KnockOut 2

New! Zoom Tool

Gain greater control and flexibility by zooming in on an image at predefined zoom levels using a drop-down list.

New! Aqua® Interface and Mac® OS X Design (for Macintosh® users only)

Take advantage of this powerful new interface. Corel KnockOut 2 is built to run natively on Mac OS X and features the intuitive Aqua interface.

New! Multiple Undo/Redo

Go back to different stages of your work instead of starting from scratch, with up to 99 levels of Undo/Redo. Specify how many Undo and Redo levels you require, and select which shortcut keys you prefer to use for Redo.

New! Polygonal Line tool

Mask large, complex images more easily by using the polygonal mode to define the selection by points or freehand.

New! Reduced Memory Requirements

Save disk space without sacrificing functionality, and enhance the ease with which Corel KnockOut 2 integrates into your existing tool set.

Improved User Guide, Online Documentation and Tutorials

Get started quickly and easily.

New! Revert File option

Revert to an image's earlier or original state whenever you want to discard numerous unwanted changes. If an image has never been saved, Corel KnockOut 2 will retrieve the image from the host application or file and discard the current image. If an image has previously been saved, Corel KnockOut 2 will revert to the last saved state and discard the current image.

New! CMYK File Option

Work with CMYK images, ensuring that KnockOut 2 can easily fit into any workflow.

Enhanced! Shortcut Keys and Streamlined Workflow

Enjoy enhanced ease of use and reduce the learning curve, with shortcut keys, UI menus and commands that are similar to those in Adobe® Photoshop®. This allows graphics professionals to streamline their workflow and work in the manner to which they are most accustomed.

New! Touchup Tools

Perform fine corrections to masked images with the new Brush and Eraser tools, ensuring that the images in your composites are virtually indistinguishable.

New! Property Bar

Take advantage of quick access to commonly used controls. Auto Outside Object, for example, lets you automatically create an outside selection after having created an inside selection on the image.

Live Color Swatch

Point to an area of an image with the Inside Syringe tool, and a circle beside the syringe cursor (the color swatch) displays the color under the tip of the syringe cursor. When you insert a syringe color, the color swatch displays the color to be inserted.

Automatic Error Correction

Avoid costly or time-consuming mistakes before they happen. Corel KnockOut2 automatically recognizes errors in selections and does not permit you to make selections that will cause errors. For example, if you have created an inside selection and then draw an outside selection that intersects with the inside selection, Corel KnockOut 2 will correct the selection by moving it away from the first selection boundary by a specified number of pixels. If working with the Pushpin or Tweezers, Corel KnockOut 2 will display a different cursor and will not allow the action to be performed.

Background Insert

Insert Adobe Photoshop, JPEG, Macintosh PICT and TIFF images as a background after processing the foreground of an image. Corel KnockOut 2 also includes a library of images that can be inserted, or you can import your own images.

Inside Object and Outside Object Tools

Use the Inside Object tool to draw the marquee selection lines that define the color in the interior of the transition area or the foreground object, and use the Outside Object tool to draw the lines that define the color in the background of the transition area. Holding down the Command key turns the Inside Object and Outside Object tools into the Pushpin and Tweezers tools respectively, for selection areas too small for the standard marquee lines.

Inside Shadow and Outside Shadow Tools

Preserve the transparency and realism of shadows and highlights by drawing the lines that define the interior and exterior of a shadow.

Inside Syringe Tool

Sample the interior colors of an object when it is not possible to define the foreground or background of an object with the Inside Object or Outside Object tools.

Edge Feather Tool

Create edge transitions when the foreground and background colors of an object are so similar that the transition area cannot be identified.

Info Palette

Display the XY coordinates and the RGB or CMYK values for the pixel under the pointer.

Transition Complexity

Utilize four settings to describe the amount of detail in the foreground and background area of an image, and create a more precise mask by choosing the setting that is appropriate for the image.

Underlay Color Palette

See your masked image on different colored backgrounds by displaying the foreground of a processed image against various colors.

