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REVIEWS › ›<br />
StudioMagic I and II<br />
One-Click Compositing Suite for Photoshop<br />
Review by Rod Harlan<br />
› › photoshop user › february <strong>2016</strong><br />
126<br />
StudioMagic I & II is a full-fledged, robust, compositing suite built<br />
into Photoshop panels. For novice Photoshop users, StudioMagic<br />
will allow them to push the limits of their creativity beyond the<br />
level of their Photoshop skills. For advanced users and working<br />
professionals, it will save time and money by greatly accelerating<br />
their visual effects workflow.<br />
The StudioMagic Designer Set caught my attention as much<br />
for what it’s not than for what it is. It’s not a collection of actions<br />
or a big pile of filters to further clutter up your Photoshop panels.<br />
It is a very clever group of lengthy Photoshop scripts tied to<br />
one-click buttons on grouped Photoshop panels, which all work<br />
together to make dramatic images as quickly and easily as possible.<br />
Basically, StudioMagic harnesses the power of Photoshop<br />
under its hood, and reduces many of its most complicated tasks<br />
to a few simple mouse clicks, so that anyone can create the look<br />
of Photoshop masters in a fraction of the time.<br />
It starts with StudioMagic I Pro-Panel that includes CutOut,<br />
ShadowCaster, and LightBrush, the foundational tools needed<br />
to ready your subjects for compositing.<br />
CutOut takes the guesswork out of Photoshop’s Refine Edge<br />
command by using industry-tested professional defaults, simple<br />
sliders, and checkboxes. CutOut can cut out and replace skies<br />
or remove subjects from backgrounds in seconds, even with<br />
detailed edges or flying hair.<br />
ShadowCaster is the logical extension of CutOut. It easily<br />
creates an accurate shadow so your subject is believable and<br />
anchored in its new scene. Change a shadow’s direction, opacity,<br />
and softness to match scene lighting, or create shadows<br />
based on time of day, and then copy the same shadow settings<br />
to multiple subjects in the same scene.<br />
LightBrush takes flat-looking images and adds focus and<br />
drama by painting with light (which is really just a layer mask).<br />
If you make a mistake, just click a key, and paint back the light<br />
you removed.<br />
StudioMagic II includes the following five major compositing<br />
toolsets for enhancing your images or working with StudioMagic<br />
virtual sets:<br />
Enviro turns a summer landscape into a snowy blizzard, creates<br />
a drenching rainstorm, or fills a field with thick morning<br />
fog. You can even change daytime to sunset! The Enviro toolset<br />
includes: Season Shifter, Let it Snow, Rain Maker, Fogged In,<br />
and Sunset.<br />
LightingEffex creates that magical moment when light breaks<br />
through the clouds or a sudden beam streams through a window.<br />
The LightingEffex toolset includes: Color Match, LightRays,<br />
LightBeams, LightBursts, and Edge Light.<br />
Reflections is one of the most powerful scripts. In just a matter<br />
of seconds, it creates slick mirrored effects and controllable<br />
water ripples that usually take much longer to produce. The<br />
Reflections toolset includes: Water Reflect and Mirror Image.<br />
Compositor places a selection of commonly used photographic<br />
enhancements at your fingertips so you can add them<br />
to an image with a click of the mouse. The Compositor toolset<br />
includes: Cloud Creator, Moon Clock, Over the Rainbow, Starry<br />
Night, Lightning Strikes, and Birds & Flocks.<br />
HyperZap is a module inspired by contemporary sports images,<br />
magazine covers, and movie posters. It’s the closest thing that this<br />
package has to a filter set, but it delivers an image style that’s both<br />
contemporary and commercial. The HyperZap toolset includes:<br />
Grunge Boost and Color Pop Effects.<br />
All in all, the StudioMagic I & II Designer Set, bundled with<br />
12 Virtual Studio Sets, is a good deal at $249, both for Photoshop<br />
novices who want to produce better work than their current<br />
skillset, and for advanced users who want to save hours<br />
producing these same effects from scratch. And if you use the<br />
special Photoshop User magazine promo code “PUser-<strong>2016</strong>,”<br />
you can save 20% through March 30! And if you’re a KelbyOne<br />
member, be sure to visit the Discounts section at KelbyOne.com<br />
for even more savings on LayerCake products. ■<br />
Company: LayerCake Inc.<br />
Price: $249 Designer Set<br />
Web: www.layercakeelements.com<br />
Rating: ◆◆◆◆◆<br />
Hot: Simple buttons/sliders work fast; excellent results<br />
Not:
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