Kaleider

With Kaleider you can create hypnotic kaleidoscopic patterns, swirling mandalas, and pulsating 3D environments. The program provides almost limitless options to manipulate photographs (your own or the developer's) into trippy still images or phantasmagoric videos set to music.

The interface is attractive, but also cryptic. You'll want to read the copious documentation to get the most out of this program. For example, it took me a while to find the Undo button (called "Remake," oddly enough) and to figure out how to access the image library (click the forward and back arrows near the top of the toolbar).

Kaleider is similar to its sibling, Liquib, which also manipulates photos in artistic ways. If you're looking for a tool that lets you generate psychedelic imagery and set it to music (perhaps for a party or performance), I suggest downloading both trial versions. Each program has something to offer artistic types.

--Kim Saccio-Kent