- Filters, Old and New
- Getting GUI With It
- Brushed Metal
- Bevel In, Bevel Out
- Button It
- Add Some Text
- Background Information
- And That's the Name of That Tune
And That's the Name of That Tune
Hopefully, you saw the potential of Eye Candy 5: Impact and created a cool graphic to boot. However, as usual, nothing's ever perfect. Don't get me wrong—Impact has many great features, including dazzling effects and the ability to create a new layer for some effects, but it has some weak points as well.
For example, the effects aren't "live." After they're applied, you can't make changes to them without reapplying them—and if you forget to check the Create Output In New Layer Above Current check box, that could be a problem.
Also, some of the built-in Photoshop effects do a better job with certain effects and remain live and editable. Finally, you have to rasterize text before applying an effect to it. This is a serious workflow bottleneck. Even if the software created a rasterized copy of your text layer, it would be a nice addition that would help save time if you decided to make changes to your text.
Impact is a sweet suite of filters and a must-have for serious Photoshop users. It works with Photoshop 7 or higher, Fireworks MX 2004, and Paint Shop Pro 8 and retails for $99, with an upgrade price of $49. Whether you're a graphic designer, a digital photographer, or a Web content creator, Impact will make your designs pop.