I'm always looking for new ways to enhance my images and was checking out Topaz Simplify, especially for images that I may want to have a watercolor effect or an oil painting. I know that Photoshop has artistic filters and I have used them in the past, but I wanted to see if there was something else out there.
Topaz Simplify looks like it might be worth a try. If you use Topaz Simplify, do you like it, does it work the way you like?
I have the whole Topaz bundle. I use Adjust, DeNoise, Detail and Simplify the most. I love the Simplify watercolor filter. My favorite oil filter is in Adjust, but I also like the one in Simplify.
What I like about Simplify as well as the other Topaz products is that you can basically make them do exactly what you want. You can start with any of a number of presets and adjust from there. You can, of course, also apply multiple filters, adjusting many settings in each one, until you arrive at exactly what you want.
If you go to http://www.topazlabs.com/webinars/ you'll see a list of webinars, and the one on Enhance Your Imagery with Adjust, Simplify and Detail, by John Barclay, is really good.
I believe you can try any of the Topaz products for free. But my opinion is that I love them.
I've used the oil painting preset from Simplify the most, probably. I wouldn't get any one Topaz plugin - the bundle is fairly inexpensive, especially if you use a coupon code, which is readily available online. I have also used the freeware, now Amphisoft, Simplifier plugin - it seems to only work in 32-bit Photoshop, and images must be 8-bit color...but I like its effects.
I love using Topaz Simplify. My favorite filter in Simplify is buzsim. It makes a great painterly effect. I also like their watercolor and oil painting filters a lot.
I use Topaz Simplify a fair amount. The images in my "Photo Impressions" gallery at http://jimbullard.zenfolio.com/ are mostly done with Topaz Simplify. A few were done with Fo2Pix buZZ 3 which is no longer available (the company went bust) and some are combined filter effects. I have the whole Topaz filter collection but Simplify is the one I use the most although their DeNoise is very good too.
I do like the Topaz plug-ins and I do like to use Simplify from time to time. I like to use it in conjunction with other filters and techniques but it also stands alone due to the fact that it gives you lots of adjustments to Taylor the effect the way you want it to look. The presets it gives you are a nice starting point to get your creative juices flowing. I do recommend this plug-in Barbara.
Discussion
7 repliesTopaz Simplify looks like it might be worth a try. If you use Topaz Simplify, do you like it, does it work the way you like?
Any feedback is greatly appreciated.
What I like about Simplify as well as the other Topaz products is that you can basically make them do exactly what you want. You can start with any of a number of presets and adjust from there. You can, of course, also apply multiple filters, adjusting many settings in each one, until you arrive at exactly what you want.
If you go to http://www.topazlabs.com/webinars/ you'll see a list of webinars, and the one on Enhance Your Imagery with Adjust, Simplify and Detail, by John Barclay, is really good.
I believe you can try any of the Topaz products for free. But my opinion is that I love them.
Fun to experiment!
Try the free trials -
Sandy