Topaz Clean 2 Demonstration

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Hi. This video goes through a general overview of the Topaz Clean 2 Photoshop plug-in, available at www.topazlabs.com.

Topaz Clean 2 is an effects filter that specializes in creating crisp and stylized images from source photos. It has a distinctive look that can be combined with other Photoshop techniques and plug-ins in order to achieve versatile and effective post-processing results. Above all, Topaz Clean 2 manipulates the overall cleanliness of an image and its edges.

Let's go into Photoshop and jump right into this burger photo for an idea of Topaz Clean's functions. Accessing the filter is as simple as going to Filter -> Topaz Labs -> Topaz Clean 2.

Here in the Clean tab if we increase the Strength you can automatically see the image being cleansed in a very unique way. The real magic, though, comes in the Edges tab, where you can uniquely stylize the edges and detail of your image by applying an Accent parameter. As you can see this creates an interesting effect in which the edges are smoothed over and even appear curled. After this, we can proceed to the Texture tab and add some of the original image detail back to make it look more natural.

Here you have your Before image - a plain burger. After this simple thirty second adjustment, though, it immediately becomes a delicious stylized image that is much more interesting.

This is just the most basic of results that you can accomplish with Topaz Clean 2. Using a bit more time and experimentation, the three building blocks Clean, Edges, and Texture have a large variety of uses.

Take this portrait image for example. No one's skin is perfect as we can readily see if we zoom into 100%. Normally zapping skin imperfections while still keeping desired detail takes a lot of skill and time dodging, burning, and healing. Just by clicking this preset in Topaz Clean 2, though, instantly the model's skin is near-perfect but still real. Here's her skin before Topaz Clean 2. Here it is after one click.

Many photographers' favorite effect is the one that Topaz Clean has upon foliage and other photos with distinct lines. For example, take this last image. Let's quickly set the strength at 7 to give a really flat effect to the image and set the Edges Accent at 3. Immediately the foliage pops off the screen. Bring back the texture a little bit and you have a much more interesting image.

Those are just a few of the more visual effects that are possible with Topaz Clean 2. Combined with other Photoshop techniques, Clean is an invaluable part of the photographer's toolbox for its quick, crisp, and effective manipulation of detail and edge stylization.

For more information about Topaz Clean 2 or to download a free trial, please visit www.topazlabs.com/clean.

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