Tutorial: AKVIS Chameleon

Time goes by like water: a photo collage in Corel Photo-Paint

Consult the article "Blend mode" to get the same result with the new version. In the older versions (before v.5.0) this mode was called Snapshot and applied automatically right after you launch the plugin from the menu Filter.

Sunrises replace sunsets and time goes by like sand through your fingers...

To create a "philosophic" photo collage symbolizing the eternal beauty of nature and the fleetingness of the human life we have chosen two photos: a sunset photo and a stop-watch.

We will make the photo collage in Corel Photo-Paint using AKVIS Chameleon Plug-in in the Snapshot mode. Follow the instructions below:

• Step 1. Open the photos in your photo editor.
• Step 2. First open the image with the stop-watch and activate any selection tool, for example Magnetic Mask Tool.

  In the Options palette of the chosen selection tool deactivate the check-box Anti-aliasing.

• Step 3. Outline the stop-watch with the selection tool. Read more about Magnetic Mask Tool here.
  
• Step 4. Copy the selected stop-watch into the buffer by pressing the buttons Ctrl+C or by calling the command Copy -> Edit.
• Step 5. Activate the image with the sunset and call the command Effects -> AKVIS -> Chameleon (Take Snapshot) to take a snapshot of the image. We will need this snapshot the next time we call the plug-in. We use the Snapshot mode to make the background image visible through the pasted object. In this case we want the stop-watch to adapt its color range to the photo and to be semi-transparent.
• Step 6. Paste the stop-watch into the sunset photo by calling the command Edit -> Paste -> Paste as New Selection.
  
• Step 7. Do not remove the mask!
• Step 8. Select Object Pick Tool in the Toolbar and move the stop-watch to the left, just a little bit.
  
• Step 9. Call the command Mask -> Invert twice. This double command does not change anything visually but without it you won't get the plug-in working in Corel Photo-Paint.
• Step 10. Call the plug-in AKVIS Chameleon by selecting the command AKVIS -> Chameleon (Use Snapshot) in the menu Effects.
  
• Step 11. Remove the mask with the command Mask -> Remove. The photo collage is ready.