any of your own elements or want to be able to, then purchasing the Eye Candy packages will be a wise investment. Download your demo version today and get creative!

**First published in TidBytes 2006**

© Copyright 2003-2005 by Scrapbook-Bytes; & original creator/s of tutorials/articles

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