Tutorial: AKVIS Chameleon

How It Works

To create a collage using AKVIS Chameleon do the following:

Step 1. Run the standalone edition of AKVIS Chameleon or open your photo editor (if you work with the plugin version of AKVIS Chameleon).
Step 2. Open two images. First, one that will be used as a background for the collage, and second, one containing a fragment which will become part of the collage.

Background Image Foreground Image
with an object for a collage

- If you work with the plugin:
- If you work with the standalone edition (with file in BMP, JPEG, PNG or TIFF format):
Images in AKVIS Chameleon Standalone

Step 3. In plug-in version only: Select the desired fragment using any of the graphic editor's selection tools.
You will be able to edit the selection in the Chameleon plugin.

Selection in Graphic Editor
Step 4. In plug-in version only: Call AKVIS -> Chameleon – Grab Fragment from the Filter menu of the photo editor.
Adobe Photoshop - Filter –> AKVIS –> Chameleon – Grab Fragment; Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo - Effects –> Plugins -> AKVIS –> Chameleon – Grab Fragment; Corel Photo-Paint - Effects –> AKVIS –> Chameleon – Grab Fragment.
If everything is done correctly you’ll see a message that the selected object is saved into the clipboard.

Step 5. In plug-in version only: Switch to the image which will be used as the collage's background.

Attention!

Call the command AKVIS –> Сhameleon – Make Collage from the menu Filters.

Adobe Photoshop - Filter –> AKVIS –> Chameleon – Make Collage; Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo - Effects –> Plugins -> AKVIS –> Chameleon – Make Collage; Corel Photo-Paint - Effects –> AKVIS –> Chameleon – Make Collage.

The AKVIS Chameleon window will open. The window will contain the background image and the pasted object.

Images in AKVIS Chameleon Plugin

Note:

Selection made in the graphics editor and transferred to the plug-in can be edited with the Chameleon's tools.

If while working with the plug-in, steps 3 and 4 are skipped, a fragment which had been worked with when previously using AKVIS Chameleon will be inserted above the fragment.

Hint:

It's possible to change the fragment straight in the plugin by pressing on

Step 6. Select the appropriate collage mode (Montage, Chameleon, Blend, Emersion) in the drop-down menu in the Settings Panel.
- Montage Mode. In Montage mode the program combines images to create a seamless photo montage. It transfers selected objects to a new background and makes the irrelevant parts of the pasted fragment fade away. The object does not change its color range or opacity. This mode is good to use for creating photo collages with people (pasting a person into a new background).
- Chameleon Mode. In Chameleon mode the program adjusts the inserted object to the target image color range and smoothes the object's borders. It looks similar to the way a chameleon adapts to the environment.
- Blend Mode. In Blend mode, the program not only smoothes the borders of the inserted object and adjusts its color range, but it also makes the object semi-transparent, so that the texture and the relief of the primary image can be seen through. Use this mode if you want to “dissolve” the inserted image in the background.
- Emersion Mode. In Emersion mode, like in Montage mode, the program combines images to create a seamless photo montage. The difference between the two is that in Emersion Mode the pasted fragment does not overlay the background, but embeds into the background so that only certain parts of the fragment are visible. This mode allows making montages with difficult objects (trees, etc).
  
  Attention! In Emersion mode it is critical to make a precise selection. If needed, process the edges of the fragment before you paste it into the main image.
Montage Mode Chameleon Mode

Blend Mode Emersion Mode
Step 7. Use the Transform tool from the Toolbar to change the size, the position, and the rotation angle of the pasted fragment on the background image.

If you press the button (T) a frame for the inserted fragment will appear in the Image Window and the Settings Panel will show the transformation parameters.
To change the size of the object, bring the cursor to the dotted frame. The cursor will turn into a two-sided arrow . Keeping the left mouse button pressed, increase or reduce the size of the fragment. You can also scale the image by changing the parameters W (width) and H (height).
There is a proportion sign / between the parameters W and H. If this option is enabled the image will be scaled proportionally, if it is disabled you can set your own parameters. When negative values are entered for W and H the image is mirrored horizontally and vertically, respectively.
To rotate an object, bring the cursor to one of the angle markers to get a rounded two-arrows pointer , move the pointer keeping the left mouse button pressed. You can rotate an object by setting the parameter A (angle) to a value between 0 to 360 in the Settings Panel.
To move an object bring the cursor inside the object, the cursor will turn into a cross . Move the object keeping the left mouse pressed.
Step 8. To place the chosen fragment more accurately, adjust the Opacity parameter. This parameter is auxiliary and does not affect the final result. The parameter can have the following values: 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. With 100% the pasted object is non-transparent. The lower the value of the parameter, the more transparent is the fragment.

Opacity = 50%

Note:

The parameter does not influence the final result. It's used only to position the fragment on the image at a high accuracy.
Step 9. Use the following tools to select a fragment for the collage and remove unnecessary parts of the image.
- Keep Area Tool . Use this tool to outline the areas of the fragment that should be part of the photo collage.
  For example, if you want to keep a human figure, draw an outline within it with the blue pencil. You can activate this tool by pressing the button K on the keyboard.
- Drop Area Tool . Use this tool to outline the unnecessary parts of the fragment, the parts that should disappear.
  You can activate this tool by pressing the button D on the keyboard.
- Eraser Tool . Use this tool to erase drawn outlines. You can activate this tool by pressing the E-key on the keyboard.
Selection with Chameleon's tools

To draw a line, choose the or tools, then left click over the desired point on the fragment, and while holding down the button, begin to draw a line. To draw a straight line, draw a line while holding down Shift.
To erase a stroke, select the tool, move the cursor over undesired area, click the left mouse button, and while keeping it pressed, drag the cursor along the stroke to remove it. The tool's size can be increased or decreased by changing the Eraser Size in Settings Panel.
Step 10. Click on to start the process of collage creation. The result will be shown in the After tab. If you are not satisfied with the result, switch to Before tab. Make necessary corrections and press the button again.

Step 11. You can save the fragment (with the strokes and the parameters) used for the collage.
Press the button on the Control Panel, enter a name for the file and indicate a folder to which you want to save the file.
The fragment will be saved with the .chameleonFragment extension. The file will contain information about the fragment's location, the settings and the drawn contours.
You can open the saved fragment with the button .
Step 12. In plug-in version only: Click on to apply the result and close the plugin window.
Step 13. Save the processed image.
- If you work with the plugin:
- If you work with the standalone edition:
Step 14. The standalone edition of AKVIS Chameleon can print the image. For this purpose press the button , adjust print settings and press the button Print.