Pixelmator Pro 2.4 Adds New Layer Types, Vector Shapes, M1 Ultra Support, More

[MacRumors]

Pixelmator Pro 2.4 "Odesa" went live on the Mac App Store today, and the latest major update to the popular image editing app brings new layer types, new vector shapes, enhanced support for Apple’s M1 Ultra chip, and other notable additions.

The new color adjustments and effects layers let users nondestructively adjust colors and apply effects to entire layered compositions. With a single color adjustments layer, users can now change the look of a composition no matter how many layers the picture has.

The new layer types work just like other layers, and can be masked, hidden, rearranged, and more. It's also possible to apply selective edits by using colors adjustments and effects layers with masks.

"One of the things that users love most about Pixelmator Pro is how it makes advanced layer-based image editing incredibly easy," said Simonas Bastys, lead developer at the Pixelmator Team. "And with the addition of color adjustments and effects layers, layer-based editing in Pixelmator Pro becomes even more powerful, enabling all-new workflows, such as advanced selective editing of photos."

To accommodate the new layer types, the layers sidebar has been redesigned and given a fresh new look. Different layer types, such as images, shapes, text, RAW layers, groups, and other layers, are now more easily recognizable. In addition, layers now also feature informative subtitles that show the most relevant information about a layer at a glance.

Elsewhere, Pixelmator Pro 2.4 also adds over 200 new, artist-designed vector shapes in categories like science, activities, and symbols. The vector shapes are resolution-independent, so they can be used freely in any design or illustration, and their vector points align to pixel boundaries, eliminating any unwanted blurring that can often be found when using vector elements in pixel designs.

This update also includes support for Apple's M1 Ultra processor and machine learning model optimizations, making automatic background removal, super resolution, and photo enhancement up to 1.7 times faster on M1 Ultra compared to M1 Max, according to the developers.

Other new features include a Scrubby Zoom mode, the ability to unlink layer masks, and a wide range of smaller improvements. Pixelmator Pro 2.4 Odesa is available from the Mac App Store as a free update for existing users and $39.99 for everyone else.

Article Link: Pixelmator Pro 2.4 Adds New Layer Types, Vector Shapes, M1 Ultra Support, More

 

[nortonandreev]

I'm glad they're making improvements to the Layers (such as the addition of the new Add Empty Layer button, among others). Pixelmator is a great piece of software and I always give it as an example what one could achieve by following the best practices and utilising Apple SDKs and frameworks provided to the developers.

 

[Sandstorm]

Love the version name Odesa ??

 

[bchery21]

Great app, use it frequently.

 

[quatermass]

Love Pixelmator more and more as they update it - which is pretty frequently. I now only open Photoshop for a couple of filters and plugins, as PMP is now superior for everything else I do. Get this and Affinity Designer, and you're sorted!

Odessa - spot on! ??

 

[JohnGalt81]

Can anyone comment on how Pixelmator compares to Affinity Photo?

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Can anyone comment on how Pixelmator compares to Affinity Photo?

Two very different apps.

Affinity is aimed at professionals as a Photoshop replacement. It takes a little time to learn if you’ve never used a similar app before, and does 95% of what you’d need - with amazing performance.

Pixelmator Pro is very much prosumer orientated. It’s good for quick image editing and as such offers a variety of presets for advanced actions, but this also has the effect of making it less flexible than something of Affinity Photo/Photoshop Level.

Which is right for you really depends on your needs; but given how close in price they are, I would say Affinity is a no-brainer.

 

[fivenotrump]

Fantastic app: highly recommended. The developers are really on the ball with respect to updates and new features. It's a pukkah Mac app and takes advantage of AS. They have many great tutorials available to enable one to get the most out of this fine piece of software.

 

[TSE]

I currently have the entire Affinity Suite and absolutely love it. This app looks like it could be a great Affinity Photo alternative - more automation, less control, but also quicker. I'll have to check it out!

