Canvas Art Moving Forward
As sales of the art creation app Canvas Art climb version 1.1.0 was released this morning. The update includes improvements and bug fixes when editing very large images but far more important this new version brings in support for some foreign languages. Many applications are created in English only because it is the default language and the majority of sales come from english speaking regions. However, foreign users should not be ignored. So today I am kicking off with support for Spanish, French, and Italian languages and support for many more in the coming months.
Canvas Art is an iOS application that allows users to create art ranging from a sketch or line art style, water-color type look to a crisp canvas painting with just a couple of easy steps. Canvas Art is both a standalone application that allows camera use, importing, and exporting images from and to numerous sources and is also a Photos Editing Extension for the native Apple Photos application. Users are able to choose a canvas, tan, white, or gray, and set the intensity of fill color on the canvas with looks ranging from washed out to photo like. After that the special charcoal outline effect is added and users have a wide range of intensities to work from. The finished product looks like canvas painting or charcoal sketch.
You can learn more and download your own copy of Canvas Art at the link below. It truly costs less than a cup of coffee with no up-sell and no ads.
#lessthanacupofcoffee
Free Hi-Res Wildlife Images
Just a quick little reminder that the Wildlife & Nature Pictures application that I have for iPad and iPhone contains 46 free full resolution images available for download and personal use. The application is a free download too. Counting it all up that means that there are 46 nature and wildlife images at no cost to you! When last I checked, that is less than a cup of coffee.
For real.
Wildlife & Nature Pictures is available world-wide in the Apple App store and is translated to Spanish with more languages coming soon.
You can download your free copy today at the link below or search for app id #595565558 outside the US.
#lessthanacupofcoffee
Get it Straight Updates
Get it Straight photo editing app version 1.2.3 was released today with a number of improvements including improved edge detection and improved graphics to make editing tools easier to identify. Here is a list of the features that make this application a valuable resource for any photographer:
- Perform horizon adjustment, perspective adjustment, and cropping in one operation.
- Drag and drop images into the application on capable devices.
- Application automatically scales very large images like multi-image panoramas to the device capabilities for quick and smooth performance.
- Full screen display of images being edited.
- Allows users to pinch and zoom into the finished artwork to precisely examine the adjustments.
- GIS is both a stand alone application that allows camera use, importing, and exporting images from and to numerous sources and is also a Photos Editing Extension for the native Apple Photos application. With the Photos Editing Extension users can perform the complex distortion correction while making all the other edits without needing to export the photo to another app or service.
- Users considering printing their masterpieces are able to see the images mounted on walls and other vertical surfaces with augmented reality. When viewing images with AR, users have the option of three frame styles, light colored oak, cherry wood, or dark walnut, with the choice of no frame, thin, regular, and thick frame styles. Users can also choose from five different overall picture sizes to get an accurate feel for what large prints would look like mounted on a wall.
- No ads, No up-sells. Users pay once for the application and that’s it.
You can download and use your own copy of Get it Straight for less than the price of a cup of coffee. Just hit the link below.
Old Coot Makes the List
A new version of the “Birds for Words” iMessage sticker app is being released today and it includes one of my very first wildlife photos, an American Coot. I have always loved this photo even though it is rather unremarkable and not difficult to capture. Fittingly named as “Behind” it is included in version 1.5 of the application. Also included in this version are translations to Spanish, French, and Italian languages.
You can download your own copy of Birds for Words below. Just a reminder-it really does cost less than a cup of coffee!
#lessthanacupofcoffee
Evolving Augmented Reality Experience
Born from the desire to make better screenshots all the photography applications will get an enhanced AR experience on the next round of updates. The trio of apps will soon be able to save and share a snapshot of the augmented reality experience and return to viewing artwork in AR on the same screen. Users will be able to save the snapshot to Photos, other storage services, and social media. Now users can see what their own artwork looks like mounted on a wall and easily get an opinion from others.
Also included in this update will be a larger range of image sizes with a maximum of 1 meter (about 36″) sized artwork. Planned for an update later this Summer the apps will also have the capability to free stand on table and counter tops.
You can download all of the apps at the links below.
Canvas Art
Get it Straight
Wildlife & Nature Pictures – Free Download
Seattle Head Tax Stickers
One of the hot issues in Western Washington is the new Seattle Head tax to fund homeless relief. Seattle Stickies the Apple iMessages Sticker application for iPhone and iPad has four new stickers that lets users show their opinion when texting or sending a message. Stick it and send it so those in power know how you feel.
If you are not aware of what a Stickers App is here is a great explanation from iMore.com
Apple has made it possible for you to make your messages a lot more interesting with the help of apps and stickers in iMessages. You can use stickers as stand-alone images, or slap them right on top of someone else’s chat bubble (or sticker, or picture). Apps integrate information so you can, say, book a table at a restaurant or share movie times with others. Your friends can also change dates and times in some instances so everyone can collaborate together.
