Fractal Design Announces Upgrade to Painter 3.1

New functionality includes Multiple Undo, Gradation Editing, compatibility
with Photoshop 3.0 file formats, and new effects and filters

Aptos, California--April 17, 1995--Digital imaging leaders Fractal Design
Corporation today announced Fractal Design Painter version 3.1, an upgrade
which adds significant functionality to this award-winning natural-media
paint and image-editing program. Painter 3.1 offers up to 32 levels of
undo, compatibility with Adobe Photoshop 3.0 layers, GIF file formats,
Gradation Editing, additional fill capabilities, and many new special
effects including Growth Patterns, Express Texture, Make Fractal Texture,
and new surface texture controls.

New Features In response to user requests, Painter 3.1 contains a feature
for Multiple Undo, which enables users to experiment freely with Painter's
brushes and effects without commitment to every edit. Multiple Undo is
commonly found in drawing applications; however, Painter is one of the
first major imaging applications to support this enabling feature. Users
can undo and redo up to 32 levels of changes. Five levels of undo are set
as a default, but users can edit Undo Preferences.

Painter 3.1 also supports the reading and writing of image data in
Photoshop 3.0 format, including the conversion of Photoshop layers into
Painter's "floaters" and vice versa. When reading in a Photoshop format,
the Photoshop layer is minimized to a floater with the smallest possible
rectangular bounding box which will hold all
the layer data, creating efficient floaters which can be moved and
manipulated with Painter's floater selection tool.

Painter 3.1's new Gradation Editor builds upon Painter's existing ability
to capture gradations from within an image by allowing users to design new
"algorithmic" gradations, as well as edit simple gradations. As users
change parameters within the Edit Gradation dialog, the Gradation Preview
automatically updates within the Gradations palette, giving users feedback
about their edits and the opportunity to make changes before performing
the operation.

Painter 3.1 now contains a Fill dialog that offers a proxy view of the
image and the ability to vary the opacity of the fill. This allows users
to fill an image or a selection with a semi-transparent color, gradation,
weave, clone or pattern.

Another feature new to Painter 3.1 is Express Texture, which generates a
light contrast version of an image in grayscale and achieves effects
similar to printing with a custom half-tone screen. Users can base the
effect on the selected paper texture, current mask, image luminance or
original luminance of a clone source. Express Texture is similar to
Painter's Apply Screen but with anti-aliasing built in. Paper grain
determines how deeply the texture penetrates the surface.

Apply Surface Texture now has additional controls for fine lighting
adjustments. Users can have colored lights interact with the grain to
produce difference effects on the surface. The preview sphere can be used
to define all possible surface angles and create very delicate
adjustments.

Painter 3.1 provides a new effect called "Growth Patterns," branch-like
designs that resemble the way trees are rendered in drafting and which
operate independently of Painter's brushes. To create Growth Patterns,
users can drag along the paper or canvas to develop branch-like outlines.

For aspiring Internet authors, Painter 3.1 provides extensive support for
GIF-format files in a wide variety of different bit-depths. Other helpful
features in Painter 3.1 include detailed Help Files and Clean Up Palettes,
which automatically restores palettes to the default position.

System Requirements/Pricing and Availability

The Windows version of Painter 3.1 requires: IBM PC compatible 386 or 486
(Pentium preferred); hard disk drive with 10 MB of free disk space; color
monitor; Super VGA, 16-bit (32,768 colors) or 24-bit (millions of colors)
preferred; 8 MB RAM; and Microsoft Windows 3.1 or later. Math co-processor
is required for some effects. The Macintosh version of Painter 3 requires:
any Macintosh model with 68030 or greater processor or Power Macintosh;
Apple system software 6.0.7 or greater; hard drive with 10 MB free disk
space; 5 MB RAM (6 MB for Power Macs); color or grayscale monitor;
floating point unit (FPU) (or Power Macintosh) is required for some
effects. Painter 3.1 supports all popular graphics tablets.

Painter 3.1 will be available at the end of April for Macintosh and Windows
computers. Owners of Painter 3 can upgrade to version 3.1 for free by
downloading a special software patch from America Online and CompuServe.
It can also be ordered directly from Fractal Design for $12.95. Users who
registered Painter 3 after March 1, 1995 will be sent the upgrade
automatically. Owners of Painter 1.x and 2.0 can upgrade for $149, and
owners of PainterX2 can upgrade for $99. Customers can call 1800-297-COOL
to order. Painter 3.1 is also available through distributors, including
Ingram, Merisel and Tech Data, as well as superstores, major resellers and
mail order.

About Fractal Design Corporation

Fractal Design Corporation is a major force in multiple-platform graphics
software, creating and marketing next-generation paint, photo-design and
image-retouching software for Apple Macintosh and Microsoft Windows
computers. Additionally, all Fractal Design products are written to
support the new Power Macintosh computers. Fractal Design develops and
markets the award-winning natural-media paint and image-processing
applications: Fractal Design Painter, Dabbler, Poser, ColorStudio &
Shapes, and Fractal Design Sketcher. Fractal Design products are available
through distributors including Ingram, Merisel and Tech Data, as well as
superstores, major resellers and mail order. The company is headquartered
at 335 Spreckels Drive, Aptos, CA 95003. Telephone: 408 688-5300. Fax: 408
688-8836.

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