ImagineFX

Project Dogwaffle started as a free application developed by Dan Ritchie – an animator who couldn’t find the tools he was looking for in commercial software.

Now a commercial application itself (although there is still a free version – on your DVD) PD Pro is a monster of a tool. It’s a natural media simulator, animator and effects package all rolled into one, with a few extra features for good measure. However this can be both its strength and its weakness.

This latest version makes improvements across the board, beefing up the animation system, adding new filters and improving the already quite daring particle system. There’s certainly enough here to keep the most inquisitive artist busy for a long time.

The features arrive in an easy-to-use way – or at least the basics do. It has the feeling of one of those rambling old mansions so popular in ghost stories: hidden rooms and secret annexes all over the place.

The only problem is, like that mansion, the code is creaking a little under the weight. If you have a fast machine with plenty of RAM you’re not likely to notice much difference, but anything less than the best and you may find yourself waiting for brushes to catch up with you, which can be a little frustrating.

This is a shame because, with very little effort, PD Pro is capable of producing some lovely effects. For example, it’s great for depicting translucency and depth effects, it also encourages a different way of looking at things, which is always useful to any artist.

Overall, this is a great package at an even better price.

Features

• Highly realistic art tools, paper, and media styles
• Tablet support
• Custom and procedural, antialiased brushes and fills
• 100+ FX filters
• Full layer mixing. Mix buffers in many ways

System Requirements

• Windows 98SE/ 2000/XP
• 500Mhz Pentium or AMD CPU
• 256 MB RAM
• 150MB HD space for installation (300MB for tutorial files)