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We all have programs on our PC we could not do without, and having had Paint Shop Pro in various incarnations since I begun computing means it qualifies as my "must have" application. The Paint Shop Pro series of art and graphics programs has been around for over fifteen years, not bad in a competitive sector of the software market. But its ease of use and well thought out features mean it competes with the best.

New features of Paint Shop Pro include:-

Browse Effects:- Lets you manipulate, alter or touch up your photographs.

Create Web page backgrounds:- Select all or part of an image you like and create a seamless tiled image for use as a Web page background.

Magnifying Lens:- If there is part of a photo you like but you feel is not standing out enough you can apply the Magnifying lens to accentuate the portion. You can also enlarge and alter the magnified part as desired.

Erase to Backgrounds:- PSP PX2 makes erasing unwanted backgrounds on your pictures easy and risk free. Unlike normal erase tools it detects the edge of your picture and leaves it untouched while erasing everything else behind it.

Correct Distortions:- Pictures that did not turn out quite as well as you hoped do not have to be deleted, just use the "Correct Distortions" feature. Common photography issues such as fisheye, pincushion distortion and barrel warp can be corrected quickly and easily. You need never have a wonky picture again.

With over 40 new tutorials included, novices to PSP need not feel out of their depth. Users can use walk throughs to master the features of the various applications. Add to this a detailed and thorough help file which covers all aspects making the program extremely user friendly. Perspective problems in photos are no longer a problem with the Perspective options tool. Distorted photos can be aligned by a unique handle placing system to sort out your image. It is also easy to straighten a crooked picture using the straighten tool. A line is positioned along an item that should be straight in the picture, the horizon for example. The image is then corrected.

If the $80 price is a little high for you, I have noticed Earlier versions - Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo XI for example - for a lot less. Although they will not have all of the features described above they will give you a general feel for the software and may just wet your appetite enough to treat yourself to a well thought out, User friendly Graphics program.

Learn more about this author, Stuart Le Grice.
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