Cool painterly app from Prisma and . . . why I’m not going to use it any more.
Prisma is an app that you can download and use to change your photographs into cool, colorful, painterly images. It’s fun. It’s easy. It’s addicting.
Here’s a photo of a tugboat I took last year using my iPhone. This morning I applied 18 different painterly effects to it and then selected five that I particularly like so you can see what it does.
The first photo you see is the original shot.
Prisma is free and available for both IOS and Android phones. Here’s where you can get more information: http://prisma-ai.com/http://prisma-ai.com/
I didn’t write down the name of each effect because the names seem to be changing as the company grows, and who knows if that effect will still be available if and when you go to play with it. In addition, the effect works differently based on whatever photograph you’re starting from.
The effects range from painterly to sketch-like to comic strip-ish. You could spend hours playing around, using different photos and then applying all the different effects to see how they look. The results are fun and cool, as you can see. Note that the app works only with square images.
Here’s my little problem. You have to be connected to the Internet to use it. It’s not a stand-alone app. And if too many people are using it at the same time, you get a message saying to try again later. Grrrrr. I want instant gratification. And I want it NOW!
In addition, every time you apply an effect to an image, the terms of service indicate that you agree that the server you’re uploading to, which is located in Russia, has the right to do whatever they wish with your picture.
For me, a person who lives in the boonies and has very limited Internet access, that constant uploading/downloading is a problem. And the terms of service make me uncomfortable.
Prisma alternative . . .
Is there an alternative to Prisma? Something you can download and then use as much as you want in your computer without having your image uploaded every time? Yes. The company is called Painnt, and it seems to have a lot of the same effects as Prisma, with the benefit that you don’t have to upload your photo to see what the effect does.
Painnt charges for their app, You can find out more about it at their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/PainntApp/
Have I played with Painnt yet? No. I’ve spent way too much time so far with Prisma at the moment! I probably will try out Painnt in the next few weeks. And if any of you have already played with it, I’d love to hear how you like it.
In the meantime, Chris has apparently planned a surprise few days for us in Seattle to (belatedly) celebrate our anniversary. All I know is that we’re going to Seattle. Where we’ll stay and what we’ll see is the surprise. Will let you know when we get back.
©Carol Leigh
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