REVIEW • SEPTEMBER 13, 2000
CValley FILTERiT 3
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Wave Tools

Similar in some ways to warps, FILTERiT's Wave tool calls up a palette of five waveforms that can be applied to any number of objects or text outlines. The palette also offers a user-selectable number of "cycles," or waves, to be generated by the effect.

Effects include 2D and 3D (appearing) waves in a number of shapes, including ribbons and wave cross sections.

As with the Warp filter, the Wave filter can be modified by using the Shift, Option and Shift-Option keys for symmetry and changes in direction. Depending on the particular wave being used, moving the mouse up or down can also add a flipping effect to the object. (See the examples in the left margin. The second one from the top shows the flip.)

A live preview shows an outline preview of the effect in real time as the mouse is moved around.

Lens Tools

The Lens tool provides four types of lens effects that can be applied to any object or text outlines—Fisheye, Magnify, Twirl and Tone. Lenses are applied in ways similar to warps and waves, except that each lens has an area of influence defined by a user-customizable circle. Moving the circle over objects causes the objects to distort as if they were being viewed from a lens.

In addition to Area Width and Area Height, each lens effect has its own settings. The user can adjust the thickness of the Fisheye lens; the magnification of the Magnify lens; the angel and cycle of the Twirl lens; and the vertical and horizontal size minimums of the Tone lens.

With this filter, holding down the Option key changes the vertical or horizontal scale of the area of effect; holding down the Shift-Option keys changes the horizontal and vertical scale of the effect simultaneously.

As with the other tools, a live preview shows an outline preview of the effect in real time as the mouse is moved around.