AKVIS Sketch
The photo and the picture are devoted fellows, although there is always an abyss between them — Reality and Art cliffs are on the opposite sides. AKVIS Sketch developers tried to cast «a bridge» from Photo to Picture Land that they called in the name of the Spirit of Art. Their attempt was successful.  With AKVIS Sketch you may turn a technically-made image (a photo) into a craft (let it be a pencil picture or charcoal, watercolour and even pastel drawings). The creative capacity of the software will impress you much more if you choose a canvas beforehand (a base for putting colours. The option offers any user to download it`s own types of canvas ,if desired, that will definitely rise the potential for creativity). There is another opportunity to prepare the ready sketch for printing or save it in «jpeg» or in «png» (what is most pleasant for being the better-quality copy). Besides, you will be able to spread all variations you`ve made on a collection of photos, although this option is available for plug-in version only and within the independent software it will not function. InterfaceThe interface of AKVIS Sketch is plain and made in good taste. Icons, that are bright and not so elaborate at the same time, make an impression of having a set for painting in hand. Besides, the formal and oderly style of the interface remains but in the shadow when you open a photo; the toolbar in the top -the Menu itself - is pleasant for «touching». Convenient in practice.Soon one has a pretty good idea of developers intention to make the software possibly convenient in practice. All is within reach — in the top you choose photos and launch the program and in the right you have a set of options. There is a window in the middle of the page that displays the original and working variants of your sketch. In addition, there is a small preview window in the right top corner. As for the options, each one has a mini-explanation that appears when you move a mouse on the option. There is a block divided into two parts on the right side of the page. One part shows your draft where you may choose a canvas and even change it`s settings, as the whim takes you. Another part will help you to save your sketch and even store it up as a set model for further drawings. That is satisfactory that all the changes are displayed in the very window, so you watch it even turning from one to another settings. Emerging windows are only «Print», «Save» and «Open». And there is one more surprise from AKVIS Sketch click on the sketch you`ve made and the original photo will appear for a few seconds and then vanish. In general, the software is friendly and easy to use. Notes from the working studioI`d like to point out that with standart settings you may be safe to have quite a bright, good picture (a photo is converted into a pencil picture). With a click of the mouse on «play» (the icon reminds so much of a well-known button) a dull image of a street wall  turns to be true to life.  Making experiments you can choose a proper canvas (you need doubleclick on the current canvas) and create quite a beautiful colourful picture for it is within the capacity of AKVIS Sketch. Although not all the pictures look more picturesque in colour. Follow the examples below one is made with colourful strokes, in watercolour, on a canvas called «Rope». Another is «drawn» with colourful strokes and in charcoal. Still, multifunctional AKVIS Sketch makes experimenting with photos possible and the results will be enjoyble.   Weak pointsAccording to the results of the test, no program problems have been revealed, and in fact a single matter is worth noting - work in command with graphic editors will be more prolific, however as an independent software AKVIS Sketch will suffice.     
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