First look: Pixelmator 2.2 Blueberry goes live in the Mac App Store
As promised, image editor Pixelmator released a substantial update to its OS X app on Thursday, with over 100 new features and improvements including shapes, smart move, paint selection and an "effect" called Light Leak.
Now available through the Mac App Store, version 2.2 Blueberry brings a host of new features that make editing photos a more enjoyable experience.
AppleInsider was granted access to the latest update, and found the image editor to be polished and easy to use "out of the box." Not much has changed with the user interface, but that's for the best as Pixelmator offers a clean, spartan look that lets users concentrate on the image rather than the tools surrounding it.
The tool panels that are shown retain the slick interactive animations when rolling over each feature. Drag and drop functionality is still one of the highlights of the app, with effects like the new Light Leak applied by either clicking on its icon or dragging it over to the image.
One of the more useful additions to Pixelmator is the new Vectormator mode, which quickly pops a user into a vector-based environment well-suited for drawing. Upon entering the mode, shapes and gradients windows appear to give fast access to commonly used assets.
Shapes gets a buffed set of features with the update, including new gradient fill, stroke styles and shadowing options. In use, the tool works as expected, though we'd like to see slider controls for offset blur and opacity. Along with new Shapes customization options, the tool is incredibly robust.
Another new feature is the text as shape tool, which turns any typed text into a adjustable layer. The tool allows for reshaping of each letter, and users can apply separate layer filters as needed, allowing for the seamless insertion of text art into an image.
There is only one major gripe we have with Pixelmator, and that is the lack of global non-destructive editing. There are ways to get back to an original image state, but without the granularity of non-destructive editing, especially as it pertains to layers, the app feels somewhat constrictive.
All told, though, the new features simply add to an already great app. With a deep set of tools and customization options, Pixelmator is well worth the price of entry.
From the release notes:
Pixelmator version 2.2 is available now at a promotional price of $14.99 through the Mac App Store, while existing users can update for free.
Now available through the Mac App Store, version 2.2 Blueberry brings a host of new features that make editing photos a more enjoyable experience.
AppleInsider was granted access to the latest update, and found the image editor to be polished and easy to use "out of the box." Not much has changed with the user interface, but that's for the best as Pixelmator offers a clean, spartan look that lets users concentrate on the image rather than the tools surrounding it.
The tool panels that are shown retain the slick interactive animations when rolling over each feature. Drag and drop functionality is still one of the highlights of the app, with effects like the new Light Leak applied by either clicking on its icon or dragging it over to the image.
One of the more useful additions to Pixelmator is the new Vectormator mode, which quickly pops a user into a vector-based environment well-suited for drawing. Upon entering the mode, shapes and gradients windows appear to give fast access to commonly used assets.
Shapes gets a buffed set of features with the update, including new gradient fill, stroke styles and shadowing options. In use, the tool works as expected, though we'd like to see slider controls for offset blur and opacity. Along with new Shapes customization options, the tool is incredibly robust.
Another new feature is the text as shape tool, which turns any typed text into a adjustable layer. The tool allows for reshaping of each letter, and users can apply separate layer filters as needed, allowing for the seamless insertion of text art into an image.
There is only one major gripe we have with Pixelmator, and that is the lack of global non-destructive editing. There are ways to get back to an original image state, but without the granularity of non-destructive editing, especially as it pertains to layers, the app feels somewhat constrictive.
All told, though, the new features simply add to an already great app. With a deep set of tools and customization options, Pixelmator is well worth the price of entry.
From the release notes:
- Smart Shapes Tools, which let you quickly adjust a shape?s outline with easy-to-use controls to get just the look you?re after;
- Shapes palette packed with dozens of readily available shapes that are as easy to add as dragging and dropping;
- Shape Style palette, so you can effortlessly create more polished and advanced shapes;
- Convert Text into Shape, which allows you to convert type layers to shape layers and then easily apply gradients, shadows, strokes, or even reshape individual letters;
- Smart Move Tool, which knows when you are working with image or shape layers and gives you just the options you need at that time;
- Paint Selection Tool, which is the simplest and the fastest way to make even the most challenging selections in your images with just a few brush strokes; and
- Light Leak effect, which makes it easy and fun to create stunning, retro-artistically illuminated images from any of your photos.
Pixelmator version 2.2 is available now at a promotional price of $14.99 through the Mac App Store, while existing users can update for free.
Comments
Does Pixelmator offer better ways of doing the above than PS-CS3?
I don't understand why they've gone down to 15 bucks instead of investing in more development. With the Adobe CC backlash, this is their time.
I love pixelmator. I played with photoshop (I had a pirated version) and I hated how sluggish and user unfriendly it was (from a newbie standpoint)
Pixelmator I took a risk and bought it. I figured everything out by common sense and the online tutorials, and I keep learning new tricks.
I'm an amateur app programmer, and this suits me. I hated PS. I'm glad I'll never have to use it since I'm not professionally in a field that rqeuires it.
