Digital Anarchy has released ToonIt! Photo 2.5
(http://www.digitalanarchy.com/toonPS/main.html) for Photoshop. It’s
an update of the software for creating cartoon-like images from
photographs. The filters use algorithms from Toonamation to create
cartoon shading and outlines in Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop
Elements.

The 2.5 update expands ToonIt!’s cartoon outline effect with three
new styles: Woodcut Outlines, Conte Outlines and Scratchboard
Outlines. A new option called Supersmart Blur has been added for more
stylization of the cartoon color fields. ToonIt 2.5 also has an
improved interface with its controls rearranged into more intuitive
groups, and minor user interface elements for workflow improvement
have also been added.

ToonIt! analyzes photographs and then creates flat regions of color
and outlines that produce a cel-shaded cartoon look. Photoshop users
have a great deal of control that makes customizing the “toon” effect
easy with different paint/toon styles, shading and outlines,
according to Digital Anarchy CEO Jim Tierney. The Effects Palette
adds various special effects like outlines, enhanced shadows, color
effects, and halftone effects.

The Style Creator has 12 different algorithms that can be used to
create the underlying cartoon or painterly style. A Preset Manager
and Preview Window give further options to control the appearance and
behavior of the cartoon.

ToonIt! offers the ability to translate the details of the human face
and form into a believable cartoon. People are typically most
difficult to “toon” because most people know what facial features and
expressions should look like, Tierney says. ToonIt! is able to
identify areas that should be shaded as one color and uses
sophisticated edge detection to draw outlines. This creates very
consistent, pleasing large features in the face and body while also
retaining smaller details like hair and eyes, Tierney adds. The
filter allows photographers and designers to create the effect on a
wide variety of images without time consuming experimentation and
masking.

ToonIt! Photo for Photoshop is regularly priced at US$159; however,
version 2.5 will be on sale for $99 until Feb. 7. ToonIt! runs in
Photoshop 7.0-CS4 and Elements 5.0-8.0. The plug-in is also available
for Aperture 2.0 and higher. The plug-in runs on Mac OSX 10.3.9-10.6,
Windows XP-7.0 and Vista systems. Demo filters and samples are
available at the Digital Anarchy web site. Current owners of ToonIt!
2.0 should contact Digital Anarchy for update instructions.