We are currently test-driving Pixelmator 2.0 and we can tell you that it is a major release due to hit Apple’s Mac App Store tomorrow at a $29.99 introductory price (free update for version 1.x owners).
We’ll have more info for you tomorrow, but for now we can tell you that Pixelmator 2.0 is absolutely packed with new features, including:
• New look and feel
• Drawing Tools and Shapes
• Healing Tool with Content-aware fill
• Smudge, Sponge, Burn, Dodge, Eyedropper, Pixel, and Red Eye Tools
• New Type Tool
• Auto Save and Versions
• Red Eye Tool
• Pixel Tool
• Column and Row marquee tools
• New Gradient editor
• New Brushes editor
• Shadows and Highlights
• New, easier color choosing
• Numerical input for palettes
• Content-aware Fill for selections
• Improved Quartz Composer support
• Improved Transforming tools
• Support for PSD text layers
• Mac OS X Lion UI support new scrollers, gestures, buttons, menus, and more.
• Many more improvements
Stay tuned for more info tomorrow!
In the meantime, check out Pixelmator Team’s sneak preview here.
16-bit?
According to the developer, 16-bits is definitely coming, but not in version 2.0.
argh! 16-bits (and CMYK, even in post) is essential TODAY, at least is in the editing stages (o/p devices are all still 8-bit, I believe).
Agreed. I wonder what the problem is with CMYK? Put that in, and this is a no-brainer for tens of thousands of graphic artists to do lightweight photo manipulation. You could do at least 90% of what most people need for basic tasks.
CMYK support?
According to the developer, CMYK is not forthcoming, but CMYK proofing is.
Do they work on Pantone Palette so it could be licensed as an add-on?
As far as I remember such add-on for some other editors costs about $250-300, not cheap, but if it is really needed, then it is not that high.
It’s a free upgrade for anyone who purchased the 1.x version through the App Store. Like me! 😀
Very nice of them to make it a free upgrade for current customers. I think Pixelmator was the first app I paid money for at the Mac App Store.
Likewise. It’s also one of the most polished apps I’ve seen 🙂
Me too! My first App Store purchase.
Oh, and thank you, MDN, for adding my upgrade comment to your article.
What if you didn’t buy it on the App Store???
I just went through the same thing. USed AppCleaner to remove 1.6.7 and bought it through the app store.
Was that the correct hint to do? Dunno. Dang sure hope so.
Undo History?
I am gonna buy this this time, I am so sick of being screwed by Adobe (38 years as a graphic designer). Hopefully, the new version is at a level that it can be used professionally.
Amen, brother! Adobe is way too proud of their bloated junk.
I certainly can’t argue with your sentiment; but for me the reality is that, the very first time I tried Pixelmator, I discovered that it couldn’t do some very simple thing that I do in Photoshop every day. Unfortunately, I can’t remember what that missing feature was; but the point is that at that time (about 6-8 ago) Pixelmator was, in my opinion, very far from being a tool that professionals can rely on. I would love to see someone come up with an app that truly gives Photoshop a run for its money, but I haven’t seen that yet.
“about 6-8 ago)…
6-8 what. Minutes? Decades? CMYK support is the deal breaker you may be thinking about. Just a thought.
I hate your Yankees sentiments but applaud your graphic sense.
@botvinnik
I think Adobe (…and Photoshop ) are finally dead….!!!
Welcome next version 3.0 16 bits of Pixelmator….!
From an Italian Mac lover of Apple…
I think Adobe (…and Photoshop ) are finally dead….!!!
Ever been to a big ball game or a big rock concert? See all those guys with the big big lenses, and the magazines and newspapers and their websites with those shiny shiny pictures that publish their pictures? They are using Photoshop. Pixelmator is not going to be sitting on their desktops for a long time yet.
Still way too many PC users out there last time I looked. Pixelmator is Mac only.
Maybe one day. But not yet. Not this year anyway. I’m currently Beta testing CS6 and I can assure you it’s very much in contention for a long while yet. Yes I get the whole CS suite for zip. No, I’m not being paid to say this. I’ve got way too much invested in an Adobe workflow so I won’t be jumping ship for non 16bit Photoshop Decaff yet.
Not saying it won’t happen. Just don’t hold your breath.
Any idea if Aperture will recognize it as an external editor as it does with PS and PS Elements?
It does with 1.0 — you just have to go into your settings and set it up!
I am surprised how much I like Pixelmator. It is light, fast and very easy to use. The real selling point for me has been the amazing community. The tutorials section on the website and the great http://www.pixelmatortutorials.com website are like free online training. I can’t believe how much time these folks spend putting up content for free. Both I and my son really enjoy doing the tutorials and trying to out due each other…gotta say lately the 15yo has been winning ><
The people at Pixelmator really do follow steve’s philosophy for perfection.
They do it right the first time, and pay attention to every little detail to make sure their product is awesome 🙂
I love it.
I like Pixelmator, too, but I do admit that for those who live by Photoshop (ie. make their livelihood), it’s not ready to be a replacement. And, I think that even the Pixelmator developers would agree.
gimp works pretty good and it’s free
Finally it is here! I am going to be looking for this free upgrade tomorrow. 🙂
I think I like all the improvements except the auto save and versions. I am hating that you cannot turn off auto save in the Apple apps. I liked the old ability to save as and have a new document. This “duplicate then save” bit is a pain in my opinion. I am an old dude and get way too many versions of things. Just sayin’
CMYK!
Love the screen shots, finally some original content! This really brings Pixelmator to a more professional level. Myself and another member of the Pixelmator community have been working on a great tutorial site: http://www.pxm-tuts.com/ Try them out!
As soon as Pixelmator includes CMYK support, it’s going to gain a lot of user support in the graphics industry. I like Pixelmator but can’t use it because I need CMYK! Period.
What if I didn’t buy it from the App Store? It’s been a while, but I believe I bought it directly from their web site, and have gotten updates the same way. Do I have to pay for the upgrade?
CMYK.
Then I’ll buy.
What is CMYK for? I am a hobbyist with digital photos and do printing with inkjets and I get wonderful results with RGB. When I’ve experimented with CMYK it make the images dramatically worse.
I know that CMYK is the native format for printing images, but RGB is the native format for creating them, TV displays, and the internet, so is it possible that CMYK could become obsolete?
Those of you who are graphic designers really don’t need CMYK anymore. In fact it restricts you. All modern page make-up applications (InDesign, Quark etc) will output CMYK files (PDF or PS) from embedded RGB images. Via ICC profiles they will even automatically adjust that output to suit the particular printing device and paper stock. You get a much better PDF-X file from RGB than you ever will from CMYK. I gave up CMYK about 5 years ago and haven’t looked back. And the files are smaller too.
Hope we do see a release today. The tutors from the http://pixelmatortutorials.net team are jumping from their chairs to show you in depth what is possible with all the new features in Pixelmator 2.
Its released! Just downloaded it.