NOte: It's not a full replacement. There are lots of features it does not have that PS has, like outlined text. You'd have to do that manually and even then it doesn't look perfect. It's more of a user friendlier, less hardware intensive, (but less featured) photoshop.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shogun
I'm using Photoshop CS3 for my meager photo editing needs. I like the history with snapshots, layers (not usually masks), feather and inverse on selections, and auto color balancing...
Does Pixelmator offer better ways of doing the above than PS-CS3?
What are you specifically doing in layers with PS? With Pixelmator, you can cut objects out of photos and add them in others. There is an auto enhance button as well as an option in effects to adjust the color balance. I've played around with Pixelmator and it works well. Photosthop is still the best photo editing software out there imo though. You should try out the demo and see if it works with your needs.
Still only 8 bit. 16 bit images get crunched down to 8. A dealkiller for many non-casual users who need to stay 16 bit at least some of the time.
This has been a longstanding topic in its support forum. It's a good app, but this keeps it in its niche.
About a million years ago I was using Corel Draw and Paint for reasons I no longer recall, when someone suggested I try Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop instead. I couldn't see any reason to do so, because the feature lists were nearly identical. I quickly discovered that wasn't the point.
While both Corel Paint and Photoshop provided nearly identical methods of cutting, painting and blending, such operations invariably yielded better LOOKING results in Photoshop than Paint. Gradients were smoother, edges were cleaner, transitions were more natural -- doing the same things the same way I'd do them in Paint just turned out more natural looking results using Photoshop.
Because of that experience I tend towards caution when I hear about apps like Pixelmator. The feature set doesn't even begin to tell the story of how useful an app will be. I haven't used it (yet) so I don't want to give the impression I'm maligning it. It may be absolutely awesome for all I know. I just think it's worth bringing some evaluation of the quality of the results into the discussion.
Does Pixelmator support Wacom tablets? Which runs better on older hardware, Pixelmator or Photoshop CS4/5?
What goes with Apple?
Originally Posted by DoctorWhiteface
Can't purchase Pixelmator 2.2 from App Store 'cuz I don't have 10.8.3 even tho the Pixelmator 2.2 demo works fine under 10.8.1.
What goes with Apple?
It goes, "why the heck aren't you updating to 10.8.3 if you already have 10.8.1? You have no one to blame but yourself."
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
It goes, "why the heck aren't you updating to 10.8.3 if you already have 10.8.1? You have no one to blame but yourself."
Because then Pro Tools will stop working, meaning we'll have to buy a new computer because the new version of Pro Tools doesn't support our 2009 Mac and there's no new Mac Pro yet.
That's why.
Originally Posted by v5v
Because then Pro Tools will stop working, meaning we'll have to buy a new computer because the new version of Pro Tools doesn't support our 2009 Mac and there's no new Mac Pro yet.
That's why.
So why is he complaining that this is Apple's fault? It's HIS fault for having to rely on outdated software and partially Pixelmator's fault for not giving any leeway to their installations (though the latter makes some sense if it's feature-based).
Apple has nothing to do with his choice not to update.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
So why is he complaining that this is Apple's fault?
Because Apple is imposing a limit on the download, even thought the software doesn't need it.
Pixelmator does not require .3. It apparently works fine on .1, but for some reason Apple insists that he have .3 to buy it.
In this case, it actually is a case of Apple being the issue. There may be a perfectly good reason, or it may just be a whoopsie. Either way, Apple is setting the bar for download higher than what the software needs, which is causing a seemingly-unneccesary problem for the good Doctor.
Originally Posted by v5v
Because Apple is imposing a limit on the download, even thought the software doesn't need it.
Sounds a lot more like Pixelmator's imposing the limit, since it's in the Mac App Store that way and they're the ones that set the requirements.
Apple did not do this.
There's a lot to like. The interface is really good, I particularly like the effects browser palette, and the brush options.
Unfortunately, it still doesn't do CMYK. That's a deal breaker. I don't see Pixelmator doing much damage to Adobe just yet.
I don't think designers and photographers realize how often frustrated publishers end up sending their files to a colour house to fix them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bsenka
I downloaded the demo and played with it a while.
There's a lot to like. The interface is really good, I particularly like the effects browser palette, and the brush options.
Unfortunately, it still doesn't do CMYK. That's a deal breaker. I don't see Pixelmator doing much damage to Adobe just yet.
I don't think designers and photographers realize how often frustrated publishers end up sending their files to a colour house to fix them.
Actually, I believe it has had CMYK support since the previous update, though I'm not a user so look into it. I don't personally like the Pixelmator interface at all. I find that for the price it's a great app for what it is, but I wouldn't recommend it to people with a serious image editing workflow need over PSElements, which, IMO, still trumps all the other sub $80 editors. It may be short on the "light leak" kinds of functions but I find it the best of the cheap image alternatives by far.