You don't have to be a designer to use Xenofex 1.0; Alien Skin's special-effects filter is also great for folks who simply like futzing with pictures. Each effect comes with a variety of sliders, color selection boxes, and radio buttons, all begging to be tweaked. Change the white and blue color scheme on the Little Fluffy Clouds effect to red and green, bump up the "surface hardness," and instead of clouds you get slimy guts.
With effects like Shower Door, Crumple, Electrify, and Origami, the software provides intense, specific results. The trick to using them effectively is subtlety and combination. Plenty of Web pages rely on the default Fire settings from Alien Skin's last rev of effects software, Eye Candy, but making swoopy streams of molecules with Xenofex is trickier - and more fun.
Xenofex 1.0: $129. Alien Skin Software: (888) 921 7546, www.alienskin.com.
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