Jasc offers download of Paint Shop Pro 9 preview

Minneapolis (MN) - Software company Jasc today posted a download of a preview of the upcoming Paint Shop Pro 9. The preview allows a look at the new feature set which is mainly aimed at digital photographers who want to manipulate pictures.

The new version 9 takes Paint Shop Pro a significant step forward comparable to the change from version 4 to 5 in 1998, when Jasc decided that its software has grown out of the shareware distribution model.

The most recent generation separates the product line in two products : Paint Shop Pro Studio targets first-time-users which do not want to learn complex tools but rather work with automated tools. Paint Shop Pro 9 will continue to aim at advanced users which are not willing to shell out $650 for Adobe Photoshop but expect a similar feature set for home use.

The studio version uses main features from Paint Shop Pro plus the image management software Photo Album 5.

Paint Shop Pro 9 includes a new set of integrated art media painting tools that assist the ability of digital artists and graphics hobbyists to add realistic wet and dry artwork to their photographs, illustrations, and other images. A new Mixer palette provides artists with an area to add and mix paint into custom colors. Also included are several functions for the removal of digital camera noise, chromatic aberration, and purple blooming.

The software is available for download at the firm’s website .