AKVIS Sketch converts photos into pencil sketches (black and white or in color) and watercolor paintings. It can also convert a photo into a drawing in charcoal or pastel styles. The program enjoys increasing popularity with professionals and amateurs alike as it comes so close to the work of a human artist. In contrast to standard filters (like the built-in filters in Photoshop or PSP) that offer an approximate sketch, AKVIS Sketch comes very close to the hand-drawn works of a human artist. Getting a similar result with the standard tools would require expertise in image editing and extensive manipulation with layers, masks, brushes and applying filters.

Features and improvements: - The new Stroke Direction tool, which can be used to control hatch direction, and a set of parameters that affect the change in hatching when this tool is used (available under Home Deluxe and Business licenses).

- A new parameter in the Edges tab called Edge Strength, which controls how edges are drawn by affecting the intensity of lines and details.

- The Preview Window has been improved. Due to popular demand, the Preview Window now not only displays how the photo will appear as a drawing, it now also shows the effect of applying a canvas, making the selection of just the right texture faster and more efficient.

- Three new presets from AKVIS. Now there are a total of 11 built-in presets available.

- In Preferences it is now possible to choose whether to start the program with the last settings used or to start with the default settings.

- Now compatible with Windows 7 and Snow Leopard (Mac OS X 10.6).

- The Sketch plug-in is now compatible with Photoshop CS 4 64 bit and PhotoShop Elements v. 8.