14 DAY TRIAL // The Pixelmator Team this week proudly rolled out a major new update for Mac users who prefer a $14.99/€13,99 image manipulation solution over the expensive Photoshop.
Pixelmator version 2.2 delivers over 100 new features and improvements, including a bunch of “Smart” tools that will allow photography enthusiasts to achieve the desired results faster.
For instance, a set of Smart Shape tools allow you to quickly adjust shapes’ outlines, while the Smart Move tool knows when you are working with image or shape layers, serving up just the right options.
The Custom Shapes palette lets you drag and drop shapes to your liking, and the Shape Style palette can be used to create more polished, advanced shapes. Some options here include the new Fill, Stroke Style, Shadow, and Inner Shadow.
Version 2.2 also packs a Paint Selection tool. It’s deemed by the developers as “The simplest and fastest way to make even challenging selections in your images with just a few brush strokes.”
Finally, you can give any of your photos a cool retro look with the brand new Light Leak effects. The light leaks themselves can be manipulated in a number of ways, giving you immense flexibility.
The rest of the stuff you can discover for yourself.
Despite its being a pretty massive update, Pixelmator 2.2 is a free download for all existing users.
Newcomers will (of course) have to pay full price for the application but, as noted above, it knocks the socks off Photoshop when it comes to the price.
That’s not to say it replaces Adobe’s professional photo editing software, but Pixelmator has enough pro-level features to make it a good replacement for hobbyists.
That being said, as long as you’re running OS X 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard) or a newer version of Apple’s desktop OS, you can grab Pixelmator 2.2 at the link below.