Aviary: The sky’s the limit for web-based design applications

Aviary

A small group of Internet software developers in New York are hoping to turn the world of online art on its head with a new suite of creative applications called Aviary.

Aviary will consist of an entire flock of bird-themed applications to help you perform any creative task, from manipulating images, creating unique patterns and drawing vector graphics, right through to creating 3D models, audio mixing and even video editing.

It’s all one giant web-based RIA (Rich Internet Application) suite based on Adobe’s Flex platform. The guys developing the suite are keeping a blogwhich offers quite a few screenshots and even a few Flash videos of the applications in action.

My impressions based on these screenshots and videos is that the suite looks like a very slick toy. But toy it most certainly is – very bright and colourful, slightly Fisher Price!

However, as a demonstration of what is possible with RIAs it is nothing short of breathtaking. Sure, there are a few existing image manipulation tools and drawing tools knocking around, but this is an entire suite of webby-ajxay-flashy goodness – video editing… on the WEB?!

Looking deeper into the suite than just the creative toys, there seem to be some clever-sounding social media elements being built in, such as the ability to collaborate and share, and perhaps significantly, an online market place to trade your works of art.

I’m all for it! It’s not going to replace any serious professional tools we might use, but as a way of oiling the creative cogs and perhaps inspiring youngsters to try their hand at creating and sharing their work, it’s a great idea. And as an example of what is possible over the web these day, I’m very exited to see it in action!

I’m not the only one excited. Alan Mejer thinks Aviary promises to be one of the most exciting Web 2.0 apps yet. So what do you think Aviary promises? Will it gracefully soar to new heights and set new standards? Or will it come crashing to ground with bird-flu and gimmick stamped all over it?