AKVIS Software, Inc. has released AKVIS ArtWork 3.0. ArtWork applies different painting techniques to digital pictures. Available in Mac and PC versions as a stand-alone or a plug-in for Adobe Photoshop, ArtWork helps users create a masterpiece out of an ordinary snapshot.

Version 3.0 offers a new painting style – Pen & Ink, as well as the possibility of converting photos into Oil Paintings and Comics. Creating an oil portrait or a comic strip from your last party is just a few clicks away! The new interface and the possibility to import/export presets will make your work yet more comfortable.

AKVIS ArtWork is an ideal solution for creative expression and a perfect gift for a creative person. The program combines advanced painting techniques with a touch of an artistic approach to ordinary digital snapshots, making your digital pictures look as if they were real oil paintings. The program lays brush strokes naturally using the original photo as a reference, allowing creative persons to touch-up the painting by selectively changing the direction of the strokes.

Professional artists have already appreciated the program. Dale McGee, BFA, an art teacher from Canada, found a new use for the program as a helpful tool for art students, “AKVIS ArtWork is absolutely ideal for use in planning a painting. One of the most common problems that can sabotage a painting is when an artist concentrates too much on small details Using AKVIS ArtWork could provide students with an immediate understanding of how realism can be reduced to the beauty and simplicity of line, form and color.”

ArtWork gives its users a unique possibility to create realistic paintings out of photos taken with any kind of digital camera, be it a digital SLR, a cell phone or a compact. The abundance of options opens access to many different styles and painting techniques.

In addition to Oil Painting, version 3.0 offers two more painting techniques: Comics effect and Pen&Ink (new!).

The Comics effect has been remade to achieve better results. This effect reduces the tones of the photo to create an image similar to a poster or a cartoon. Make a comic strip from your party photos or create an original poster. Just get ArtWork and unleash your creativity.

The new Pen & Ink style creates drawings that appear to be made with ink on paper. The ink color can be selected, as well as the color of the background.

Also new to version 3.0: new ready-to-use presets have been added to the Oil Painting style, a new interface design will make your work more comfortable, and the possibility to import/export a list of presets has been added.

A painting is not complete without an inscription. ArtWork offers a wide selection of canvas and artist's signatures to make your painting a finished product, ready to be printed poster-size and hung onto a wall. Make your loved ones a perfect gift of art!

AKVIS Artwork v3.0, showing the Comics effect in use. Screenshot provided by AKVIS Software Inc.

Read what the users say about the program: “I printed a pair of works on a plotter in 30х45 and 50х60 format on a "canvas" layer. Realistic oil paintings! Printing on matte photography paper also yields great results... By using AKVIS ArtWork one has the opportunity to realize their creative ideas, it's not just a painting program − this is a serious creative tool.” (Andrey Terebov, artist from Ukraine).

Many photo editing enthusiasts have already appreciated ArtWork’ s features. Take a look at the Examples.

AKVIS ArtWork is available as a stand-alone application, as well as a plug-in to a photo editor. The plugin version of AKVIS ArtWork is compatible with Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, Corel Painter, Corel Photo-Paint, and Paint Shop Pro, ACD FotoCanvas, and Corel PhotoImpact. AKVIS ArtWork runs on Microsoft Windows 2000/XP/Vista/Win 7 and on Macintosh Mac OS X 10.4-10.6, PowerPC/Intel.

AKVIS ArtWork Home License (plugin or standalone) sells for $72 USD, downloadable from akvis.com. Home users can enjoy the full line of AKVIS plugins in the AKVIS Alchemy bundle (ArtWork, Sketch, Chameleon, MultiBrush, Retoucher, Coloriage, Noise Buster, Decorator, Enhancer, LightShop, SmartMask, Magnifier, ArtSuite) for USD $325 USD, a huge savings over purchasing each separately. One license key grants activation of the software on two computers, for example, on a desktop and a laptop.

A fully featured free evaluation download of AKVIS ArtWork is available at akvis.com

AKVIS Artwork v3.0, another example of the Comics effect in use. Screenshot provided by AKVIS Software Inc.