One of my
favourite software companies, Akvis, has developed
the most useful piece of software I have seen in a
while, SmartMask. With SmartMask no longer do you
need to waste a good picture because some numb
brain is in the shot that you’ve now fallen out
with. Smart Mask is a plug-in that works with
Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro and most of the leading
image editors. It makes deleting an object or
person from a photo so much more accurate and
professional. Of course most image programs have
their own selection tools but none work quite so
easily and efficiently as those in SmartMask. Other
image editing programs like Photoshop can produce
selections with the likes of their quick selections
tool, magic wands or lasso tool but they don’t lift
the subject perfectly and even to get a near
perfect extraction it takes such a lot of time and
concentration. Firstly what makes this fiddly
operation effortless is the fact that you have a
choice of three selection modes,
Sharp,
Soft
and
Complex.
By default on loading SmartMask the sharp mode is
selected. This is ideal for chunky objects,
buildings, clothes etc. The soft mode is suited to
defining difficult edges , hair, plants, fur etc
and images where the object and the background are
of similar colours then the complex mode is best
suited. As usual the tutorials are first-rate with
Akvis and explain in reader friendly detail how to
use all elements of the program that will further
enhance the task. There is a red eye dropper that
will select colours to be deleted and a blue
eyedropper that will select colours that are to be
kept. These colours are displayed in two clear
lists to the right of the screen and work in
conjunction with the magic air brush. There are
also three other modes that work together with the
magic brush that will make the most intricate
subject be flawlessly deleted from your
image. With the clean
mode
checked the magic brush only deletes the points
that have the same colours as listed in the delete
colors list. When the calculate
box is
ticked the brush removes the points having the same
colours as those listed in the extract colours list
and colours close to them. It also restores the
points having the same colours as those listed in
the keep colours list and colours close to them.
Thirdly with the repair
box ticked
the magic brush restores only the points having the
same colours as shown in the keep colours list.
When using the program this isn’t at all confusing and the only reason I repeat exactly what these three modes do is to show you how neat and accurately you can lift an object or a person out of your original image. Try it, it’s child’s play and extremely effective, now where’s my wedding album !!!!!
When using the program this isn’t at all confusing and the only reason I repeat exactly what these three modes do is to show you how neat and accurately you can lift an object or a person out of your original image. Try it, it’s child’s play and extremely effective, now where’s my wedding album !!!!!
Akvis SmartMask Photoshop Plug-in Review