Released in 2001 by AutoFX as a filter in their Dreamsuite Series 1 filter package (click link to see examples and full list of filters included), Liquid Metal has become for some the holy grail of filters. It has it's problems and shortcomings but is to my knowledge the only filter on the market whose purpose is a true metal effect. In summer of 2002 the individual filters were released for purchase and updated, now they are no where near the horrid memory hogs the first 1.0 package was. You can currently purchase the standalone filter without the rest of the suite by download directly from AutoFX's Liquid Metal site for 50$ US (rather alot considering this filter's age).
The Others:
The other filters included in the full Dream Suite v1 package though interesting and sometimes useful in comparison are not worth the money or system use. I do use Deckle, which sort of folds, shrinks and creases an image so it looks like an old photograph, Crackle which applies fine paint cracks to an image so it looks like a 15th century painting, and less frequently Dimension X, which is this filters series main bevel filter (a lousy Blade Pro basically). Some are interesting, but in all I'd say not worth the money and you can get other filters that do all with less hassle.
Back to Liquid Metal filter itself.
It's abilities:
Has built in filter effects for various metal styles including 'Black Sheen' (i don't like this one much), Chrome (1-4), Cool Grey which is like dull steel or iron maybe, Silver 1-3, Gold 1-3, Graphite 1-3, Pitted Metal 1-3, Steel 1-3 and 'Silk'.
An example of Chrome 1 using just the default settings no changes whatsoever aside from removing the drop shadow:
As I said before, the filter does have bevel properties and many adjustment panels including texture, color, gleam style, base/background image, drop shadow and highlight features. Here is an example of the default filter style Silver2 with a few adjustments made in gleam, reflection and bevel;
The problem with the Bevel feature, and this is the number one thing that keeps me from wholly endorsing this filter, is that it does not apply a degree of beveling correctly. First off you have no options in what kind of bevel, like what type of angle or lip you want, and secondly if you put the height even remotely deep enough to SEE an actual bevel it only applies it to the reflection and part of the image that no longer gets a reflection appears transparent. You can check an option box asking it to apply a background image and then you can have a solid color back there so it's not completely transparent but it looks bad if you do. Here is an example of Gold 3 I believe it is applied to text with the bevel just slightly higher than nothing.. see the empty gaps?
What I do to get around this is apply my Liquid Metal effect in a style I want and as flat as possible without completely losing the metal look. Then I manually apply beveling in the graphics program afterwards. It's quite a waste of time, why can't it make something look Liquid metal AND give it dimension? ah well. Here's an example of a flat Liquid Metal effect in gold with a great deal of post work done to hand bevel it:
The one feature I like about it with no reservations is the amount of options you have. There are four screens inside the effects panel full of options. Reflection type (it applies an image as reflection much like Super Blade Pro does), lighting, texture you name it it's got it. Using several of these I've created my own presets that work much better than the default settings. I've named one textured gold and another hammered silver. This is the hammered silver preset applied to an image:
Once you create a decent preset from the various settings, all you have to do is locate it within the filter window and hit ok, no muss no fuss and a fast one click option for getting your desired effect.
Here is a gift for you made from DreamSuite v1's Liquid Metal in gold and silver: It's seamless and Gothic just in time for Halloween *L*
Read other reviews:
Filter review: AutoFX's Liquid Metal
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Mixing Metals?
