AKVIS ArtSuite 3

Introduction

AKVIS ArtSuite 3 is a Photoshop-compatible plug-in that provides impressive frames, edge effects, and textures that can be customized, and these customizations can then be saved as your own presets and libraries.

AKVIS ArtSuite 3 is the newer avatar of their Frame Suite product. This version includes three new effects: Black and White, Shift Colors, and Channel Mixer. Also added is an Autorun button. So, that you can automatically preview any changes in real-time.

ArtSuite 3 is from AKVIS, a company based in Russia that specializes in graphics programs. Apart from ArtSuite, AKVIS also creates other Photoshop-compatible plug-ins like Retoucher, Chameleon, Stamp, Sketch, Enhancer, Decorator and Coloriage.

You can download a free 10-day trial version of ArtSuite 3 from the AKVIS site

My contact at AKVIS for this review was Kat Kharina. Thank you, Kat.

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How To Use

Apart from applying frames and edge effects, AKVIS ArtSuite 3 offers several other effects. You can learn how to apply a frame on an image in a previous review

In this walkthrough, we'll look at Black and White, easily one of the best new features in this version:

1. Open any image in an image editor such as Adobe Photoshop.
2. Choose the Filter | AKVIS | ArtSuite option, as shown in Figure 1, below.
3. 
   Figure 1: AKVIS ArtSuite
3. This opens the ArtSuite 3 interface, that you can see in Figure 2, below.
4. 
   Figure 2: AKVIS ArtSuite interface
4. The interface is divided into two parts: the left side is the preview window where you can see the picture and the changes made, the right side of the interface has the list of frames and effects with the setting.
5. Select the frame list provided as shown in Figure 3, below and choose the Effects option.
6. 
   Figure 3: Frames list
7. Figure 4 shows the list of effects.
8. 
   Figure 4: Effects
6. Choose any effect you want. For this tutorial, we choose Black and White, as shown in Figure 5, below.
7. 
   Figure 5: Black and White
8. Play with Black and White effect properties to get some nice effects.
9. This effect is a more intuitive version of Photoshop's Hue/Saturation adjustment option. However, it's far more intuitive and allows you to choose individual color values to desaturate. The thumbnails in Figure 6 shows you some effects possible with this effect.
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  Figure 6a
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  Figure 6b
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  Figure 6c
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  Figure 6d
7. After done with the applying effects, click the either the Autorun or Run icons (see icons below).
8. 
9. The difference between both of these options is that while the Autorun option shows you automatic previews of any changes, the Run icon only shows you changes when clicked.
8. This applies and creates a preview of the image. If you want to make more changes, you can select another effect as required. You can preview the changed image in the After tab, as shown in Figure 7, below.
9. 
   Figure 7: Preview the changes
9. Once you’re done with playing with the effect, apply the result to the image by pressing the Apply icon (see icon below) to return to the image editor.
10. 

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Specifications

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