How Does the Prisma App Work?

With a simple click, everyone with a smartphone can capture special moments in photos and videos. However, pictures taken with smartphone cameras frequently feel bland. Apps like Prisma can turn photos into paintings by applying painter style transfer artificial intelligence AI techniques that include filters in the style of the user’s favourite painters.

What Is Prisma?

Prisma is a mobile photo editor app available on both iOS and Android devices that uses neural networks and AI to transform photos into a piece of artwork. Prisma has over 500 filters that can be used on images of human subjects, plants, objects, landscapes, and just about anything else you can think of. 

With Prisma filters, users can easily transform their images into masterpieces by using the styles of famous artists, such as Munk and Picasso. Prisma filters can be applied over both pictures and videos.

How the Prisma App Works

To extract the style content, the Prisma app uses convolutional neural networks (CNNs), one of the most talked-about deep learning algorithms increasingly used in painter-style transfer AI software. Applying a filter in the Prisma app is done through an operation called convolution to extract the artistic style you want to for your image.

The underlying neural network of the Prisma app first classifies the content images and recognises specific image features. It then processes the content image through its pre-trained neural network, applying the network’s output at multiple layers. Finally, the transfer network uses the information generated by the CNN and outputs a second image based on the style selected.

When using Prisma, you first upload a picture on the app, then select a filter or style you want your original picture to adopt.

The picture Prisma produces is a blend of the original photo in terms of pixel content and the style selected. The final image retains the content (people, buildings, and objects) of the original photo while taking on the artistic style of the reference image–this feature can also be applied to videos. While the output cannot be compared to those of regular pictures, it is an interesting feature that sets Prisma apart from many mobile photo editing apps.

Because Prisma’s process requires a lot of processing power, when the app was first launched, filters were applied on the cloud where more devices could manage the process. As a result, users had to connect to the internet to use Prisma. However, as smartphones became more powerful and were able to process optimised Prisma codes, users now only have to connect to the internet to download the app. To find out how another mobile photo editor works, check out our recent review of Becasso.

Why Should You Use Prisma?

One of the major benefits of using the Prisma app is its wide range of artistic filters. On the free Prisma app, users have access to over 500 different filters and effects that can easily be applied to their pictures. Upgrading to the paid version unlocks even more filters with additional advanced editing tools. Prisma also releases a new art filter every day.

In addition to allowing users to apply filters to turn photos into paintings, the Prisma app lets users fine tune the outputs to their desire. After applying a filter, Prisma allows users to enhance the results, including making changes to exposure, sharpness, contrast, and brightness. Users can use tools to retouch and blur photos to enhance the original.

Prisma allows users to share their creative images directly to social media platforms. Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook buttons are above the filter row for quick sharing or pictures can be shared using a different app of your choice. The menu also has an option to automatically save original photos and artwork.

By default, there is a watermark embedded into all photos created by the Prisma app; however, you can remove the watermark in the Settings menu. Just open ‘Settings’ and toggle off ‘Enable Watermarks’ to disable watermarks from being automatically applied to your pictures. 

Final Thoughts

Prisma is a great photo editing app that offers a great range of features. With Prisma, users can simply edit their pictures, turn pictures into paintings, edit videos, remove blemishes, and change backgrounds. The basic Prisma app is free, but to save your pictures in higher resolutions and access more filters, you can purchase a subscription for $4.99 per month or $19.99 per year.