Date of publication 06/05/07
Updated 31/10/07

Prices vary between filter sets, but once you have purchased one set others are then discounted

Alien Skin filters have always produced some really neat effects and their range now includes a number of filter sets you can see below, but we also like a set of filters called Splat. You can read the manufactures information by clicking the logo at the top of the page or see our examples and tests below.

Like all filters there are some that we will use quite a bit in our photography and others that are probably more targeted at graphic artists. Alien Skin are good quality filters and what we liked is the large number of preset filters that we can start off with. These give some great effects on their own, but then we can select from laterally hundreds of variations to those preset values.

This gives more than enough options for us to vary them to suite any tastes. A great set of filters for photographers are the Snap Art set of filters with some great oil paint effects and stylize effects amongst many others. We also like the fact that from within the filter palette you can receive a message and ours said that there were other preset filters available. We clicked the link and was taken to the Alien Skin site. We saved these settings to our computer and double clicked each of the files in Windows Explorer and they were imported into the user settings area of the filter palette.
It was very slick and neat.

Take a look at one or two of our examples by clicking the logos below

Exposure 2 is a plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop® and compatible host programs. Exposure provides amateur and professional photographers, graphic designers, and photo retouchers with one-click access to the broadest range of film stock and special effects settings available anywhere.

The new version of Exposure delivers even more features that add the look and feel of film to digital photography. Users can easily simulate current and discontinued print and slide film stocks – both black and white and color – and subtly manipulate realistic grain, mimic darkroom effects like push and cross processing, even save a signature look as a preset. What’s more, everything in Exposure 2 is accessible in one simple interface.

 

Eye Candy 5: Impact, is a collection of ten Photoshop filters which create chrome, brushed metal, glass, bevels, shadows, reflections and more. Impact offers beautifully rendered effects that any novice or professional designer will appreciate.

Impact includes three all-new filters. Backlight projects dramatic light beam and spotlight effects. Brushed Metal simulates textured metal surfaces such as brushed aluminum and polished brass. Extrude gives 2D objects a classic 3-D look, adding thickness and perspective.

In addition, Impact refines seven classic effects that made Eye Candy famous. Embossing effects now include surface textures and more bevel shapes. Gel, glass, chrome and liquid metal effects now showcase a wide variety of vibrant reflections.

Impact includes over 200 presets for frequently used effects; you can find the perfect effect quickly. The improved settings management system makes it easy to browse, share and collect new settings.

Impact also works with 16-bit images. Color transitions are smoother, with less banding.

Nature - A collection of ten Photoshop filters, which create fire, smoke, rust, snow, ice and more. The second of a three-part upgrade to Eye Candy 4000, Nature offers beautifully rendered effects that any novice or professional designer will appreciate.

Nature includes four new filters and reincarnates six Eye Candy classics. The classic filters boast brand-new looks, greater realism, and improved ease-of-use. For example, select filters can create a new layer and render effects to it; this allows you to view, edit, or turn off these effects without modifying the original layer.

Nature includes over 500 presets for frequently used effects; you can find the perfect effect quickly. The improved settings management system makes it easy to browse, share and collect new settings.

Nature also works with 16-bit images. Color transitions are smoother, with less banding.

Textures is a collection of ten seamless texture generators. The first of three upgrades to Eye Candy 4000, Textures produces a wide variety of texture effects, including snake and lizard skin, fur, brick, stone and wood. Graphic designers, Web developers and 3D artists can quickly create backgrounds, skins, seamless tiles and more.

Textures creates a limitless variety of photo-realistic surfaces for $99, the cost of a stock CD. And, because every filter has a seamless tile option, tiling is quick and easy.

Textures includes settings for over 200 frequently used effects. A new settings system makes it easy to explore these effects. The ability to save and export makes sharing settings a snap.

Textures works with 16-bit images and does not compromise expanded color depth. Color transitions are smoother

Xenofex 2 delivers 14 more phenomenal effects for Web designers, graphic artists, digital photographers, and special effects enthusiasts.

With Xenofex 2, simulate spectacular natural phenomena such as lightning and clouds. Create striking images and text using sophisticated distortions such as Flag, Television, and the brand new Rip Open. Transform your photos into jigsaw puzzles, constellations, and intricate mosaics with a single click. Plus, presets put hundreds of quick and easy effects at your fingertips.

With the familiar, uncluttered interface of Eye Candy 4000, Xenofex 2 is better than ever.


Snap Art creates beautiful, natural media artwork in a single step. Render any image in an unlimited variety of real-world art styles including oil paint, pencil sketch, pen & ink, comics, and more. Great for stylizing photos or graphics, Snap Art works without laborious hand editing and is more versatile than Actions or brushes.

Conventional artists often use an underdrawing to outline key objects within a composition. This lightly drawn sketch serves as a guide and is usually painted or drawn over in the final composition. Similarly, Snap Art uses edge detection to discern the objects, edges, lines, and shapes of an original image. Then, using this outline, an advanced paint engine strokes and fills this outline using the brushes and colors you specify. This allows realistic reproduction of detail, but balances that realism with convincing artistry.

Loaded with hundreds of settings, Snap Art distills this complicated process down to a single step. Simply find the factory setting that works for your image. And for the advanced user, detailed controls are available to fine tune a composition for the desired effect. Check out our slide show "The Art of Cornwall" using these effects HERE


Splat! is a powerful, new filter set for Adobe Photoshop and other graphics programs. Easy to use and versatile, Splat! combines frames, textures, edges, borders, mosaics and more with the award-winning interface of Eye Candy 4000 in an all-new, affordable plug-in. Digital photographers, graphic designers, Web monkeys and digital artists can set their images apart using the stunning effects of Splat!

Online Delivery Information

Splat! uses over 200 MB of high-quality, high-resolution content to generate effects. Therefore, we are unable to offer Splat! for online delivery only. A smaller version of Splat! is available for online delivery for FREE with your purchase of a physical copy. This smaller version includes a subset of lower resolution content.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
         
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