Download Microsoft Expression 4 beta

The developers of Microsoft have put a development technology preview online of the yet to be released Expression 4. The preview has been codenamed Acrylic and is available from here to download. Expression is an image editing program that uses vectors to create and modify images, photos and drawings. It is unknown what has changed in this preview version compared to Expression 3. However, Microsoft has made the following release notes available:

Key Feature Areas

• Vector and Pixel Tools: Paint on pixel layers, create objects and insert images on vector layers, convert between vector and pixel layer types, create selection masks by dragging vector objects to pixel layers, and more.
• Expressive Pixel Painting Engine: Create realistic pixel paintings using the pixel brush engine. Create your own multi-component brushes for expressive power; use them to paint with gradients, textures, smudging, and paint thickness.
• Pixel Selection Tool: Automatically create tight and accurate pixel selections on complex shaped image features with just a few simple in/out region markings.
• Live Effects: Apply image effects and color correction filters on a per object or per layer basis to either vector or pixel based elements.
• Variations Palette: Paint with variations in hue, saturation, lightness, strokes, stroke width, and transparency.
• Image Stitching: Stitch together individual photographic or scanned images into high quality panoramic images.
• HTML Workflow: Create rollover and popup buttons, preview your artwork in Pixel Preview mode, and export to HTML format with auto-slicing capabilities.
• Hint Palette: Quickly access contextual information regarding the currently moused-over tools and palettes.

Known Issues

• Pixel painting has not yet been optimized and the performance is slow. Optimization work is currently in progress and drastically improved performance will be delivered in the final release.
• Importing of .ai files can results in blank documents and under some circumstances application instability.
• Exporting to non-.xpr vector formats does not persist pixel layer data.

[break]Gorilla drawn in Expression