Looking for an easier way to extract objects from digital photographs? AKVIS SmartMask supports several different methods of selecting and removing items from photos, depending on the complexity of the situation. Read on to find out more.
Overview of AKVIS SmartMask v2.0
AKVIS SmartMask is an image editing application that lets you extract objects from a digital photograph. Certain modes in the software operate similarly to the Background Remover Plugin that comes bundled with the Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate package. However, there are other features included in SmartMask that make selecting and extracting specific items in photos even easier.
The screenshots below should give an idea of what SmartMask is capable of with just a few moments work. Here, we wanted to isolate and remove the flower from the background of the first photograph to prepare it for use in another project. The second image shows the results of this extraction. (Click any image for a larger view.)
Although many other AKVIS products also have standalone versions, SmartMask is available only as a plugin. However, it is compatible with several photo editing applications including Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, and GIMP. In this review, we’ll be focusing on the program as it is used with Paint Shop Pro as the host editor.
| Installation and Setup | Rating  |
I encountered no problems when downloading and installing AKVIS SmartMask. The application does come packaged with a self-installation utility so the setup is quick and easy.
You may need to make some minor adjustments to the host photo editing application in order for it to recognize SmartMask. If you’re a Paint Shop Pro user, see this article on third-party plugins for more information.
| Ease of Use | Rating  |
Although the user interface of AKVIS SmartMask is extremely intuitive, it will still probably take most users some time to get used to the application’s tools. However, the time spent learning how to get the most out of the program is very well spent, especially if you’ve been looking for an easier way to extract objects from one digital photograph to use in other editing projects.
There are three different modes that you can enter when attempting to extract an object or remove a background. One very nice feature is that you can pass seamlessly from one mode to another and incorporate tools from each one when editing the image. While it will take practice to perfect this process, all tools are clearly labeled and you can find out additional information about their usage in a help section located in the lower right-hand corner of the application.
Please continue on to the next page of this review to find out how AKVIS SmartMask performs, how much the product costs, if it's worth the money and what the overall rating is.