Download a copy of Seattle Stickies at the link below.
Canvas Art – A Different Filter
One of the things I try to do when developing an app that is plentiful (and usually free) like a photo filter is to build an application that is a little more complex and produces an effect that is unique. While it is pretty much impossible to look at all the iOS photo filters available I am fairly confident the work I create is different from most other filters. This week a new and improved version of Canvas Art was released. For those who may not already know, several years ago I developed a technique in Photoshop that makes a photo look like a canvas painting. It is a complex process and takes many hours to create but the results are quite stunning and detailed.
With Canvas Art I am trying to create a similar effect for the iPhone and iPad. Amazingly, the iPhone and iPad have pretty much the same capabilities as using Photoshop on a computer. The big difference is that the entire process is touch based and that simply does not allow the same level of precision. Also, the total time spent editing should be less than a minute on a mobile device. That is my personal rule of thumb.
The Canvas Art – Photo Filter application allows users to create art ranging from a sketch or line art style a water-color type look to a crisp canvas painting with just a couple of easy steps. You can see the range of looks in the three images below.
And that is what is different about Canvas Art. It is one filter with an infinite number of results. Another thing that makes Canvas Art different is the built-in augmented reality experience. Most other photo filters are a bit older and are not capable delivering an AR product but with Canvas Art things are always up to date and reflecting the latest technology. So with this application as with all my other photo related apps users can see the finished work in a variety of picture frames and sizes mounted on their own walls using augmented reality.
Next time I will show you just how easy using Canvas Art really is.
You can download a copy of the Canvas Art – Photo Filter application at the link below.
Seattle Stickies Updated
Today version 1.0.4 of Seattle Stickies was released. This release adds three new stickers to the collection bringing the total to twenty-two stickers. Seattle Stickies is a collection of Messages stickers celebrating the landmarks and culture of Seattle and the greater Puget Sound.
Seattle Stickie stickers are made in the distinctive canvas art style. With twenty-two stickers to choose Stickies owners have sporting stickers, Mt Rainer, Seattle Ferries, 9/11 Memorial, hand blown glass, local eateries, wildlife, and other landmarks.
For everyone who is not familiar with Messages Stickers here is the explanation directly from Wikipedia.
A sticker is a detailed illustration of a character that represents an emotion or action that is a mix of cartoons and Japanese smiley-like “emojis“. They have more variety than emoticons and have a basis from internet “reaction face” culture due to their ability to portray body language with a facial reaction. Stickers are elaborate, character-driven emoticons and give people a lightweight means to communicate through kooky animations.
Stickers are commonly downloadable for free, while online stores provide wider alternatives for a price. Sets may be devoted to specific themes, characters, as well as popular brands and media franchises such as Hello Kitty, Psy, and the Minions of Despicable Me.
Note: Seattle Stickies has a description in the app store stating it is free. While it was free for a period of time it is currently sold for 0.99usd. This error will be corrected at the next update.
You can download a copy of Seattle Stickies at the link below.
Augmented Reality Brings New Dimension to Photography Apps
Seattle,WA – April 3, 2018 – Ron Boyd Design today announced new augmented reality features in three of his photography related applications. With the introduction of Apple’s version 11.3 mobile operating system comes the ability to virtually place objects on vertical surfaces like walls. The new technology allows users to view art and photographs in a variety of sizes and frames mounted on their own walls before going to the great expense of printing and purchasing products. With the Wildlife and Nature Pictures application owners that are considering a purchase of a digital download of an image can preview what the image looks like as a framed print in their own home or office. Image editors Get It Straight and Canvas Art allow users to see their own masterpieces with AR. When viewing images with AR, users have the option of three frame styles, light colored oak, cherry wood, or dark walnut, with the choice of no frame, thin, regular, and thick frame styles. Users can also choose from five different overall picture sizes to get an accurate feel for what large prints would look like mounted on a wall.
You can download a copy of the apps at the link below.
Get it Straight App bug
I just want to mention that I have been seeing a few crashes in the Get it Straight application when users are trying to save their edited images to the Photos Library. I want to let everyone know that I have identified the problem and it has been fixed for the next update. The next update will come out when iOS 11.3 is publicly available which should be in about a week. Until then anyone who wants to save their edited masterpiece to the Photos Library can do that by using the Photo Editing extension right in the Photos app. Just hit the edit button then the circle with three dots inside it and you will see the Get it Straight icon where you can perform the same tasks and it will be saved to the Photos Library.
Thanks for your patience.
You can download a copy of Get it Straight at the link below.