• Why would I use Corel KnockOut 2 instead of other masking products?
• How is masking in Corel KnockOut 2 different from using the Extract tool in Adobe® Photoshop®?
• What's new in this version of KnockOut?
• Why is Corel KnockOut 2 a plug-in and not a standalone product?
• Which platforms does Corel KnockOut 2 run on?
• Do I need Mac® OS X to run Corel KnockOut 2?

Why would I use Corel KnockOut 2 instead of other masking products?

Quite simply, you can do things in Corel KnockOut 2 that you can't with other software. It gives you the power to mask complex objects with extreme precision, faster than you could ever imagine. It's so accurate that your masked objects will be virtually indistinguishable from the original images.

Complex masking, especially on irregular or transparent edges, is typically a slow, laborious process that reduces productivity and limits creativity. While most image-editing applications contain some sort of masking functionality, Corel KnockOut 2 lets you mask detailed images more quickly and easily, while still retaining all of the properties of the original image.

How is masking in Corel KnockOut 2 different from using the Extract tool in Adobe® Photoshop®?

Although the Extract tool does allow you to select the edge of an object you wish to mask with a transition area, Corel KnockOut 2 is capable of achieving more complex masking in a fraction of the time. With Corel KnockOut 2, you can select the inside and outside areas of the object you're masking, providing a more detailed selection. You can also use the Pushpin, Tweezer and Syringe tools to make highly detailed selections on complex objects, such as glass, smoke, shadows, hair and trees. The Touchup tools allow you to complete the masking process by adding/subtracting colors to and from the masked object. In addition, Corel KnockOut 2 allows you to retain the alpha channel information.

What's new in this version of KnockOut?

Among other improvements, Corel KnockOut 2 features:

• Designed for Mac® OS X - Corel KnockOut 2 is built to run natively on Mac OS X and features the intuitive Aqua® interface
• Revert File option - return to an earlier version of an image to discard unwanted changes
• Property Bar - enjoy faster access to commonly used controls
• CMYK color support - work directly with CMYK images instead of converting to RGB and losing color accuracy
• Touchup tools - perform detailed corrections to masked images with the new Brush and Eraser tools
• Multiple Undo/Redo - with up to 99 levels of Undo/Redo, you can go back to different stages of your work rather than starting from scratch

Why is Corel KnockOut 2 a plug-in and not a standalone product?

As a plug-in, Corel KnockOut 2 integrates seamlessly into any workflow. It's designed specifically to serve as a masking tool for users already familiar with Adobe Photoshop. To that end, it features an intuitive user interface, shortcut keys, menus and commands that are similar to those in Adobe Photoshop.

Which platforms does Corel KnockOut 2 run on?

Corel KnockOut 2 is designed for Mac OS X and runs on Mac OS 8.6 to 9.1. It also runs on Windows® 98, Windows NT® 4.0, Windows Me, Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

Do I need Mac® OS X to run Corel KnockOut 2?

No. Corel KnockOut 2 is designed for Mac OS X and also runs on Mac OS 8.6 to 9.1, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, Windows Me, Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

Macintosh®

• Mac® OS 8.6 to 10.3
• Power Macintosh® G3 or higher (150 MHz or higher)
• Adobe® Photoshop® 5, 6 or 7
• 128 MB RAM [3X image size (RGB + Alpha) recommended]
• 30 MB or greater available hard disk space
• SVGA monitor with 24-bit color display adapter
• CD-ROM drive
• Mouse or tablet

Windows®

• Microsoft Windows® 98, Windows 2000, Windows NT® 4.0, Windows ME or Windows XP
• Pentium® processor, 200 MHz or higher
• Adobe® Photoshop® 5, 6 or 7
• 128 MB RAM [3X image size (RGB + Alpha) recommended]
• 30 MB or greater available hard disk space
• SVGA monitor with 24-bit color display adapter
• CD-ROM drive
• Mouse or tablet