JixiPix Kyoobik Photo is a creative image processing software designed specifically for the Mac platform, whose core function is to transform ordinary photos into 3D three-dimensional art paintings with a unique “block stacking” or “pixel cube” style. It uses intelligent algorithms to analyze image color and depth, generating digital artworks with strong visual impact, making it very suitable for artists, designers, and photography enthusiasts for creative expression.

I. Detailed Explanation of the Software’s Core Interface and Workspace

After launching Kyoobik Photo, the main interface presents a clean working environment with clear functional divisions.

Top Menu Bar: Contains standard menus such as “File,” “Edit,” “View,” “Window,” and “Help”; all advanced settings and software controls are located here.
Left Preview & Navigation Panel:
- Preview Window: Displays the image in real time after effects are applied.
- Navigator: The thumbnail shows the entire image; the area within the red frame is the content currently displayed in the main preview area. Drag the red frame to quickly pan and inspect details of the large image.
- Zoom Controls: Provides a slider and percentage buttons for enlarging or reducing the preview view.
Right Controls Panel: This is the core operation area of the software, where all artistic effect adjustments are completed. The panel uses a vertical tab structure, mainly divided into:
- Style: Select basic artistic style templates, such as “Classic Blocks,” “Abstract Colors,” etc.
- Blocks: Control the size, height, spacing, and smoothness of the cubes.
- Lighting: Adjust light direction, intensity, ambient light, and highlights to create a 3D effect.
- Color: Adjust color tone, saturation, brightness, and apply color filters.
- Background: Set the canvas background color, texture, or blur effect.
- Border: Add various styles of frames to the final artwork.
Bottom Status & Action Bar:
- Displays current image information and operation hints.
- Contains core action buttons: “Open”, “Save”, “Reset” (restore current panel parameters to default), “Compare” (press and hold to compare the original image with the edited result).

II. Complete Workflow from Creation to Export

Step 1: Create/Open a Project

Method 1: Via the menu bar
Click “File” -> “Open…” in the menu bar at the top of the screen, or use the shortcut Command + O, and select a supported image file (such as JPEG, PNG, TIFF, etc.) from Finder.

Method 2: Via drag and drop
Drag an image file directly from Mac’s Finder into the main preview window area of Kyoobik Photo, and the software will automatically load it as a new project.

After the image is loaded, the software will immediately apply the default block effect, and you can see the preliminary conversion result in the preview window.

Step 2: Adjust the artistic effect parameters

In the control panel on the right, adjust the parameters in order or according to your creative needs. All changes are previewed in real time.

Select a style: Click the “Style” tab and choose a preset style from the drop-down list as a starting point. This will quickly adjust the parameters on the other panels to the typical settings for that style.
Fine-tune the block properties: Switch to the “Blocks” tab.
- Use the “Size” slider to control the base size of each cube.
- Use the “Height” slider to control the extrusion height of the cubes, which is key to creating a 3D look.
- Use the “Smoothness” slider to control how soft the edges of the blocks are.
Set up the lighting: Switch to the “Lighting” tab.
- Click and drag the control point inside the “Light Direction” circle to change the angle of the light.
- Adjust the “Brightness” and “Highlight” sliders to enhance the sense of depth and the material’s reflective effect.
Optimize Color: Switch to the “Color” tab, and use the “Hue”, “Saturation”, and “Lightness” sliders to make global color adjustments.

Step 3: Add Background and Border (Optional)

To make the artwork more complete, you can further decorate it.

In the “Background” tab, you can choose a solid color background, or enable the “Blurred Background” option to blur the original image and use it as the background, making the foreground square subject stand out.
In the “Border” tab, check “Enable Border,” then select a border style from the drop-down menu and adjust its color and width.

Step 4: Export the Final Artwork

Once you are satisfied with the result, you can export the image.

Specific method: Click “File” -> “Export…” in the menu bar at the top of the screen, or use the shortcut Command + E.

In the save dialog that appears:

Name the file in the “Export As” field.
Choose the save location (e.g., Desktop, Pictures folder).
Select the output format from the “Format” drop-down menu, usually “JPEG” or “PNG.”
(For JPEG) You can use the “Quality” slider to adjust file size and image quality.
Click the “Export” button in the bottom right corner to save your final artwork.

III. Advanced Tips for Common Features

Non-destructive comparison preview: While adjusting parameters, long-press the “Compare” button in the bottom toolbar, or simply hold down the “~” (tilde) key on your keyboard to instantly switch to the original image. Release to restore the effect preview, making it easy to compare details.
Enhancing local effects: Kyoobik’s effects are automatically generated based on image brightness and color. To emphasize a certain area (e.g., make brighter parts appear taller), you can first use other software (such as Photoshop) to locally adjust the contrast of the original image before importing. Bright areas will produce more prominent block heights in Kyoobik.
Creating depth of field and focal points: Combine the “Block Size” and “Background Blur” features. Try using smaller block sizes for the main subject area to preserve detail, while using larger blocks for the background with background blur enabled. This simulates the depth of field effect in photography and guides the visual focal point.
Stylized color cycling: In the “Color” panel, make significant adjustments to the “Hue” slider to quickly apply a unified color tone to your entire artwork, creating surreal or emotionally charged color atmospheres, such as cyberpunk cyan-blue tones or retro warm yellow tones.

IV. Common Issues and Solutions

Q1: The software responds slowly or lags when processing high-resolution images.

Solution:

When adjusting parameters, you can temporarily lower the preview quality. Go to the menu bar “View” -> “Preview Quality” and select “Medium” or “Low”.
When exporting the final output, the quality will automatically restore to the highest setting and will not affect the output result.
If the original image is extremely large, consider first reducing its dimensions to an appropriate range in Photoshop or Preview (e.g., 3000-5000 pixels on the long side) before importing.

Q2: The generated block effect is too dense or too sparse, with loss of detail.

Solution:

Focus on adjusting the “Size” and “Height” sliders in the “Block” panel. A smaller “Size” value preserves more detail from the original image but increases the number of blocks; a larger value creates a more abstract feel.
Adjust the “Lighting” in combination. Enhancing side lighting and highlights can significantly improve the sense of depth, making the block layers more distinct and visually compensating for lost detail.

Q3: The Save/Export option is grayed out and unavailable.

Solution:

Please confirm that a valid image has been successfully loaded. When no image is loaded, the export function is unavailable.
Check whether any modifications have been made to the current project. Sometimes, if no parameter adjustments have been made, the software may consider that there is no need to save a new version. Try dragging any parameter slider, then check the export options again.
Make sure you have write permission for the target save folder.

V. Keyboard Shortcuts Summary (Mac Version)

Function	Shortcut	Description
New Project / Open Image	`Command + O`	Select an image from Finder to open
Export Image	`Command + E`	Save the processed work locally
Reset Current Panel	`Command + R`	Restore the currently active parameter panel settings to default values
Show/Hide Comparison View	`~` (Tilde key)	Hold to show the original image, release to restore the edited image
Zoom In Preview	`Command + +`	Enlarge the preview view
Zoom Out Preview	`Command + -`	Shrink the preview view
Actual Size	`Command + 0`	Restore the preview view to 100% display
Fit to Screen	`Command + 1`	Scale the preview image to fully fit the window
Toggle Fullscreen Mode	`Control + Command + F`	Enter or exit the fullscreen workspace