Studio Artist 2.0

Studio Artist 2.0

BY MICHAEL WEBSTER

Mar | Apr 2004
Issue No.15

Studio Artist 2.0 is a powerful application with infinite possibilities for generating unique artwork. It paints, manipulates digital images and auto-paints (rotoscopes) QuickTime video frame-by-frame or in specifically chosen parts. It also works well with Wacom's graphics tablets and pressure-sensitive pens.

Studio Artist 2.0 is best known as an auto-paint application. Once a source image is loaded, it can be analyzed and painted by preset paint styles or with original paint styles that can be generated and saved. When they are combined, they can used to create even more unique effects.

The source image is used in the much the same way as an artist’s model. It appears in the upper left portion of the window with the canvas taking up the remainder. One of the following methods is chosen: auto paint (a representation of the image is painted on the canvas); bringing the source image into the canvas area and manipulating it in much the same way as when using PhotoShop or opening a blank canvas and painting from scratch. (The latter sounds easier than it is. Even though it's effortless to randomly generate cool images, and “auto-paint” sounds like “cheating”, it actually requires a lot of work to acquire professional control.)

Studio Artist 2.0 facilitates virtually infinite control of a large variety of paint and image processing operations, such as: creating brushes, textures, and a series of operations to build new PhotoShop filters.

The creators describe it as a paint synthesizer. Used in this context, that word always scares me as it has proven to be synonymous with complicated. This application is no exception, but unlike some of the others, success is possible without delving into its deepest, darkest secrets.

Some other wonderful features include: the work being resolution-independent of its source image (a combination of raster paint and vector curves allow resizing up to 4000 x 4000 pixels without loss of resolution); Bézier curves are adjustable; regions are selectable; a magic wand (of sorts) is available, as are layers and the tools needed to create original color palettes.

Studio Artist 2.0 permits image manipulations but doing it is complicated. The designers paid no attention to Apple interface standards and simple things like opening a new document, saving, picking a brush, drawing a curve, and creating a blank document are not intuitive. Also, many of the conveniences we’ve grown accustomed to, such as floating palettes and brush icons, are not offered. Ample documentation is provided with Studio Artist 2.0, albeit as a PDF, and there are three CD's containing over 8 hours of useful, but limited tutorials. (It’s not possible to cover all of its options in such limited space.) It’s helpful to have the tutorial open in one window and the application in another.

One of the tutorial’s authors chose this venue to complain about the lack of power and RAM on the computer being used. I expect software developers to use computers up to the task, and the complaint irritated me.

So, you ask, is Studio Artist 2.0 worth it?

For a pro, probably not, but it could be a good addition to your inventory. (It’s not a replacement for the Painters and the Photoshops.) It is very good for children, however, especially in Mac-centric, creative households. (My daughter, 11, was able to run with it after a brief introduction.) It’s also good for non-artists wanting to produce high quality, creative artwork.

Studio Artist 2.0 works with 8.5 and above, including OSX.

Studio Artist 3.0 has just been released, but was not available in time for this review. Go to http://www.synthetik.com for more information.

Michael Webster is a publishing systems consultant, freelance writer and photographer.