Mac graphics and 3-D software news, reviews, and tips, including Photoshop

Review: Acorn 2.1 image editing software

James Dempsey — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:00:00 -0800

Acorn 2.1 is a great app for digital photography hobbyists, bloggers, or anyone who needs a decent amount of flexibility in editing images but doesn't require the power of a full image editor.

OnOne introduces PhotoTune 3

Nick Spence — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:49:00 -0700

onOne Software has announced a range of new products including PhotoTune 3 for Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.

Outsource your photo scanning projects

Derrick Story — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Scanning all your old photos is a daunting process. Should you use a third-party scanning service can help you migrate old photos from the shoe box to the computer?

Review: Adobe Photoshop Elements 8

Rick LePage — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:18:00 -0700

Adobe's low-cost image editor features some interesting new tools and lots of small changes that add up to top-notch program.

Scary fonts

Jay J. Nelson — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:00:00 -0700

Planning a Halloween party or celebration? Or just sending a card? Here are places where you can find some original fonts for the occasion.

Acorn 2.1 gains AppleScript, more

David Chartier — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:59:00 -0700

Flying Meat's "image editor for humans" received a major update to version 2.0 only last month, but Acorn 2.1 brings a slew of new features, tweaks, and fixes—the most notable of which is support for AppleScript.

Review: Toon Boom Studio 5

Dan Ablan — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Toon Boom Studio 5's stop-motion feature, annotation layers, and export functions make this not just a fun program to use, but one rich in sophisticated features.

E-on Software unveils Vue 8 lineup

Jackie Dove — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 02:52:00 -0700

E-on software has unveiled its upcoming Vue 8 product line, scheduled for release the first week of November. New features include 3-D terrain sculpting, a new directional displacement engine, and the third generation of E-on's atmospheric technology.

Cartoon you: Quick avatars with Photoshop filters and effects

Pariah S. Burke — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 06:45:00 -0700

How to use Photoshop filters to build creative avatars for social networking and Web sites and chat clients.

Cartoon you: Illustrator’s Live Trace converts your photo into a drawing

Pariah S. Burke — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Illustrator's Live Trace feature is the subject of our fourth article on how to create your own avatar portrait for social networking Web sites and instant messengers.

Adios Script: a smart font

Jay J. Nelson — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Our font of the month, Adios Script, exemplifies OpenType functionality.

Autodesk opens design software to Mac via Parallels

Philip Michaels — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:24:00 -0700

In addition to the native Mac software it already offers, Autodesk says its Windows offerings will now run on Parallels Desktop, as it makes Parallels its preferred virtualization software.

Review: Poser 8 3-D modeling software

Dan Ablan — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 05:46:00 -0700

Smith Micro’s release of Poser 8 marks a major overhaul of this figure creation program.

Mac News Briefs: Vectorworks 2010 products unveiled

Macworld Staff — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:37:00 -0700

Nemetschek North America released the 2010 versions of its Vectorworks line of design software, including Designer, Architect, Landmark, Spotlight, Machine Design, Fundamentals, and Renderworks.

Acorn 2 adds multi-layer screenshots, more

Dan Moren — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:37:00 -0700

Acorn 2, the new version of Flying Meat's inexpensive image editor contains plenty of new features and performance improvements.

Cartoon You: Creating easy avatars

Pariah S. Burke — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 07:30:00 -0700

Part one of our Easy Avatars series on how to create cool characters for your social networks and IM clients.

Coloring with Adobe Kuler

James Dempsey — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:30:00 -0700

The use of color is generally one of the most important aspects of any design. But not all designers are blessed with the ability to create color combinations that work well together. Most of us know a great color-combo when we see one, but couldn't create one if our lives depended on it. This is where Kuler can help.

Pixelmator 1.5 adds Save for Web, Snow Leopard support

David Chartier — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:48:00 -0700

A major update to image editor Pixelmator brings some big new features across the board, including Save for Web, more editing options, and better color tools for web designers.

Opinion: Should creatives upgrade to Snow Leopard?

James Dempsey — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:30:00 -0700

Designer James Dempsey ponders whether the creative community will benefit from upgrading to Snow Leopard.

Review: Home & Landscape Design Studio for Mac 14.1

Greg Miller — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Punch! Software’s Home & Landscape Design Studio for Mac 14.1—at about $150—is an excellent value for what it does well: Create quick and impressive 3-D views of your dream home or landscape design that showcase your vision for your property.

Create a digital ID with Adobe Acrobat

Pariah S. Burke — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 06:30:00 -0700

Need a digital ID? Here's how to create one with Adobe Acrobat.

Sign electronic documents with your own handwritten signature

Pariah S. Burke — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:30:00 -0700

Did you ever wonder how to create your own handwritten signature? Look no further.