The developers behind Pixelmator have just released another free update to the Mac app, available in the Mac App Store ($29.99). Despite the bug-fix identifier, Version 3.3.2 packs some cool enhancements to support Apple’s latest technologies and hardware.
For one, as demoed in the screenshot above, Pixelmator brushes now support Force Touch so you can draw with multiple levels of pressure by pressing harder on the touchpad of your new Retina MacBook (or early 2015 13 inch Retina MacBook Pro). This is useful for quick adjustments although serious painters will still want to use dedicated drawing tablets. The update also adds support for the Photos app and a revamped Repair Tool …
Pixelmator made big improvements to the Repair Tool a few versions ago, but now it is even better. You drag over the areas you want to automatically replace and let go. With the new version, the repair process is even faster and more intelligent. I tested a demo image that included two people on stairs with railings; in just a few drags the Repair Tool automatically removed the railings, substituting the surrounding content. Again, these ‘magic’ features do not work flawlessly every time — but it works very well indeed.
The Photo Browser in Pixelmator for Mac now also lists photos imported into the new Photos app. This is a neat integration but I think I still prefer using traditional Open-Save workflows.