 

[Think|Different]

Been trying to use Pixelmator more and more and keep running into one big thing — what’s the “content aware fill” equivalent? Or even a “history brush?”

 

[Unregistered 4U]

This vector support looks really nice. The Vectormator (m instead of n) that we’ve always wanted?

 

[Bustycat]

The most valuable software I have ever bought.

 

[subjonas]

Apps have to add support for EACH variant of M chip (I assume to utilize them to their potential)?? Or is it just the Ultra that is different for some reason?

 

[Jean Claude]

I've been using design software in one form or fashion for almost 30 years - been a professional designer close to 20. Can someone please explain the difference between this and a more industry standard platform(s) like Adobe's full suite? Are these new pieces 'the future', or do they still just not compete with Indesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, etc.... And please don't call me a Boomer

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Apps have to add support for EACH variant of M chip (I assume to utilize them to their potential)?? Or is it just the Ultra that is different for some reason?

“Adding support” is very likely “recompiling”. Adding support sounds cooler in a list of bullet points, though.

 

[subjonas]

“Adding support” is very likely “recompiling”. Adding support sounds cooler in a list of bullet points, though.

So apps have to be recompiled for each variant? What happens if it’s not recompiled?

 

[Sean.]

I've been using design software in one form or fashion for almost 30 years - been a professional designer close to 20. Can someone please explain the difference between this and a more industry standard platform(s) like Adobe's full suite? Are these new pieces 'the future', or do they still just not compete with Indesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, etc.... And please don't call me a Boomer

Affinity Photo/Designer/Publisher would be the alternative to Adobe Ps, Ai, & Id.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

So apps have to be recompiled for each variant? What happens if it’s not recompiled?

It runs as it has been running, but not necessarily taking advantage of whatever a new compile might do... and not delivering new features associated with the new version. For example, I just migrated from a aging Intel Mac to a new Mac Studio Ultra. I still had Pixelmator "1" on that Intel Mac and it moved to the Ultra (running in Rosetta 2). It runs as it did on the Intel Mac even without being native.

Yes, I'll upgrade it to this native "pro" version soon- just haven't got there yet.

 

[subjonas]

It runs as it has been running, but not necessarily taking advantage of whatever a new compile might do... and not delivering new features associated with the new version. For example, I just migrated from a aging Intel Mac to a new Mac Studio Ultra. I still had Pixelmator "1" on that Intel Mac and it moved to the Ultra (running in Rosetta 2). It runs as it did on the Intel Mac even without being native.

Yes, I'll upgrade it to this native "pro" version soon- just haven't got there yet.

Hmm ok thanks. It’s just strange I never saw any articles about apps being optimized for M1 Pro or Max. Maybe I missed them.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Ultra (which I have) has been getting some "who cares?" press references from even Apple fans relative to MAX-based Studio and even MBpros... as in relative speed tests not showing the "doubling" that in implied by having 2 MAX's linked together vs. using only 1 (select benchmarks, yes (doubled), but so-called real world benchmarks, no). There have even been head-to-head comparisons of (M1 in) Mac Mini vs. Ultra.

So maybe this is the beginning of a little flurry of software updates (FCPX also has a "take full advantage of Ultra" update too) to squeeze some more punch out of "latest & greatest" Mac? Compressor and Motion are also rolling out updates today with notes saying optimized for Ultra too.

I have also seen or heard some references from someone probably 1-degree of separation from Apple employees (or good enough at faking it that they get some press attention anyway) saying that they (Apple employees) say that macOS itself will need a bunch of optimization to take full advantage of Ultra. So hopefully that is both true and will actually happen. Conceptually, if Mac Pro is going to be Ultra-Ultra (Quad?), such optimizations for half a QUAD stack seem probable sometime this year.

 

[UnbreakableAlex]

Affinity software and Pixelmator are so cheap, I bought all of them long time ago. Very powerful and fast software and probably the best alternative to adobe.

 

[iMerik]

FYI - Pixelmator Pro has been discounted down to $19.99.