Aviary - web image editing suite test flight

Aviary is an ambitious suite of web based image editing apps created to enable collaboration among artists of all genres and to provide artists a direct distribution channel to the marketplace. If you're already discounting online flash applications as a plausible alternative to desktop apps like Adobe Illustrator, Gimp, Photoshop, etc., Aviary agrees with you to a certain extent.

What Aviary is offering, make that "soon to offer" is a score of online tools that integrate with one another in one package. The idea is to provide online collaboration capabilities to artists, especially hobbyists and budding artists. The tools are especially useful for quick collaboration, mock ups, and initial team feedback, in ways where file sharing from desktop apps just aren't. And that's Aviary's niche.

Aviary's tools aren't your typical crop, resize, take out red eye kind of tools. Think 3D modeler, vector editor, Flex based pattern generator, color swatch generator, video and sound editors, desktop publishing, and the list goes on and on.

Currently, the only tool available for use right now is Phoenix, a layer based image editor, with others soon to follow. We checked out Phoenix and thought it was pretty impressive. It has extensive features for indepth editing which should work for the casual user and pro alike. Some of Aviary's tools will have an AIR version so you can use them offline and then sync when you get online.

Aviary offers a social web 2.0 aspect where you can comment on other's works, make your revisions to their work, follow them as fans, and have favorites.

Something cool is Nest, a Flash based 3D art gallery, where you can showcase your art and then "wander" around to your friend's galleries - creating a virtual museum, where you're the curator. You can post your gallery on your website to share with others.

Aviary is in closed beta, but the first 100 Download Squad readers will get to try it out. Just click on Aviary at the top of the post. And be sure to leave us your impressions afterwards.

Requirements
Aviary runs on any PC, Mac, or Linux system that has Adobe Flash 9 installed and an internet connection.

Aviary was developed by Worth1000 and is headquartered in Long Island, New York, employing a staff of 12.

[via UNEASYsilence]

Tags: Aviary, online image editor, OnlineImageEditor, photo editing, PhotoEditing, RIA image editing, RiaImageEditing