Kaleider manipulates images (and videos) to emulate various Kaleidoscope, Mirroring, 3D Mirroring and Funneling effects.  Effects can be controlled manually to create particular desired results, or patterns can be automatically, randomly generated to provide a fascinating, ever-changing display of colors and image fragments.  The Shifting/Wandering Effects feature adds dynamic motion to graphics, and Rooms provides 3D depth perspectives to the display of Kaleider patterns.  The Mask/Mandala option merges a static background with changeable, evolving patterns to produce interesting composite images.  Effects can be accompanied by music from the Audio Player.  Kaleider display sequences can be captured to Video, and actions can be Scripted to create choreographed performances of dynamic art, optionally controlled via a MIDI device. This miniature Kaleider screen can be clicked to view a larger image (see the rendered results below by the Mirroring item) ->

The features offered by Kaleider are summarized below:

• In addition to standard images, Video Files, Video Devices (webcams, camcorders, TV tuners, etc.) and Image Sequence animations can be used to provide moving input for Kaleider effects.  A Video File, Video Device or Image Sequence can be opened much like a normal image file, and will be displayed and played in the main Kaleider window.  A small Movie Controls panel is available at the upper right corner of the screen to control how the Movie is played.  Kaleider effects can then be selected and rendered as usual.  Rendered effects will be continuously updated with each Movie frame.
  

• The Rooms option converts the display into a 3D environment, with Kaleider effects plastered onto the walls, ceilings and floors of various Rooms.  Randomly placed and sized Bubbles, also coated with Kaleider patterns, can appear within Rooms.  Room scenes can optionally be split into Dual and Quad Views.  Keyboard commands can be used to navigate around the Rooms, or Roam can be toggled on to automatically zoom through Rooms, make turns, bounce off walls, etc.
  

• The Mask/Mandala feature can overlay portions of the screen with a background, based on either a specified Mask Shape or a Stencil image.  The background areas can be filled with either a solid color or another image.  A Mandala is a circular Mask with the background typically set to a solid color.  The Mask/Mandala Options screen is available to configure the characteristics of Masking.  It is possible to create custom Mask Stencil images with the Create Mask function.
  

• The Kaleid Tools panel can reside along the right edge of the screen.  It contains convenient buttons for the most common functions and Kaleider effects.  The main Kaleider Menu and Windows Taskbar can thus be hidden to make the full screen available for displaying images and rendering effects.  A Popup Menu, accessed by right-clicking the mouse, provides another alternative for selecting Kaleider Menu options.  An optional Edit Tools bar along the bottom of the screen provides handy controls for manipulating images and tiles.

• Kaleider effects can be mapped onto various non-flat, curved Surfaces.  The button on the Kaleid Tools panel can be clicked to access a popup menu from which a Surface can be chosen.  Other than the standard Flat Surface, effects will tend to appear distorted when tiled over a Surface, sometimes rather drastically.
  

• The Shifting Effects feature adds an element of motion to Kaleider graphics.  A rendered effect can be clicked and dragged with the mouse to re-render the same effect based on different relative positions within the source image.  This motion can be automated with Wandering Effects, according to predefined options and Wander Patterns.

• Various Kaleidoscope types can be selected, positioned on the screen, resized as desired, and then rendered.  These Kaleidoscope varieties are available:
  • Equilateral Triangle
  • Right Triangle
  • Rectangle
  • Diamond
  • Alternate Angles
  • Square Burst
  • Triangle Star 8
  • Triangle Star 12
  • Square Pie
  • Diamond Pie

  Some of the Kaleidoscope types can also be 'split' to reflect half of the shape onto the other half before rendering, creating different variations of the Kaleidoscope effects.  The mirrored side can be chosen by clicking with the mouse (2 choices for Triangles and 4 choices for Rectangle and Diamond types).
  

• The Mirroring feature of Kaleider attempts to emulate generic flat mirrored surfaces.  It can often produce effects with unusual symmetries.
  

  Mirror-like surfaces can be drawn on the screen, (up to 10 at a time), and then 'reflected' to mirror the portions of the screen not covered by mirrors.  Numerous pre-defined Mirror Patterns are also available for selection (currently 70).  Mirrors can be created and rendered within a rectangular or diamond shaped box of specified size, which can then optionally be tiled kaleidoscopically across the screen. The images shown here were rendered from the Diamond Mirror Pattern chosen in the screen above.  -> These examples also illustrate the use of the Shifting Effects feature, in which the initial rendered image can be clicked and dragged with the mouse to dynamically re-render the effect based on different relative positions within the source image.  In this case, the Center option (on Edit Tools) has been set to automatically maximize effect symmetries.  Then the underlying source image was 'virtually' shifted until pictures that looked interesting to me were formed.  The 2nd image illustrates how Scaling Controls can be used to interactively adjust the size of rendered Tiles.  These are just 2 samples of the nearly unlimited variations that are possible of the same effect on the same image! Edit Tools options can be used to copy an image or a single tile to the clipboard, which can then be pasted into another graphics program for further manipulation (resizing, cropping, color adjustment, etc.).  An image or a single tile can also be saved to a file.

