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. 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:

• 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.
  
  

• The Mirroring feature of Kaleider emulates generic mirrored surfaces defined within rectangle, diamond, right triangle or equilateral triangle shaped boxes.  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 172).  Mirrors can be created and rendered within a rectangle, diamond, right triangle or equilateral triangle shaped box of a specified size, which can then optionally be tiled kaleidoscopically across the screen.

  <= The images shown here were rendered from the Equilateral Triangle Mirror Pattern chosen in the sample screen shown at the top of this page.

  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 upon 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 were formed.  The 2nd image illustrates how the Adjust Controls can be used to interactively adjust the position, scale and rotation of rendered Tiles.  These are just 2 samples of the nearly unlimited variations that are possible of the same effect on the same image!

  It is also possible to produce interesting distortions of mirrored effects by applying Mirror Transforms, which can alter the reflection properties of Mirrors in unusual ways.
  

• 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
  • Right Triangle
  • Diamond
  • Cone
  • Spike
  As with Kaleidoscopes, most Funnel types 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.
  
  

• A rendered effect (Kaleidoscope, Mirror, 3D Mirror or Funnel) can be stored as a Sequon.  A Sequon can later be applied to recreate the exact same effect with any source image, optionally scaled appropriately for source images of different sizes.  Sequons can also be included with Random Effects and Automatic Effects.  The Sequons feature makes it possible to develop a library of your favorite, most often used effects.
  

• 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 toggled off 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.  The Edit Tools bar along the bottom of the screen provides handy controls for manipulating images and tiles, including options to save images or tiles.  Images or tiles can also be copied to the clipboard for use by other graphics programs, or an image can be pasted from the clipboard.

• Kaleider effects can be mapped onto various non-flat, curved Surfaces.  Click the button on the Edit Tools panel (or type F10) to toggle on/off the currently selected non-flat Surface.  Right-click to access a popup menu of Surfaces to choose from.  Other than the standard Flat Surface, effects will tend to appear distorted when tiled over a Surface, sometimes rather drastically.
  

• The Mapping feature uses a Phase Plotting technique to apply effect tiles along the contours of complex variable functions.  (A complex number is composed of both real and 'imaginary' parts.)  Click the button on the Kaleid Tools panel (or type F12) to toggle Mapping on/off.  Right-click to access the Mapping Menu, which provides a selection of Complex Variable Functions to choose from.
  

• The Shifting Effects capability 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.  The Shift Mode drop-down box can be set to Tile, Image or Pattern.  This motion can be automated with Wandering Effects, according to predefined options and Wander Patterns (right-click Wander for options).

• An Adjust Controls panel provides interactive functions for Tile positioning, scaling and rotation.  Click the button on Edit Tools to toggle Adjust Controls on/off.  The current position of a rendered effect Tile and any Image Shifts are shown, and can be modified to set exact values if desired.  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.
  

• A default Quality Level, (Standard, Improved or Extra), can be specified for each category of effect to determine how those effects will initially be rendered.  Click the button on Kaleid Tools to access Quality Control options.  Options are also available to temporarily lessen the Quality Levels while intensive processing is occurring, such as when manually shifting effects, or during continuous activity like Wandering motion or Automatic Effects.  Effects will be automatically re-rendered with their normal Quality Level immediately after the activity has completed, or whenever the action is paused (just hit the Space bar).
  

• Kaleider can work with multiple Patterns, each with its own source image and rendered effect.  A Pattern Area can optionally be defined with each Pattern so that rendered effects will only appear within that portion of the window.  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.  A Combo can be stored as a Build so that the same Combo structure can be quickly recreated.
  

• 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.  The Scaled Size is adjustable.
  

• 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.

• The Animate Colors feature performs a continuous series of color shifts on the pixels of the current screen display, using a variety of Colorize Methods.  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).
  

• Flexible options are available for saving Kaleider images and Tiles to files.  Remake Scripts can optionally be saved along with images so that the images can later be reconstructed.  A Quick Save function 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.
  

• Images can also be printed, or set as wallpaper for the Desktop background.

• Features are included that might be useful to VeeJays and other dynamic artists.  Spout Out can be activated to continuously share Kaleider screen displays with other programs that are equipped as Spout Receivers.  Kaleider effects and actions can also be controlled by a MIDI device.

• The Automatic Effects feature generates continuous Kaleidoscope, Mirroring, 3D Mirroring and Funneling effects, according to customized settings available through the Kaleider 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.
  

Kaleider can be downloaded and used for free:

The Kaleider Screensaver is also free!