Topaz simplify beta

[palms1]

Plugs and pixels has posted in a previous thread about this beta
simplify

there is a download link and page here

I thought it may get more attention here, i have downloaded it and had a quick play, looks like another winner ,

One thing i cant see if it is compatable for mac's so i presume not maybe some one will jump in with the info

here are a few quick try's
images from image after and a image from a old post which i used adjust then simplify on and the next one the other way round simplify then adjust

remember that simplifying looks good on its own but also works well as a base for ahb and pst etc

Please post your thoughts and any images as well ( settings would be a bonus)

[yvonne]

Those look great!! On their flickr account (topaz) they say a mac version in a couple of weeks. I would love your setting!!!

[palms1]

Originally Posted by yvonne

Those look great!! On their flickr account (topaz) they say a mac version in a couple of weeks. I would love your setting!!!

Thank you Yvonne, i have a confession to make I never kept my a note of my settings when doing them but if you say which one i can try and replicate them

Palms

[yvonne]

How about all of the above!!!!

[amica999]

As promised, Palms and thanks for opening this thread :-)
Noting settings is a bid tough as you have 3 screens to play with. This one is done only with TL Simplify, not other treadment. Used oil painting from the presets as a start, mono edge and modiefied the settings there mostly...
First one, more to come...


BTW: yours look great :-)

[palms1]

Originally Posted by yvonne

How about all of the above!!!!

ok the forest one was done using the painting watercolour preset and a saturation boost from the adjust tab ( take it into ps and add usm)

the building i used again the watercolour preset and then under the simplify tab i moved the feature boost to 2 then i made a seperate line image and set the blendmode to overlay ( similar to what i do in buzz, i wanted to see what the difference might be )
the others sorry i havent the time at the moment to go over them

Nice one Amica i swap around the screens a bit but stay mainly on the combined image

Palms

[plugsnpixels]

I use Mac and run Windows plug-ins such as Simplify using XP Pro via Parallels Desktop.

Simplify should be released for Mac in a week or two, according to the developer (and yvonne, I see!).

[Swampy]

WONDERFUL NEWS, P&P!!!! (for Mac folks)

Palms, thanks for doing the trees one. Glad to see you can really simplify the leaves similar to BUZZ.

I know what's gonna be on my Christmas list! :-)

[Steve Conway]

I have Buzz and the look is similar in some cases, but NOT ALL!

Has also some very versatile sliders for adjusting the look.

This is pure Topaz Simplify, nothing else.

Steve C.

[topazlabs]

Hi,

Yes, the Mac simplify should be out within two weeks I'll post here when it is released.

Those are certainly some fantastic examples. If you download v0.2b, you'll notice that we included a little "Share" button on the side that will bring up a window with easily copied parameters so you can share your Simplify settings much easier.

Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions!

Best regards,
Eric

[Joeven]

I really like this plug-in. It's a good replacement for Buzz. Nice job.

Joe

[palms1]

Thank you Plugs and Eric for your answer on the mac compatability

Swampy i have always liked buzz on leaves as well, this does a good job also

That is great Steve a good illustration of the plug in I tend to agree with you not quite the same as buzz. but as buzz has now gone, a excellent replacement

Joe that is another great image to demo simplify

come on more of your results please

Palms

[yvonne]

Thanks, palms, I am writing them down now. I sure like this filter and now they have added a share button, cool

[0lBaldy]

the Topaz Simplify screen is cut off on the bottom and I cannot see the last entry of the presets and can hardly see the bottom sliders.. any one else or is it just my display?

[plugsnpixels]

Looks like you're running your monitor lo-res, based on the size of your screenshots. Can you increase your screen resolution?

[0lBaldy]

1024X768, 32bit Tis the best I can do..

