Review: Redfield Sketch Master

[DannyRaphael]

For the review, example gallery and 15% DISCOUNT code, see:

http://www.pbase.com/dannyraphael/sketch_master

A couple samples follow.

Questions, comments welcome.

~Danny~

----> I am NOT affiliated with this product. <----

http://www.pbase.com/dannyraphael/im...7/original.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/dannyraphael/im...7362/large.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/dannyraphael/im...4/original.jpg

[Diane]

Very nice renditions Danny. I wish I saw this posting before I bought the plugin and could have saved 15% .
Diane

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by Diane

Very nice renditions Danny. I wish I saw this posting before I bought the plugin and could have saved 15% .
Diane

Sorry you missed out, Diane. Had I know about the discount code sooner, I would have posted a heads up.

Heavy sigh...

[Andrew B.]

Interesting filter. Better than other sketch filters, because of the way it applies several effects at once, making it easier to get the interaction working. IOW, one doesn't have to run a Photoshop filter, then add a layer, run another filter, fool with blending, then realize its a dead end, back up, try again, etc.

The sketching style is familiar, though. Reminds me a lot of Photoshop's Photocopy filter. But again, it is the quickness with which it brings sketch, texture, and color together that gives it its strength.

[Andrew B.]

I just bought Sketch Master, and I've done some testing. This is clearly the most advanced sketching tool I've seen. Maybe the only advanced sketching tool that does a decent job.

Anyway, I'm not going to comment on features because Danny already did that. So I'll just make a couple comments on controls. The Levels adjustment was very confusing to me until I realized what it is doing. The White Point and Light Point behave as I would expect. Reducing the White Point spreads white downward along the luminosity range of the image. Light Point does the same, but for a luminosity below white. Black Point does not work anything like what I'm used to. As I move it inward, it doesn't spread black upward into the lighter areas. Instead, it replaces black with white, and spreads this white upward. Dark Point is still a little confusing. Sometimes it behaves as I would expect a dark point to act; other times it behaves like a black point.

Whether this is a bug or a feature, I don't know. This is a sketch tool, and maybe replacing black with white facilitates a sketch look.

Andrew

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by Andrew B.

I just bought Sketch Master, and I've done some testing. This is clearly the most advanced sketching tool I've seen. Maybe the only advanced sketching tool that does a decent job.

Anyway, I'm not going to comment on features because Danny already did that. So I'll just make a couple comments on controls. The Levels adjustment was very confusing to me until I realized what it is doing. The White Point and Light Point behave as I would expect. Reducing the White Point spreads white downward along the luminosity range of the image. Light Point does the same, but for a luminosity below white. Black Point does not work anything like what I'm used to. As I move it inward, it doesn't spread black upward into the lighter areas. Instead, it replaces black with white, and spreads this white upward. Dark Point is still a little confusing. Sometimes it behaves as I would expect a dark point to act; other times it behaves like a black point.

Whether this is a bug or a feature, I don't know. This is a sketch tool, and maybe replacing black with white facilitates a sketch look.

Andrew

Based on my dialog with the plugin author, John Redfield, I'm sure he would appreciate your comments/suggestions. I'll PM his e-mail address to you.

Can't wait to see ver 2.0. It can only get better.

~Danny~

[Andrew B.]

Thanks Danny.

I guess I should email about this. The Levels slider is one of the most important features. It controls the thresholds for how color fills the sketch.

I also found another oddity. The color slider disappears from time to time while hitting the random button. It happens about once in every 10 to 15 clicks.

Andrew

[Andrew B.]

Danny,

I got answers for the two issues I raised

Black point: I'm glad I asked before jumping to a conclusion. This is a feature, not a bug. The behavior of the black point slider "allows to cut the black background. For example the photo with flash (bright face on the dark)."

Perhaps a future option could be to select the behavior of the black point slider.

Color Slider: This is connected to the Palette option. So the color slider is only active when the Palette box is checked.

[DannyRaphael]

New presets for Sketch Master crafted by the developer:

Download them here:
http://www.redfieldplugins.com/samDrawings.htm

Danny

[Diane]

I downloaded and installed as per instructions in the file but it doesn't show up in the presets menu of sketchmaster.

[Legacy~Art]

I followed instructions and it won't show up...

[DannyRaphael]

Did you get the confirmation of registry changes dialog?

Still no luck after you shutdown/restarted Photoshop?

I feel guilty... they worked fine for me.

[Diane]

I figured it out, I was looking for hand drawn in the presets menu, it is Sketch. Boy am I embarrassed.

[bigkidjr]

Hello out there... You folks who bought the Redfield SketchMaster plugin -- still happy with it? I'm debating the purchase...

Thanks for any info,

bk

[Diane]

I like it a lot.

[palms1]

Just purchased sketchmaster code is still active took 30 mins to arrive,of to play now

Palms