• 3D Mirrors emulate reflection from shiny surfaces that have curvature.  Spherical, Ellipsoidal and Cylindrical mirrors are like adjustable fragments of larger reflective balls, eggs and columns.  A Skewed Cone mirror reflects from a distorted conical shape.  Rippled mirrors resemble the concentric waves that occur when a pebble is dropped into a calm pond.  A collection of Fun House mirrors create distortions similar to novelty mirrors in an amusement park.
  

• The Funneling feature of Kaleider creates 'infinite reflection' effects similar those seen when two mirrors face each other.  A Funnel of a particular shape can be selected, sized and positioned as desired, and then rendered to replicate an enclosed portion of the image, with ever diminishing size, toward the center of the shape.  Rendered Funnels can optionally be tiled kaleidoscopically across the screen.  The available Funnel shapes are:
  • Ring
  • Oval
  • Square
  • Rectangle
  • Triangle
  • Diamond

  As with Kaleidoscopes, each Funnel type can be 'split' to reflect half of the rendered Funnel onto the other half, creating a more symmetrical effect.  The side to mirror can be selected by clicking with the mouse.
  

• Scale/Rotate Controls are available to provide interactive functions for scaling and rotation.  A slider can be used to adjust the scale of effect tiles from 10% to 200%, or a specific tile size can be entered.  The source image that an effect has been rendered from can be 'virtually' rotated, causing pattern elements to turn around a chosen origin.  Random tile rescaling (Zooming in and out) and rotations can also occur during automated Wandering motion.
  

• Appearance Options are available to configure the Kaleider interface to suit individual preferences.  The original dark Kaleider appearance can be switched to a lighter, more conventional look for people with sensitive eyes or dim monitors.  The Interface Scale can be adjusted to alter the size of text, buttons and other controls.
  

• Kaleider can work with multiple Patterns, each with its own source image and rendered effect.  Patterns can be combined into composite images called Pattern Combos.  Rendered effects, images and colors can be positioned and scaled into Areas of various shapes.  Stencil images can blend these elements in complex ways.
  

• The Scripting feature provides the ability to record and replay sequences of Kaleider effects and actions, making it possible to compose performances of dynamic art.  Recorded Sequences can be saved to files.  A Script Control and Editing screen provides options for loading, saving and editing Script Files and Recorded Sequences.
  

• Display sequences can also be captured to Video files, making it possible to share Kaleider performances over the internet.  A Video Options screen is available to configure Video Format, Size, Frame Rate, Video and Audio Compression Codecs, etc.  Animations can also be saved as sequences of still image files, and viewed via the Image Sequence Player.
  

• When using source images that are larger than the screen size, the Upscale Window provides a way to render, display and save effects that are scaled up to match the resolution and quality of the original source image.  Kaleider is Large-Address-Aware, which means that up to 3GB of memory can allocated for creating and saving quite large images.
  

• Kaleider effects can be accompanied by music from the Audio Player  , which can play most common audio formats (MP3, MIDI, WAV, etc.), as well as audio CDs.
  

• For computers that have more than one display screen, the Multiple Monitors Display option can be used to transmit Kaleider generated effects to the secondary monitors.  Menus, controls, cursors, source images, effect outlines, etc. only appear on the primary monitor, so that just the final results are seen on any secondary screens.  This option might be used, for example, to produce live performances of dynamic art, in which effects are selected and controlled from the computer's main monitor, while the audience sees only the results on a large projection display, perhaps accompanied by music.

• The Animate Colors option causes Kaleider to perform a continuous series of color shifts on the pixels in the current screen display.  The resulting effects can be interesting and beautiful, or annoying and ugly, depending on your taste and the current image.  The Up and Down Arrow keys can also be used to step forward and backward through the color shifts one at a time, (whether or not Animate Colors is activated).

• Rendered images can be saved or printed if desired.  A Quick Save feature can be used to immediately save an image according to pre-defined parameters for the save directory, file name and image format.  The Save With Special Options screen provides additional choices for saving images at customized sizes.
  

• Rendered images or individual tiles can be selected to serve as wallpaper for the Desktop background.

• The Automatic Effects feature generates continuous Kaleidoscope, Mirroring, 3D Mirroring and Funneling effects, according to customized settings available through the Automatic Effects Configuration screen.  Automatic Effects can consist of any mixture of Random Effects and Scripted Sequences, making it possible to design performances that are totally random, entirely choreographed or some combination.  These visual shows can be accompanied by music.
  

• Veejays and other dynamic motion artists might use the MIDI Control capability to mix Kaleider manipulations into their performances.  Signals from a MIDI device can cause images to display, Scripted sequences to begin, music selections to play, and many other actions.  It's also possible to play music from an attached MIDI device.

Kaleider can be downloaded to evaluate on a trial basis.  The Kaleider Screensaver is also included, along with several sample photos to serve as source images for Kaleider effects:

After trying Kaleider, it can be purchased and registered, without having to re-download it:  Register Kaleider