The creator of FotoSketcher, an otherwise free program for Windows PCs, would appreciate enough of a donation so he can afford a cup of coffee. A few cookies would be nice, too, he hints. However, if you have either Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, the gold and silver standards of photo-editing software, you might want to skip this column and the cup of coffee.
FotoSketcher does what a component of those pricey programs do. But Photoshop and its little sister do it better and faster, with more choices and a better outcome.
So why was I attracted to this free program? True, it lets you transform an ordinary photo into a watercolor, pen and ink sketch and a dozens of other stylized ways to do beautiful things with your photos. But what I really like is the way it draws, pixilates paints and creates a dozen other stylistic alterations right before your eyes. While Photoshop instantly transforms your photo into a stylized masterpiece, FotoSketcher takes its merry old time transforming your photo, one layer at a time, one color at a time. It's as if you had commissioned an artist to paint your photo -- someone who doesn't mind you looking over his shoulder as he does his work.
And lest you lose sight of how your transformations affect your photo, the original stays on the left side of your screen, while the artsy creation is on the right side. Take that, Photoshop Elements.
FotoSketcher is a free download ( www.fotosketcher.com ). The program was written by David Thoiron. If you decide to use it, you might want to consider sending the good man enough money for a cup of coffee. A few cookies wouldn't hurt, either.
