Tutorial: AKVIS Chameleon

Using AKVIS Chameleon v.1.x-4.x in Paint Shop Pro

In its old versions AKVIS Chameleon applied automatically right after you launched it from the menu Filter. It didn't have an interface and offered only two modes of collage creation.

Look how you could work with the old Chameleon:

AKVIS Chameleon offers two modes of photo collage creation: Standard mode and Snapshot mode.

In Standard mode of collage creation the program adjusts the pasted object to the target image color range and smoothes the object's borders.

Learn how to use Standard mode of AKVIS Chameleon by watching a flash movie. Click here! (flash-movie, 5,6 MB).

Follow the instructions to create a photo collage in Standard mode:

• Step 1. Select the object with any selection tool. Before you select the object that you want to transfer to another image make sure that the check box Anti-Alias in the Options palette is deactivated, Feather=0, Smoothing=0. Learn more about selection tools of Paint Shop Pro.
• Step 2. Copy the selection with the command Edit -> Copy.
• Step 3. Go to the background image and paste the copied object with the command Edit -> Paste As a New Selection.
• Step 4. Do not remove the selection!
• Step 5. Adjust the position of the pasted object on the background. Learn more about transformation tools of Paint Shop Pro.
• Step 6. Merge all the layers (the command Layers - Merge - Merge All).
• Step 7. Call the plug-in AKVIS Chameleon by selecting the command Effects -> Plugins -> AKVIS -> Chameleon.
• Step 8. Remove the selection.

In Snapshot mode, the program does 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.

Learn how to use Snapshot mode of AKVIS Chameleon by watching a flash movie. Click here! (flash-movie, 5,1 Mb).

Follow the instructions to create a photo collage in Snapshot mode:

• Step 1. Select the object with any selection tool. Before you select the object that you want to transfer to another image make sure that the check box Anti-Alias in the Options palette is deactivated, Feather=0, Smoothing=0. Learn more about selection tools of Paint Shop Pro.
• Step 2. Copy the selection with the command Edit -> Copy.
• Step 3. Go to the background image and select the command Effects -> Plugins -> AKVIS -> Chameleon (Take Snapshot).
• Step 4. Paste the copied object into the background image with the command Edit -> Paste As a New Selection.
• Step 5. Do not remove the selection!
• Step 6. Adjust the position of the pasted object on the background. Learn more about transformation tools of Paint Shop Pro.
• Step 7. Merge all the layers (the command Layers - Merge - Merge All).
• Step 8. Call the plug-in AKVIS Chameleon by selecting the command Effects -> Plugins -> AKVIS -> Chameleon (Use Snapshot).
• Step 9. Remove the selection.

Attention! If the pasted object does not fit into the background you should adjust its size before copying it into the main picture.