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FILTERiT
4
at a Glance
Maker:
CValley
Price: $129
Platforms: Macintosh
Demo Available: Yes
URL: http://www.cvalley
.com
Overall
Impression: Like its predecessor, FILTERiT 3, version
4 offers amazing tools for manipulating objects in Adobe
Illustrator. The new version adds even more powerful features,
including 3D transformations, for what has to be considered
the final, ultimate set of filters available anywhere.
I honestly don't know what they could possibly add for
a version 5 release.
Key
Benefits: The new 3D transformation capability is
completely cool. You can take any object and manipulate
it in 3D space, and watch the progress as you go. Live
effects are also terrific, allowing you to manipulate
objects, including regular text, while maintaining editability.
Finally, the dozens of vector manipulation tools make
Illustrator behave almost like a paint program, but keeping
all the advantages of vectors.
Disappointments:
None. This set of filters has it all: tons of effects,
innovative tools and a price point that comes in way below
what you ought to be paying for this.
Recommendation:
Strong Buy
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The palette
for the Live Galaxy effect shows the degree of control typical
of FILTERiT's effects. Live Galaxy is a live effect that can be
applied to text or objects. It's called "live" because
it will automatically update the effect whenever the original
object is edited.
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CValley
FILTERiT 4
[Page 2 of 4]
The
live effects
But 3D Transform is just the shiniest of the new tools included
in version 4. You still get all of the great effects found in
version 3 as well, including "live effects." Live
effects are applied to a single object or piece of text, and
the effects change as the original object changes. This includes
text, which you do not have to convert to outlines. Type your
text. Apply and effect. And then insert your cursor and edit
the text, and the effects change with it.
Live effects
include 13 individual, general effects, and each one has its
own palette for changing settings. Only one live effect can
be applied to an object at one time, but these effects can be
"expanded" so that the effects in themselves become
paths.
Effects
range from Galaxy (above), which replicates the original object
in a galactic spiral pattern, to simple embosses and drop shadows.
Version 4 includes support for transparency in Illustrator 9.
(Of course, Illustrator 8 doesn't have support for transparency.)
Other filters
in the "Live" category include Spiral (above), Border,
Circle (below), Cutout, Emboss, Explosion, Frame, Generation,
Neon, Reflection, Shadow, Tiling and Trail. The flower used
in the example below, incidentally, is the same one used in
the first example for 3D transformations.
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