Silver
Flaming Pear Software
What it does What it does
How to install
Silver makes image selections glitter with polished brightwork. Stylish stripes,
checkers, and dots describe the shape of the surface.
Quick start
Controls
Things to try
Other controls
Memory dots
Hints
Versions
How to purchase
Questions
How to install
Illustrated installation instructions are online at www.flamingpear.com/faq.html .
To use this software, you need a paint program which accepts standard
Photoshop 3.02 plugins.
Just put the plug-in filter into the folder where your paint program expects to
find it. If you have Photoshop, the folder is Photoshop:Plugins:Filters or
Photoshop:Plug-ins. You must restart Photoshop before it will notice the new
plug-in. It will appear in the menus as Filters->Flaming Pear->Silver.
Most other paint programs follow a similar scheme.
If you have Paint Shop Pro: you have to create a new folder, put the plug-in filter
into it, and then tell PSP to look there.
PSP 7:
Choose the menu File-> Preferences-> File Locations... and choose the Plug-in
Filters tab. Use one of the "Browse" buttons to choose the folder that contains
the plug-in.
The plug-in is now installed. To use it, open any image and select an area. From
the menus, choose Effects->Plug-in Filters->Flaming Pear->Silver.
PSP 8, 9, X, XI, and X2:
Choose the menu File-> Preferences-> File Locations... In the dialog box that
appears, choose Plug-ins from the list. Click "Add." If you are using PSP 8 or 9,
click "Browse". Now choose the folder that contains the plug-in.
The plug-in is now installed. To use it, open any image and select an area. From
the menus, choose Effects->Plugins->Flaming Pear->Silver.
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Quick start
When you invoke Silver, a dialog box will appear.
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If you just want to see some effects quickly, click the dice button until you see
something you like; then click OK.
Using the dice is the easiest way to use Silver. If you
want to hand-tune your own effects, it helps to learn
the controls, which are explained below. dice
Controls
Silver's controls let you change the form and color of the patterns that get drawn
into your image selection.
Blur controls the width of the zone around the edge of your selection where
Silver draws its effects. Most of the time, you'll want a blur large enough to cover
the whole selection.
Edges darkens down the edge to provide a more 3D look.
Bands sets the number of color stripes drawn. The bands follow the curvature of
the edge.
Dots introduces small bright dots into the pattern of bands.
Checkers draws further stripes at right angles to the other stripes.
Angle spins the whole arrangement of bands, dots, and checkers.
Two color buttons set the color range for the pattern.
color button
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Things to try
Try loading the settings files that come with Silver to see what it can do, or click
the dice until you see something you like.
Here are some example effects that you can do. Open a favorite picture for these
examples, select part of the picture using lasso or text tools, and invoke Silver.
Metallic glitter
Use these settings:
Blur 15
Edges 40
Bands 15
Dots 0
Checkers 100 metallic glitter
Use navy and pastel blue for the two colors.
Changing the Bands control will vary the amount of detail in the glitter.
The Dots and Checkers controls will change the exact look of the glitter.
Stripes
Use the same settings as for the first example, but
increase Blur to about 30 and set checkers to zero.
Change the colors too if you want.
With no Dots or Checkers, the bands are clearly visible.
stripes
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Zoomy patterns
To get this effect, you need three main ingredients:
-a large Blur
-a small Edges setting
-a thick, husky selection shape
zoomy patterns
Details
To produce a result with tiny details like this, set Bands
very high and experiment with the Dots and Checkers
to produce an effect you like.
The dark rim comes from using a high Edges setting.
details
3D plaid
This effect is like Details, but with a medium Bands
setting and less Edges.
Trying very low or very high Bands settings can
produce some of the best results.
This effect is in a file called “greenplaid” that comes
with Silver.
3D plaid
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Other controls
Dice: This randomizes the settings. Click it as much as
you want to see different effects.
dice
Reset: Gives you the factory settings.
reset
Glue: Lets you combine the result image with the
original, instead of replacing it. The next-glue button
advances to the next glue mode. next glue
Send to photo manager: Sends the result to iPhoto (on
Macintosh).
send to photo manager
Export to PSD: Renders the result to a .psd file.
export to PSD
Make Gallery: Builds a web page showing all the
presets in a folder that you choose.
make gallery
Plus, % and minus buttons: If the selected image area
is bigger than the preview, these buttons let you zoom
in and out. Drag the preview to move it.
Load preset: Presets are files containing settings. To
load one, click this button and browse for a preset file.
load preset
Save preset: When you make an effect you like, click
this button to save the settings in a file.
save preset
Undo backs up one step.
undo
Info: briefly explains the controls.
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info
Three more buttons:
OK: Applies the effect to your image.
Cancel: Dismisses the plug-in, and leaves the image
unchanged.
Register: Allows you to type in a registration code and
remove the time limit from the demo.
Memory dots
Although you can save your settings permanently to
files, you can also stash settings in memory dots.
Click an empty dot to stash the current settings in it.
Click a full dot to retrieve its settings.
Hover the mouse over a dot to see what it contains.
Option-click to erase a dot on Macintosh.
memory dots
Right-click to erase a dot on Windows.
If a dot is orange, Silver's currently using that dot's
settings. empty
Dots remember their contents until you erase them. If full
you'd rather make a temporary dot that forgets when
you exit Silver, control-click it. Temporary dots are current
square.
temporary
When you start Silver, it puts the starting settings in a
temporary dot. That way it's easy to start over without
exiting the plug-in.
On Mac, you can drag-and-drop settings files from the
central memory well.
You can build a web page showing how the current
image would look with every memdot setting. Just
option-click (Mac) or right-click (Windows) on the big
memdot image.
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Version history
Version 1.8 December 2009
64-bit version for Windows.
Version 1.7 June 2008
Adds convenience features to the interface. The Mac version is faster on
multicore machines and is resizable.
Version 1.6 June 2007
Fixes a Macintosh problem where the plug-in could have bad settings or crash
when installed on a machine for the first time.
Version 1.55 April 2007
Universal binary for Macintosh. Works as a Smart Filter in Adobe Photoshop CS3
Macintosh. Fixes a Windows problem where the plug-in wouldn't remember its
registration when it was installed in one user account but activated in another.
Version 1.4 July 2004
Works in 16-bit color.
Version 1.3 December 2003
Recordable as a Photoshop action.
Version 1.25 September 2003
Adds more glue modes and the next-glue button.
Version 1.22 February 2003
Adds more glue modes and fixes a crash that could happen when using the
menus under Windows XP.
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Version 1.21 December 2002
Adds new glue modes: Color, Luminance, Linear Light, and Pin Light. Fixes the
appearance of text in the interface when running under Mac OS X 10.2.3 .
Version 1.2 February 2002
Adds previews in the preset browser.
Version 1.1 September 2001
Adds an Undo button.
Version 1.0 September 1999
First release.
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How to purchase
You can place an order online here. A secure server for transactions is available.
Questions
The software, documentation, and supporting materials are made by Flaming
Pear Software. Answers to common technical questions appear on our support
page, and free updates appear periodically on the download page.
Trouble with your order? Orders are handled by Kagi; please contact them at
[email protected] .
For bug reports and technical questions about the software, please write to
[email protected] .
©2009 Flaming Pear Software
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