With Sketch you can make any photo look like B&W or color drawing, imitate the technique of graphite or color pencil, charcoal or watercolor painting.

The new version offers special effects that make the final photo more impressive.

Create a blend of the final drawing and the original image; imitate motion or add "time machine effect" by swirling the background; put an accent to certain parts of the image by blurring the rest of it in an artistic way. You can find tutorials at www.akvis.com.

Akvis Sketch is available for download in Mac and Windows versions. The program is also available as a stand-alone application and as a Photoshop plug-in.

Registered users can upgrade to version 7.0 for free.

All users have an opportunity to download and test the software for 10 days free of charge.

In celebration of the company's birthday (May 29) Akvis is organizing an AKVIS raffle.

Register at http://akvis.com/en/raffle-2008.php to get a 15 % discount (for all participants) and to win a Free license key for any AKVIS program of your choice in the Birthday Raffle.