Help:Editing/Introduction to Pixelmator
This is a guide to using Pixelmator, a graphics editor for macOS. It only covers uses specific to the Tesseract Wiki, as many general-use tutorials for Pixelmator can already be found online. It assumes you have either read the introduction to GIMP or have basic experience with image editors, as most editors share similar features: brushes, selection tools, layers and styles, masks and blending modes, etc.
A demo can be downloaded at pixelmator.com, and the full application can be purchased on the Mac App Store.
Tools[edit source]
Only tools relevant to imagework on the wiki are covered here. A complete list may be found at the Pixelmator Help page.
| Tool | Shortcut | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Pixelmator - move tool.png | Move | V | Used to move layers or selections. |
| File:Pixelmator - magic wand tool.png | Magic Wand | W | Use to select similarly colored areas. |
| File:Pixelmator - polygonal lasso tool.png | Polygonal Lasso | N/A | Used to make straight-edged selections. |
| File:Pixelmator - pen tool.png | Pen | N/A | Used to draw lines with precision. |
| File:Pixelmator - brush tool.png | Brush | B | Used to paint brush strokes. |
| File:Pixelmator - circle shape tool.png | Ellipse Shape | N/A | Used to draw ellipses. |
| File:Pixelmator - repair tool.png | Repair | R | Used to remove objects from an image. |
| File:Pixelmator - type tool.png | Type | T | Used to add text on an image. |
| File:Pixelmator - crop tool.png | Crop | C | Used to trim images. |
Removing elements[edit source]
Screenshots occasionally have elements that cannot be avoided or disabled. The File:Pixelmator - brush tool.png Brush tool can be used to paint over interfaces when they are on solid or mostly-solid backgrounds. However, if the background is too complex to manually recreate, the File:Pixelmator - repair tool.png Repair tool can be used to fill in an area by having Pixelmator generate what would be "underneath" your selection.
Adding transparency[edit source]
Images of characters require transparency, in accordance with our image policy. As characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are made of complex shapes, the File:Pixelmator - lasso tool.png Lasso tool is the best choice in this situation.
An image needs its background removed. Trace around the character.
Once you've gone all the way around the character and finished your selection, choose Edit > Invert Selection. Now that everything except your subject is selected, press the Delete key. The final result, after cropping transparent pixels around the image with Image > Trim Canvas..., is:
See also[edit source]
- Want some more help?
- Ask for help with this topic on the article's talk page.
- Ask for general editing help at Tesseract:User help.
- Request help from an administrator at Tesseract:Administrative requests if you need help which requires an administrator's tools.
- Chat to other editors in our Discord channel.
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