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Photoshop CS2 review
By Colin Smith -
What's new in Adobe Photoshop CS2?
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Dreamsuite 2
Review by Colin Smith
 It
seems like it was just yesterday that AutoFX released version
1 of the Dreamsuite series. To say the least I was stunned by
the quality of the photorealistic effects, however it did perform
a bit sluggish. Since then they have released an update that
increases the speed dramatically.
Dreamsuite
is a series of photorealistic effects that work either as a
stand-alone product or as a Photoshop Compatible plug-in.
Version
2 is not really an upgrade, it is a whole new library of effects
that compliment version 1.
Auto FX have added 12 new effects they are:
2
1/4: Photo-realistic 2 1/4 film frames with unique translucency
PhotoPress: Press photos down into the background scene for a distinctive
look
4
x 5: Photo-realistic 4 x 5 film frames with unique translucency
PhotoStrips: Slice and overlap image strips to form unique visual effects
to any photo
FilmGrain: Simulate traditional high-grain films for stunning enhancements
PlasticWrap: Make elements in a photo look like they are pressing against
a sheet of plastic
FilmStrip: Interactively bend and crease your photos for unique depth looks
Puzzle Pieces: Turn your photos into puzzles with realistic
pieces you can move around and layer
FilmFrame
Art: Creative filmstrip effects for combining images together
artistically
Tile: Shape your photo using tiles and depth to give you a layered
depth appearance
Mesh: Weave together strips of photos in a creative mesh effect
Wrinkle: Apply photo-realistic wrinkles and depth shading to your photos
Installing:
DS2 is fully compatible with OSX and Photoshop7 and it's a breeze
to install. Just run the disk and point to your plug-ins floder.
It will ask for the serial # the first time you launch the program.
I
was really happy to see that it installs into the existing Dreamsuite
Interface. This way you can build a whole library of effects
without the clutter of multiple plug-in folders. When you run
the filter, it launches the Dreamsuite interface, from there
you can choose the series you want to use, you can then preview
the presets and apply them quickly.
My
thoughts:
I
was stunned by the quality of the effects, they have spared
no detail in the photorealism. My favorite has to be the Film
Frame Art, I remember spending several hours on a similar effect
a few years ago. If I had Dreamsuite 2 then, just this 1 time
use would have paid for the product.
With
DS 2 you can quickly apply amazing effects to your images with
no fuss. Each effect is also fully customizable. The product
ran smoothly on my G4 with OSX and Photoshop 7. In my opinion
DreamSuite 2 is the best Plug-in release for Photoshop I have
seen in a while.
DreamSuite
2 comes with the Mac and PC versions both on the disk and the
effects are available either as a series for $149 or you can
purchase them individually from Auto FX for $50 each.
It
takes a lot to impress me when it comes to Plug-ins, but DS2
has succeeded in that and I recommend it to both Professionals
and hobbyists alike!
I
giveDreamSuite Series 2 a 5/5
Auto FX
MAC/Win
Suggested retail $149
Visit
the Auto FX site
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RATING SYSTEM
1 cup - bad
2 cups - not bad
3 cups - good
4 cups - excellent
5 cups - a must have
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