FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

( January 5, 2004 )

New Version 3.0 of Synthetik Software’s Award Winning Studio Artist™ Demonstrates

Expanded Capabilities for Computer Artists at MacWorld SF Booth #2619

Wacom Intuos2 Tablet Paint Features Pushed to New Creative Heights

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, January 5 -- Synthetik Software today announced the eagerly anticipated new 3.0 release of its award winning software Studio Artist™, the worlds first graphics synthesizer. Studio Artist version 3.0 comes optimized for both Macintosh OS X and OS 9 and includes over 8 hours of Quicktime video tutorials and instructional guides. The new release includes vector EPS paint effects, new MSG Modular Synthesized Graphics plug-in architecture for unlimited modular image processing, live video painting, a greatly expanded Paint Synthesizer as well as enhanced support for the innovative features of Wacom’s Intuos2 graphics tablet system.

“Simulating the expressiveness of real world paint and drawing tools is a challenge because you need to accurately model both the organic nature of the media itself as well as how that expressiveness changes as an artist holds and manipulates a tool when drawing,” said Synthetik Software’s president John Dalton. “Studio Artist 3.0 provides unprecedented computational power that allows digital artists to achieve this same level of natural interactive expressiveness. For example, modeling a physical airbrush that sprays liquid paint requires modeling the characteristics of liquid paint interacting with a textured surface, the interaction of light on the 3-dimensional painted canvas as well as changes in patterning such as asymmetrical soft and hard edges or drip effects that change depending on how an artist tilts and holds the physical airbrush. Studio Artist 3.0 provides an enhanced level of editable tilt modulation support and liquid particle modeling within its paint synthesizer that allows an artist to simulate all of the subtle nuances associated with real world paint tools like air brushes or liquid paints that drip when used with Wacom’s Intuos2 tablet .”

“Studio Artist 3.0's new MSG Modular Synthesized Graphics plug-ins allow for sophisticated lighting and dynamic texture models to be incorporated into paint tools with full interactive control for all MSG adjustable parameters while painting using advanced Intuos features such as pen tilt orientation, the adjustable airbrush wheel, or a second Intuos control device such as the Wacom 4D mouse. Wacom source color selection options also allow an artist to interactively control the paint color with an Intuos2 4D mouse in one hand while drawing a paint stroke with the other. Or, an artist can hook up a firewire video camera like the Apple iSight and interactively sketch live video frame captures or even paint with live video textures ,” he said.

Interactive Modulation Brings New Expressive Power to Wacom Tools

An artist can now selectively modulate over 400 interactive paint parameters in real-time using dynamic pen pressure, tilt, orientation, velocity, position, and Airbrush or 4D Mouse wheels. Wacom's Tool ID allows different paint tools to be associated with individual Paint Patch Presets.

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DualTrack™ allows simultaneous use of any two Intuos2 tools. Region selection, interactive image warping or adjusting, vector path drawing, editing, or warping, and paint animation also make extensive use of Intuos2's advanced interactive features.

MSG - Modular Synthesized Graphics Plug-In Architecture

MSG or Modular Synthesized Graphics is the new preset-based Plug-In architecture from Synthetik Software. MSG allows you to easily build an unlimited number of image processing or video effects with the click of a button. Generate amazing still or animated abstract imagery as well as stand alone processing effects. MSG plug-ins open up new worlds for designing interactive paint tools and effects. A complete configurable image processing toolkit is now available for the first time in your Wacom pen tip. The possibilities are unlimited.

New Paint Synthesizer Features

Studio Artist 3 now allows you to incorporate a live video feed directly into the Paint Synthesizer for amazing interactive real-time video graphics effects. Or you can capture live video frames to use as source images for spontaneous painting on the fly. Use Apple's iSight firewire camera with Studio Artist and a Wacom tablet and instantly become a digital street artist.

Studio Artist now supports manual or automatic region drawing in addition to its unique raster organic paint on editable vector paths paint stroke technology. Region fills take advantage of the full capabilities of the Paint Synthesizer, which allow for rich textured organic paint effects, in-brush image processing, real-time photo-mosaic effects, 3D paint lighting effects, or new vector eps output.

New Particle Paints with intelligent swarming allow your pen to be loaded with multiple paint drops with a mind of their own. They can be used to simulate the real world behavior and appearance of flowing liquids. Or, generate stunning patterning effects that dynamically respond to your pen movement.

Additional new pen modes allow for the simulation of brushes with multiple bristles or other natural media. Individual paint tools can now convey the sensitivity of real world media like air brush sprays or pencil tips by responding to how you hold and manipulate your pen while drawing.

Studio Artist Knows How to Paint and Draw

Developed by Synthetik Software Inc., Studio Artist is the first commercial program for computer artists that incorporates research results from cognitive neuroscience investigations into the nature of visual perception in the brain. Human visual modeling is used to intelligently direct smart assisted painting and drawing. The result is Studio Artist knows how to paint and draw.

Studio Artist combines dynamic user-configurable painting and drawing tools along with a complete image processing and video effects suite. A unique hybrid imaging model allows individual paint strokes to have the visual richness of raster paint with the editability of vector paths. Dynamic expressive paint tools or custom art processes can easily be constructed and applied to still images or motion sequences. Users can either paint and draw manually or direct Studio Artist’s automatic Intelligent-Assisted™ painting actions. The over 3000 factory presets shipped with Studio Artist barely scratch the surface of the program's visual effects potential.

Price and Availability

Synthetik’s mission is to develop innovative software tools for computer artists and creative professionals. Studio Artist 3.0 suggested retail price is $379, and is available immediately. Registered Studio Artist users can upgrade to version 3.0 for $179. Orders can be placed by calling 1-888-808-4188 or by visiting the Synthetik web site at www.synthetik.com. Additional information can be obtained from Synthetik Software Inc., Seven Waterfront Plaza, 500 Ala Moana Blvd, Suite 400, Honolulu, HI 96813, 1-866-511-9971 , 1-808-261-1837 (Fax), or by emailing candice@synthetik.com.

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