Vertus, a graphics and imaging software developer, has released Play
With Pictures, a new image composition application, that's designed
to let users of any age take ordinary photos and turn them into
imaginative compositions, then print or save them for use at home or
on social networks.

Play With Pictures lets users cut out an unlimited number of people
and props from images using a straightforward technique that
resembles paint-by-numbers. The cut-outs are then layered onto a
background of choice using a set of tools.

"The idea of using software to create humorous cut-out images isn't a
new concept, but eliminating the complicated mechanics of Photoshop
and other intimidating design programs will, for the first time, make
once complex techniques available to entirely new audiences," says
James Carr-Jones, president and CEO of Vertus.

Because layering portions of multiple images together often makes the
composition look disjointed, Play With Pictures provides an automatic
blend tool which smoothes over any hard edges and provides a
transition between background and foreground layers. To further
assimilate cut-outs into the final image, simple slider tools can be
used to adjust the transparency of each cut-out, as well as its color
tint. Additionally, a quick copy button will duplicate the cut-outs
as many times as needed.

To personalize compositions, Play With Pictures adds a text box to
the image to provide titles and captions, or simply insert pieces of
text throughout the image. Also, a single click can add a speech
bubble to provide dialogue and the font and text color, as well as
the speech bubble and its transparency, can all be independently
adjusted.

Additional features which will soon be available in Play With
Pictures, and accessed through free and routine software updates,
include one-click image morphing to literally bend portions of the
image into new and exciting shapes, and share options to upload
images directly to popular social network profiles. Tools which will
soon be added to the software include a slider to alter image warmth
and a contrast tool to adjust image brightness, says Carr-Jones

Free trials of Play With Pictures are available for immediate
download at http://www.playwithpictures.com where the software can
also be purchased for the introductory price of US$39.95. The
software works with both Windows and Mac OS X (10.3.9 and higher).