Tutorial: AKVIS Enhancer

Workspace of the Plugin

To call the AKVIS Enhancer plugin, select it from the list of effects. To do this use the command Filter - AKVIS - Enhancer in Adobe Photoshop; the menu item Effects - Plugins - AKVIS - Enhancer if you work with Paint Shop Pro; or Effects - AKVIS - Enhancer if you use Corel PHOTO-PAINT.

The AKVIS Enhancer program window looks like this:

The left part of the plugin's window is taken by the Image Window with two tabs: Before and After. In the Before tab the original image is shown, while in the After tab you can see the processed image. It is possible to switch between the tabs using the Tab-key. You can also compare the original and the resulting images by just left-clicking on any point of the image.

In the upper part of the window you can see the Control panel and the following controls:

• The button / (only in the Focus mode) turns on/off the drawn strokes.

• The button (only in the Focus mode) cancels the last operation. It is possible to cancel several operations in a row.

  The hotkey for the command is Ctrl+Z (+Z on Macintosh).

• The button (only in the Focus mode) returns the last cancelled operation. It is possible to return several operations in a row.

  The hotkey for the command is Ctrl+Y (+Y on Macintosh).

• The button (in the Focus mode and Smart Correction mode) starts image processing of the whole image.
• The button applies the result to the image and closing the AKVIS Enhancer plugin's window.
• The button calls information about the program.
• The button calls the help files of the program.
• The button calls the Preferences dialog box for changing the program's options.
  • Program Language. Change the language by selecting another from the drop-down list.
  • The Preview Window Size. Choose the desired value of the parameter. By default the parameter's value = 300, that is the Quick Preview Window has a proportion 300x300.
  • Initial Scale. This parameter defines the way the image is scaled in the Image Window after opening. The parameter can take one of two values:
    - image scaling Fit to view. The scale adjusts so that the image will be completely visible in the Image Window;
    - if the option 100% is checked, image doesn't scale. Generally, when the scale = 100%, only part of the image will be visible.

  To save changes made in the Preferences window press OK.

  If you need, click on the button Default to come back the default settings.

Navigate and scale the image using the Navigation window. In the Navigation window you can see the reduced copy of the image. The red frame shows the part of the image that is now visible in the Image Window; the areas outside the frame will be shaded. Drag the frame to make other parts of the image visible. To move the frame, bring the cursor inside the frame, press the left mouse button and, keeping it pressed, move the frame in the Navigation window.

Additionally, you can move the image in the Image Window with the scroll bars or by holding down the space bar, then holding down the left mouse button while moving the mouse. The mouse's scroll wheel can move the image up and down, and holding Ctrl ( in Macintosh) - while using the scroll wheel will move the image left and right. Holding Alt (Option in Macintosh) will scale the image. Right-click on the scroll bar to activate the quick navigation menu.

Use the slider or the buttons and to scale the image in the Image Window. When you click on the button or move the slider to the right, the image scale increases. When you click on the button or move the slider to the left, the image scale decreases.

You can also change the image scale by entering a new coefficient into the scale field and pressing the button Enter (Return in Macintosh). Frequently used scale coefficients can be found in a drop-down menu.

You can use hot-keys to change the image scale + and Ctrl++ (++ in Macintosh) to increase the image scale and - and Ctrl+- (+- in Macintosh) to reduce the scale.

Under the Navigation window you can see the drop-down list used to select the mode and below that the image processing parameters.

In the Presets field you can save favourite settings as a preset to use them in the future. When you launch the plugin, it uses the settings of the last used preset.

Also, under the Settings panel you can see hints: the description of the active parameter.