[DannyRaphael]

PLUGIN: Buzz
VENDOR: Fo2Pix http://www.fo2pix.com/, a division of Segmentis
PLATFORMS: Win or Mac
OS: Windows 95 or higher; see site for current info on Mac OS status
WORKS WITH:
* Photoshop
* Paint Shop Pro
* PhotoDraw
* Corel Photo-Paint
* Fireworks 3
and most other leading graphics programs

Though I’ve barely scratched the surface of this plugin's capabilities, I’ve been amazed at the fairly decent looking “photo art” this plugin can generate.

In many cases the renderings can stand alone, but in others they look better when used as a basis on which other filters or effects are applied, or are combined through blend modes with other layers.

Notes:
* The company makes a stand alone PC-only application called PhotoArtMaster that I’ve read has similar capabilities as the plugin.
* Buzz is packaged a couple different ways. For example the Buzz “Pro” package contains more filters and presets (and costs more) than the Buzz “Lite” offering.

Pictures / examples worth many, many words. Here’s couple reviews containing sample before / after images:

* Review1: http://www.wdvl.com/Reviews/Graphics/buzzpro2/
* Review2: http://www.ephemeralvisions.com/pv_t...view-buzz.html
* Review3: http://www.pspug.org/reviews/buzzpro...buzzpro2.shtml
* Review4 from About.com: http://graphicssoft.about.com/librar...a0105buzz1.htm

========

BUZZ TUTORIALS

Check them out here. (Scroll down 5-6 pages near the bottom.)

========

GALLERIES OF ARTISTS WHO USE BUZZ

Click HERE

========

SHOW US WHAT YOU'VE GOT!

Use this thread to post some of your favorite Buzz creations. If you would, provide as much detail as possible on “how you got what you got.”

KEEP HAVING FUN!

~DannyR~

[DannyRaphael]

Here’s one I did tonight while attempting to get watercolor-like results.

Not sure if this is more watercolor or more pen and ink. Does it matter?

Layer stack
1. Levels adjustment layer (grouped with layer 2) to bring out some edge detail; Normal, 100%

2. Buzz, Overlay, 100%

Used the watercolor.stk preset, modified as follows:
* Simplifier 1, Remove, 312, both
* Edges Color
* Simplifier 1, Remove, 12530, both

3. Original background image, Normal, 100%

Are you having fun yet? I am!

~DannyR~

[thomasgeorge]

Buzz Pro is a far more versitile program. Photoartmaster, while a stand alone program, only works with JPEG, and really is somewhat slow and akward interface wise. I own both and find that Buzz pro when used in conjunction with the history brush, layer blend modes and Brus Stroke routines in Photoshop is a fantastically powerful plug-in. Tom

[thomasgeorge]

Oops....heres one done with Buzz Pro and Photoshop....Tom

[OhThatGirl2001]

Hi All,

I must say - I'm amazed at how versatile this program is! I love it. I tried it out on this image using Simplifier Three. It's my favorite of the filters. I adjusted so that the outer area was blended enough. The inner only slightly (1 or 2) and the middle 1.

Then I applied Splat Oddity Texture and voila!

Lisa

[OhThatGirl2001]

Here is another wonderful example of using the watercolor technique and finishing with Buzz Pro - Simplifier three and finally a splat texture.

[OhThatGirl2001]

Thanks - I'm really enjoying taking a photo and transforming it into a painting!

Here's how I made this one....

1)Duplicate layer

2) Stylize - Find Edges... change blending mode to Multiply

3) Flatten layers

4) Play around with brightness/contrast, Hue/Sat

5) Buzz Pro - Simplifier 3

6) Finally, Alien Skin Splat Texture

Lisa

[OhThatGirl2001]

Look what I did with the Rusty Truck picture... KTP Effects (Vortex) and good ole Buzz Pro.

Lisa

[Andrew B.]

More good links. Thanks for posting those, Danny.

I want to add something here. I've tested buZZPro and PhotoArtMaster and I think they are different. IOW, people with buZZ might also want to give PhotoArtMaster a test drive.

[DannyRaphael]

CherylH posted this link in another thread. It goes to a site owned by Linda Vich, who does some really nice work using the Buzz plugin.

There are several examples and mini-tutorials on her site.

http://www.dynamicdesign.biz/gallery/gallery1.htm

Thank you, Cheryl
... this is a great find.

~Danny~

[Cheryl H]

Buzz simplifier with a sketch overlay

[Cheryl H]

Straight buzz simplifier.

I have to say--I love this filter. I have the pro version and since finding the tutorial link Danny shared I'm glad I have the whole thing. If I hadn't found the tutorials, I'd probably never have used anything besides the simplfier.

[Andrew B.]

DannyRaphael said:
>Thank you, Cheryl [/b]
>... this is a great find.

I'll second that! I love the way the site has the tips so condensed, but still so clear.

[Toad]

Cheryl: love the spider.

Buzz Simplifier is my favorite 3rd party PhotoShop plugin without exception. I use it a lot. I don't use the rest of BuzzPro - prefer Photoshop for that work - but the Simplifier is pure GOLD.

Hint: For those who are short on cash - Simplifier is available separately and is much cheaper.

Only problem with Buzz that I encounter is the RAM requirement. If you are working with a large base file - say 10 MB or better (I get these all the time with scanned images) - Buzz can have real problems (and I have half a GB of RAM in my PC).

Sorry - no posted pic right now - just Buzz feedback.

[Andrew B.]

There is another problem with buZZPro. Sometimes the preview is completely blank. It gives the impression that the setting washed things out, but if you zoom way out you see the effect.

If you want to see this in action, load a picture of a flower or something with large areas of color. Then load the preset called "Soft Color Wash."

I wrote to fo2pix about this, and they said the preview is only supposed to be an approximation. Which, of course, doesn't respond to the problem because a blank preview doesn't approximate anything.