My image-editing tasks are usually limited to constructing amusing pictures to accompany blog posts. When all I really need is layering features to composite two pictures together, firing up Photoshop is the equivalent of using a chainsaw to cut wrapping paper. Not to mention that in the time it takes to launch, I could probably perform a rendition of the Gettysburg Address.
So, thank you Gus Mueller of Flying Meat software for putting together exactly what I’ve needed: a lightweight, simple, layer-based image program. Acorn is just that. Taking advantage of the Core Image technology built into Tiger, the program is essentially Photoshop for the rest of us. You can use filters, create vector shapes, add text, even take screenshots or easily grab an image from your iSight. Gus has thrown in a couple of other neat additions too, like the ability to resize your image or canvas by just dragging the window while holding down a modifier key. Not to mention there’s an entire plugin architecture so you can extend the program’s capabilities via Objective-C or Python.
I’ve only played around with Acorn a bit this morning, but I’ve liked what I’ve seen. Over the weekend, Gus posted an “interview” with an unnamed developer, that’s certainly very illuminating now that Acorn has been released. At the moment, Acorn 1.0 is priced at $40, but you can download it and give its shiny filters a spin for nothing.
