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Review: Pixelmator 1.6

July 19, 2010 By 7 Comments
Pixelmator 1

About a year and a half ago (January 7, 2009 to be exact) I wrote a review of Pixelmator as a potential light-weight image-editing software. At that time I found it a very useful and inexpensive image-editing software that was well worth its $59.00 cost. (Download from Pixelmator.com) A new version of Pixelmator (1.6) is available as a free upgrade to current Pixelmator owners, but a word of caution goes along with it. Pixelmator has been rewritten for Snow Leopard 10.6 and the new version … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Graphics, Photoshop, Reviews, Software, Workflow Tagged With: apple, cheap photoshop alternative, composite, Graphics, image editing, mac, photoshop, Pixelmator, Software

Pixelmator: The Manual

February 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

There are some basic functions I wanted to cover before exploring Pixelmator as a tool for Photographers. I intended to publish an introduction to the gradient palette today. However, before moving forward, I thought I would give the Pixelmator User's Manual a read. All the basic features are documented, the information easily accessible and very well organized. Most of the tools are self-explanatory so I didn't feel the need to read the 1st chapter: The Working Environment. Chapter 2: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Graphics, Photography, Software, Tutorials Tagged With: apple, Graphics, mac, photoshop alternative, Pixelmator

Pixelmator: The Unexpected

February 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

The more I play, the more I believe that I have been underestimating the power of the PixelMator. I am starting to suspect that hidden behind the humble pricetag is the image editing equivalent of  "a predator masquerading as a house pet". Many of my Photoshop worklow techniques are based on lessons learned from Photoshop gurus like Matt Kloskowski and Scott Kelby. I wondered while I waited for Photoshop to load if I could color correct an image in Pixelmator and achieve similar … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Graphics, Software Tagged With: apple, Graphics, mac, photoshop alternative, Pixelmator

Pixelmator: Creating a Clipping Mask

January 28, 2009 By 2 Comments

Not to be confused with a quick mask, a clipping mask is in fact a series of layers; the dynamic between the base layer and the layers above it define the image that will be revealed. Various combinations of opacity and blending can result in extraordinary composite images. The advantage of this method is simple: edit the base layer and you edit the shape of the composite image. The Basics 1. Create or choose your base layer.  By default, any new layer is called … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Graphics, Software, Tutorials Tagged With: adobe photoshop, apple, clipping mask, composite images, mac, Pixelmator

The Pixelmator Challenge: Dr. Roach

January 7, 2009 By 1 Comment

While teaching a recent Photoshop workshop, a local Community College recruited me to conduct a sort of 'finishing up' workshop for students at the end of their second year of Photoshop classes in a strictly Macintosh lab. I was charged with showing them that while they had two semesters of Photoshop behind them, that there were a lot of subtle things yet to be done and which hadn't been covered in their coursework. Sure enough, at the end of the session a question arose, just as I had … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Graphics, Reviews, Software, Workflow Tagged With: apple, mac, Pixelmator

The Pixelmator Challenge: Alicia Vogel

January 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment

I really love Pixelmator as a painting program.  It has Photoshop-like brushes and a Painter feel.  I popped a sketch I had started in Painter in and was able to fully block it out and have a decent detail pass in a matter of hours.  For me, its simplicity is a big plus. With Photoshop and Painter,  I get dazzled by all the options and end up forever tweaking all the tools.  In the future I'm going to do all my pre-painting in Pixelmator and then tweak either in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Graphics, Panels & Gutters & Zip Ribbons, Reviews, Software, Workflow Tagged With: apple, mac, photoshop, Pixelmator, wacom tablet

Pixelmator: The Challenge

January 5, 2009 By 1 Comment

A while back, David Alison wrote about Pixelmator. He said it was a good program. I trust his judgment, and in general I've agreed with his assessment of Mac apps. As a result, I began recommending Pixelmator without hesitation to my clients. I have to admit I am a Photoshop snob. I had never actually used Pixelmator. I had all sorts of excuses - didn't want to pay for it, I already own the top image editor on the market so why bother learning a new one, yada yada. AND I own Imagewell from … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Graphics, Reviews, Software Tagged With: apple, composite, mac, photoshop, Pixelmator