Pixel Bender
The Pixel Bender Gallery is a plug-in for Photoshop from Adobe. It works in the CS5 version and contains a number of filters which give extra scope to make new, weird and possibly confusing effects. There are lots of controls with each filter.
Some useful results can be created here but it might be hard to find a good use for a few of them.
CS6 comes with OilPaint Pixel Bender built into the Filter menu.
CircleSplash
Part of the image is displayed as a fish-eye circle which can be varied in size.
The circle can be moved around the screen and the rays of colour will spread from it.
Convergence
An image is broken into the three channels of red, green and blue.
Each channel can be adjusted individually by offsetting it vertically and horizontally. This can be done simply enough in any version of Photoshop as explained in
Photoshop In A Day
Fisheye
An instant fish-eye effect, where the central point of the bulge can be controlled in any direction.
Hole
Push out the subject matter to create a hole in the middle, revealing another image from behind.
The hole can be made any size and be positioned in any part of the image.
Kaleidoscope
Nine sliders to control rotation, size, centre point, colour and fade, giving a multi-image effect like looking through a kaleidoscope tube full of mirrors.
OilPaint
The Oil Paint filter will give an image the appearance of a traditional painting. It seems to be most effective on images with bold shapes.
The Sylization slider can change it from a simple oil paint effect to something looking very impressionistic. Then there are sliders to change the strength of colour and brush strokes.
This pixel bender filter comes built-in with the CS6 filter menu.
Pixelate
Similar to the existing Pixelate filter but this one gives more control of pixel size and shape.
RippleBlocks
A good fluid effect controlling waves and softness in all directions.
Smudge
The name is a bit misleading as the result is very graphic and looking more like an image seen through mottled glass of different strengths.
Spherize
Spherize gives and instant magnifying glass effect.
Controls can position the circle precisely; adjust its size and adjust how strong the magnification is.
SpinRadialBlur
It creates a ring of blur controllable for size, exact position and the extent of the blur motion.
Much quicker than doing something similar manually.
TubeView
Like looking into a mirrored tunnel.
Sliders adjust size of the circle, amount of swirl turbulence, vignetting, positioning, colour strength and just about everything.
Twirl
Like the standard Twirl filter but with many more controls for the size, centre and angle of the twirl.
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