Peacock

=**Peacock Effects editor** =

Overview:
   ||  ||< Peacock is an effects editor. There are many different options within Peacock and users are able to combine these varied options to create a wide variety of images and effects. These can be used for a wide variety of purposes such as decorative art and backgrounds. Peacock is a node-based system (you connect effects to your canvas through nodes) that allows you to experiment with the different filters and options by connecting them to your canvas and either keeping them or detaching them (similar to undoing an effect in a typical photo editor).
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Link to Aviary site

Link to Peacock wiki ||  || 
 * Educational Benefit:**

The benefit of this editor is that it allows users to go further with visual manipulations that they can with typical photo editors. The node system makes it easy to experiment with different effects and there is significant control over how each effect is applied. All of this allows users to create incredible artistic creations even if the user does not consider themselves artistic. This is a frequent complaint that I hear from students, that they cannot draw well enough to create quality images. These students often resort to finding pictures online and including them in their work. The use of an editor such as Peacock gives students the tools to make high quality pictures or to alter existing pictures. Of key importance is that students can feel free to create without being concerned about limited artistic ability. I have included two videos, one that shows how to use Peacock to change a rectangular image into a circular one and one that shows how you can play with the effects in Peacock to make an interesting looking image: Masking/Circular image video: media type="custom" key="5263727" Interesting image video: media type="custom" key="5263777" Here is the image I made:

Aviary has a number of tutorial/help sources that are quite good. There is a wiki that details each of the tools within Peacock and the tutorial video that Aviary uses to describe how to use Peacock is far better than the one for Phoenix; the narrator takes you through a variety of tools and shows you how they affect your final product. media type="custom" key="5260791"


 * Drawbacks:**

Much like the Phoenix photo editor, Peacock is a tool that takes time to learn. Simply accessing the program and "playing around" will not lead most users to a full understanding of the uses and power of this tool; it requires guided practice so users can understand how to use the tool. As users learn to use the tool, they will begin to see ways that they can use it. This learning process, how to use it and how the application can be of value to them, is a consideration when weighing whether or not the value of using the tool (the outcomes that can be produced with it), is worth the time needed to learn the tool.


 * Literature review:**

Unlike photo editors, this more specialized tool does not have any research discussing its use in an educational setting. 

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