[yvonne]

An attempt of mine

settings
==== Topaz Simplify V0.2 Settings ====
--Overall--
--Simplify tab--
Simplify Size: 0.29
Feature Boost: 0.44
Details Strength: 0.22
Details Boost: 0.37
Details Size: 0.33
Remove Small: 0.05
--Adjust tab--
Constrast: 1.11
Saturation: 1.23
--Edges tab--
Edge Type: 6
Edge Strength: 0.54
Simplify Edge: 0.25
Reduce Weak: 32.00
Fatten Edge: 3.2
(Parameters not shown are at default values)

[Janet Petty]

Thank you P&P for your generosity and pointers. And thank all of you for your wonderful examples. This will come in very handy. I sure could have used it this last week as I prepared cartoons for weaving a tapestry.

Thanks again all,

Janet

[palms1]

Originally Posted by 0lBaldy

the Topaz Simplify screen is cut off on the bottom and I cannot see the last entry of the presets and can hardly see the bottom sliders.. any one else or is it just my display?

priceless, Have no fear of repriasals i will stick up for you and blame Peter

Yvonne that is lovely

Palms

[palms1]

for a quicker and easier smudge

1st topaz simplify > oil, then smudged
2nd as above but then topaz adjust > mild details

original

i did need to spend more time on them but i ran out of it

Palms

[Swampy]

WOW!!! Palms, lovely!

[Steve Conway]

Originally Posted by palms1

That is great Steve a good illustration of the plug in I tend to agree with you not quite the same as buzz. but as buzz has now gone, a excellent replacement

Palms

It did sound like I was putting down Topaz, now that I re-read my post. That was not my intent. I was trying to say that it has that great Buzz look with some easier ways to alter the look.

I have tried several images in it and each seems to take on a new and unexpected look. Oil painting in one will look great, and in other images you get better results with watercolor etc. And I think so far that watercolor is a good starting preset. It seems to give me the look I want to start with and I can tweak from there.

I am anxious to see what other bells and whistles they will come up with in the next release.

Steve C.

[Swampy]

Eric, I really want to say think you for doing the Simplifier! I don't have it to play with yet (on a Mac), but I am just so excited seeing what it can do. I remember we talked long ago about the need for a BUZZ replacement. Looks like you've not only replaced it but surpassed it!

Can't wait to get my hands on the Mac version.

[palms1]

Originally Posted by Swampy

WOW!!! Palms, lovely!

Thank you Swampy

palms

[plugsnpixels]

Swampy, you haven't gotten Windows running in emulation mode yet? It's great to have for times like this ;-).

All, try running Topaz Adjust first to tonally smooth out and pop the image, then run Simplify. This workflow will keep the highlights from blowing out or being too prominent, as in yvonne's otherwise great example.

[Swampy]

P&P

I've got Fusion and Win XP sitting up on the shelf and just don't have the heart to install them. I hate the thoughts of putting anything "Winders" on my sweet MacPro. LOL. I can wait a couple weeks. In the mean time I'm enjoying the pics of possibilities and hints and tips. Hopefully I'll be sharing settings with everyone soon.

[plugsnpixels]

Nah, it's harmless. Just a set of folders on your hard drive (in this case, from Parallels). Really opens up a lot of additional imaging goodies in a pleasant enough way.

[amica999]

Another try on my favorite modell :-)
Followed PP's advice and ran adjust, than simplify copied same layer and ran simplify again, blend multiply and lowered opacity...

[Steve Conway]

Originally Posted by plugsnpixels

Nah, it's harmless. Just a set of folders on your hard drive (in this case, from Parallels). Really opens up a lot of additional imaging goodies in a pleasant enough way.

Wonder if this would work if you bought a new computer and had to settle for Vista? Could you do a parallel with XP on the Vista machine?...(This would be a Windows not Mac PC.)

I afraid I have many programs which I use regularly and if I ever am forced to use Vista many of them probably won't work.

Steve C.

[Steve Conway]

Originally Posted by plugsnpixels

All, try running Topaz Adjust first to tonally smooth out and pop the image, then run Simplify. This workflow will keep the highlights from blowing out or being too prominent, as in yvonne's otherwise great example.

Unfortunately some of us did not buy Adjust. I bought Vivacity, then Adjust came out. Adjust may enhance things you do with Simplicity, but is it the needed ingredient to get the most from Simplicity? Altho I like Vivacity, I feel I spent my bucks on the wrong software.

Steve C.