Plug-ins for Photoshop

Photoshop by itself is a marvellous tool for creating images. With the addition of the plug-ins for this application, which is the focus this week, you can enhance the range of tasks that Photoshop is capable of.

AV Bros. Puzzle Pro 1.2

A powerful and flexible Photoshop-compatible plug-in, it lets you give a `jig-saw puzzle' effect to your images. A lot of options are available for precise adjustments such as shape of the cell, bevel, opacite, blur of the cells, etc.

You can also hide any cells and save selected cells to PSD file one cell per layer. The plug-in is quite easy to use, and has an interesting setup routine.

The only drawback with this version is that until you purchase Puzzle Pro, the phrase `Unregistered Copy' will be stamped multiple times on the image to which you apply the effect.

Filesize: 1.64 M

Purchase Info: Shareware

Platforms: Win 95/98, Win 2000, Win NT 4.0

Download Location: www.avbros.com/software

Depot Textures 7.1

This is a collection of 180 royalty-free, copyright-free seamless tiles that can be used as backgrounds for desktop wallpaper, Web pages, 3-D textures or anything else you wish.

Filesize: 0.99 M

Purchase Info: Shareware

Download Location: www.graphicsdepot.com

Platforms: Win 3.x, Win 95/98, Win NT 4.0

Extensis PhotoTools 3.0.2

PhotoTools contains major enhancements to its versatile collection of real-world special effects tools for Web and print design, once again showing why it is considered the premier collection of special effects plug-ins for Photoshop.

Filesize: 7.30 M

Purchase Info: Feature Limit Demo

Platforms: Win 95/98, Win NT 4.0

Download Location: www.extensis.com

Image grabber Photoshop Plug-in PC 1.0

Random Eye's image grabber is claimed to be the fastest and easiest way to search, download and purchase stock images from the Internet.

You can download this free Photoshop plug-in and begin searching for stock images with image grabber. You can find the perfect image from a variety of sources.

Over 20 quality agencies are listed, from royalty-free and rights-protected, to specialty stock agency sites that focus on illustration, component imagery and footage.

Filesize: 0.01 M

Purchase Info: Freeware

Platforms: Win 3.x, Win 95/98, Win NT 4.0

Download Location: www.randomeye.com

Krusty's FX 1.0.1

Krusty's FX volume I is a collection of transparency editor tools; the next in line -- volume II -- is a collection of texture generators while volume III is a collection of image retouching tools.

Filesize: 2.60 M

Purchase Info: Freeware

Platforms: Win 95/98, Win NT 4.0

Download Location: www.krust.com

MediaSpark Image Editing Filters 1.0

MediaSpark Image Editing Filters allow you to easily and instantly create sophisticated effects when working with images in Adobe Photoshop, as well as other well-known software programs such as Fractal Design Painter, and Macromedia Director.

The filters include Darken Edges, Darken RGB Edges, Pixelate Edges Black, Pixelate Edges Transparent, Pixelate Black, Pixelate Transparent, Vignette Transparent, Vignette White and White Out.

Filesize: 0.05 M

Purchase Info: Freeware

Platforms: Win 95/98, Win NT 4.0

Download Location: www.mediaspark.com

Compiled by C. Ramesh

Please e-mail us at bleditor@thehindu.co.in if you have queries on computer usage or if you find an interesting way of using the computer.