PostworkShop (32 bit) for Windows

User Reviews

• PostWorkShop is a Nightmare!

  prstonMay 12, 2011

  Pros

  No Pros at all?

  Cons

  Do you want to install a SECOND Beta version of this software on your PC? Please summary below for details.

  Summary

  Xycod makes great promises about its PostWorkShop (PWS) software for 'artistic image manipulation'. If PWS lived up to only 60% of what is claimed, it would be extraordinary software for transforming digital photos into artistic creations. Based upon the strength of Xycod's information, I bought the Pro edition of PWS?and what a horrible nightmare it turned out to be! Unfortunately, I bought PWS at the cusp of a new version's release. Xycod has promised the release of version 2.0 for several months now, consistently missing their promised release dates for a final version. Instead of a Release Candidate, they issued a series of Beta versions. Can you imagine a Version 2 BETA 2? Not even Microsoft has the audacity to sell multiple beta versions to its customers! The reality is that Xycod made a major mess of producing version 2 of PostWorkShop! Even so, Xycod still makes exaggerated claims and attempts to sell flawed versions of its software to consumers. Shame on Xycod! Unfortunately, I can be counted amongst those duped by Xycod. But you can avoid my unhappy fate by avoiding PostWorkShop like the Black Plague!

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• A bad experience indeed.

  oldsalt19April 3, 2010

  Pros

  Nothing at all

  Cons

  I was not able to uninstall easily. Computer crashed and system restore was needed.

  Summary

  Obviously not compatible with my duo core cpu and Windows 7. Perhaps just me.

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• An Excellent tool for achieving a natural media finish.

  philebusDecember 26, 2009

  Pros

  I've tried a number of photoshop plugins to simulate natural media finishes but this is by far the best - while most others just look procedural, this program is capable of delivering results that can be mistaken for natural.

  Cons

  Wel, there are three flavours, the cheapest is $20 and is aimed at hobby users and out-puts only 2000 pixels with limited functions. The $50 version is almost fully featured but 2000 pixels. The $100 version will give you a 4000x4000 pixel image.

  Summary

  OK. The first thing to note is that this is NOT a plug in but a stand alone app. However, that needn't impact too heavily on your workflow. You can import any number of image files for a single project, and each project can have any number of layers - for which you can set properties (such as multiply, overlay, etc) as you can in Photoshop, PSP, etc. You simply select an imported image from the left, and then drag an effect from the menu to the right of it, placing it to form a layer above or below other layers. Alternatively, it can be placed in an existing layer to operate upon that rather than the main image for a chained effect. Each of the effect has a number of variables that may be adjusted. All of the work is done on a scaled preview image until you are ready to save out a finished picture. The range of effects available to all versions is quite impressive and can produce some of the most natural results that I have seen in this kind of software (such as Alien Skin's Snap Art 2 which sells for $199 and Virtual Painter 5 at $55). The layered and chained effects are well implemented and easy to use, and make for fast work - but sadly, there is no PSD save option to preserve the layers, so if you want to work on the layers within another paint program, you will need to save them separately. One of the most interesting features is the ability to create custom styles using a node based system. Within the style editor, you can drag in building blocks and connect them up, setting their individual variables, importing your own brush and texture images if you require. There are a lot of options, including the expected, such as Pastellize, and the unexpected, such as Chroma Key. Using this editor, you can create, save, and re-distribute your own styles. Some free examples are available for download on their website and the expectation is that enterprising users will create new styles and sell them through their market place. The limit of 4000x4000 pixels is a bit of a shame but that's still over 13 inches square for 300dpi and I imagine it will improve with time - to be fair, relatively few of us will need more. Given how good this one looks and its potential, the price compares very, very well to the existing players (I couldn't get Snap Art to do as well at twice the price). Although on-line activation is used, the licence is generous, allowing for installation on three computers. All in all, this small group has created an innovative and effective program that deserves support - I shall look forward to seeing how it develops in the future.<br /><br /><span class='notifyMsg'> Updated </span>on Feb 16, 2010<p/>I have been informed on the Postworkshop forums that the Pro edition can render images larger than 4000 pixels - they stated that as an upper limit by way of caution due to the long render times that may be required. If you work with 3D software, you will already be used to waiting for a good result, so I don't see this as a problem. Since the release of version 1.1, the program can export psd layers, which is a major boon.

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