Let’s be honest, most of Photoshop’s default filters and effects can be a bit cheesy. We recently introduced you to Filter Forge, a third-party plugin for Photoshop that allows you to do some pretty amazing things with filters, and even create your own. We also gave away several copies of Filter Forge Basic Edition to several lucky Psdtuts readers. Today, we have decided to do it again by giving away another 3 copies. To enter, all you have to do is submit your entry using the form below.

Filter Forge is a versatile Photoshop plugin which allows both novice and expert users create a wide variety of realistic and abstract textures and effects. Users can take instant advantage of over 8100 free community-created filters in the online filter library, or create their own filters in the visual filter editor by assembling them from components such as blurs, gradients, color adjustments, noises, distortions, or blends – without writing a single line of code.

In this image Filter Forge was used to create the snakeskin: Pattern maps, bumpmaps, and normal maps. The 3D model was made in Microstation V8i, rendered with Luxology Render. No post work.

On the surface, Filter Forge is just a Photoshop plugin, a pack of filters that generate textures, create visual effects, enhance photos, and process images. However, there are some things that make Filter Forge unique:

1. You can create your own filters. Filter Forge comes with a visual node-based editor allowing you to create your own filters – textures, effects, distortions, backgrounds, frames, you name it. All filters automatically support 16- and 32-bit modes in Photoshop, real-world HDRI lighting, bump and normal maps, huge resolutions, and most filters can be seamlessly tiled.
2. You get free access to over 8100 user-created filters. Afnyone can contribute their textures and effects to the online filter collection so it grows with every submitted filter. This means the more people use Filter Forge, the better it gets.

To win a free copy of Filter Forge, all you need to do is enter using the form below.

Up For Grabs

• 1 copy of Filter Forge Basic to 3 readers

Rules

• To enter, submit your entry using this form.
• You may only enter once.
• Make sure to enter a valid email address so that we can contact you.
• Entries will be accepted until Friday, September 2, 2011 at 11:59 PM, EST.

To learn more about Filter Forge, visit their website, download the demo version of the software, and check out their gallery.

Editor’s note: This post was sponsored by Filter Forge.