The Pixelmator team has released the next version of their image editing and creation app. The new version, 1.4 Sprinkle, boasts:

“improved graphics tablet support, new brush presets, minor user interface, compatibility and performance improvements, and several bug fixes.”

New features in this release include a new painting engine, Adobe Photoshop brushes support, a clouds filter, document presets, and more.

“Pixelmator's new painting engine delivers smoothness, performance improvements, and new brush settings for painting tools in Pixelmator. New advanced brush settings in Pixelmator include scatter, flow, follow direction, size jitter, stroke jitter, angle jitter, opacity jitter, and color jitter. In addition to the ability to load and save brush presets, the application also allows users to import Adobe Photoshop brushes.

New document presets in Pixelmator can be used to quickly choose image dimensions and resolution for display, web, photo, or print projects. Users can also create their own document presets.

Pixelmator's powerful new clouds filter allows the artist to easily generate realistic clouds that can be used in either photos, special effects, or for creating natural textures.”

The update is free for registered owners and is available as a $59 download for new users.

Tags:update, graphics, design, image editing

MacZot has VectorDesigner on sale today for $39.99. Normally $69.95 VectorDesigner is vector drawing application that’s easy to use at a price most people can afford and today it’s even more affordable.

Vector Designer:

“has everything you need to create fancy vector graphics such as posters, brochures, stickers, logos, web graphics, t-shirt and more.It features a wide range of tools and smart shapes: easily create rectangles, ovals, polygons, stars, bezier curves - even convert bitmap images to vector-based drawings thanks to VectorDesigner’s automatic raster to vector conversion!VectorDesigner even provides advanced tools for performing geometric operations, to achieve total control over your drawings (union, subtraction, intersection and exclusive-or operations)”

Requirements:

Mac OS X 10.4 or higher (10.5 recommended).
G4, G5 or Intel processors.
1.25 GHz or faster.
512MB
(1GB recommended).
Core Image supported graphics card.
Some features require Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard.

To get you started on the road to vector designing greatness, TweakerSoft the makers of VectorDesigner have put together some great screen casts. Check them out over at TweakerSoft’s website.

Tags:vector, graphics, design

Mudbug Software released Webify 1.1 last week. The update fixes rotation issues associated with rectangular images. It also introduced the Reflection effect promised when Webify was originally released. The update is free to all registered owners.

For anyone thinking about purchasing Webify, today would be a good day to do so. Mudbug is offering 40% off until 1/1/2009. That’s $9.60 USD for an eminently capable image editor.

We use Webify all the time for images we post here at AYAAW. It’s a great little app and we highly recommend it.

Tags:update, image editing, graphics

TweakerSoft recently updated it's awesome VectorDesigner to 1.4.7. The update fixes a few bugs and is free to all existing VD () owners.

Tags:vector, graphics, software

The Pixelmator team today updated Pixelmator to version 1.3.1. The updated brings a new Color Management Sheet and a new Refine Selection tool. With the new Color Management Sheet Pixelmator seeks to simplify the process of color management which is often one of the hardest things to grasp for beginning digital photographers and artists. The Color Management Sheet brings all the color management tools into one place for easy selection.

The Refine Selection tool offers users the ability to dramatically improve selections made with selection tools. The tool features Smooth, Feather and size settings and of course works in real-time so you can see the results instantaneously.

Other improvements included in the update are improved Type tool stability, user interface tweaks and compatibility improvements, as well as some bug fixes. The update is free to all existing Pixelmator owners and new users can get the full Pixelmator 1.3.1 for $59.

Tags:graphics, image editing

VectorDesigner 1.4.6

TweakerSoft $69.95

TweakerSoft announced today the immediate availability of Vector Designer 1.4.6. The new version includes support for the new MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air multi gesture touchpad. TweakerSoft also says that the new version squashes some minor bugs and improves performance. TweakerSoft bills VectorDesigner as "the perfect application for vector drawings, diagrams and illustrations, raster image handling, filtering and color correction. Out of the box, it offers everything users need to create professional level vector artwork."

By leveraging the full capabilities of Quartz and Core Image, VectorDesigner retains the feel of traditional drawing applications and features a wide assortment of tools, including smart shapes, rectangles, ovals, rounded rectangles, polygons, stars, bezier creation and editing, as well as raster to bezier conversion.

Combine shapes using unite, subtraction, xor and intersection boolean tools. Text can be fitted inside a shape or along a path preserving all the text editing capability of Mac OS X. All filters and composition may be applied non-destructively to shapes and images. A particularly useful feature is the integrated flickr browser; search texture and images by tags, or by color and download them directly inside the document.

Tags:update, vector, graphics

If you find yourself needing to create beautiful, professional looking graphics check out our comprehensive, brand-spanking new review of Art Text 2 in AYAAW's review section. We highlight Art Text 2's new features as well as it's strengths and weaknesses. Read more about this powerful and fantastic app after the jump.

Tags:graphics, text

Yesterday, BeLight Software announced the immediate availability of version 2 of it's Art Text graphics application. Art Text 2 can be used for creating headings, web graphics, buttons and logos with an ease not found in other software. According to BeLight, the new version features a new Template Gallery with over 200 ready made buttons, headings, icons. Multiple layers support and redesigned interface turn Art Text 2 into flexible tool to create complex graphics. 120 new vector icons and over 190 supplied textures were added. Pricing starts at $39.95, upgrade is free for people who purchased version 1 starting July 1st, 2008 and costs only $19.95 for those who purchased earlier:

"We are thankful to all Art Text users who found version 1 useful and wrote us feedbacks and suggestions about improving the program. When working on version 2 we tried to account on most of those wishes and nevertheless keep the software easy to use, so that two clicks are enough to bring joy to any user!"- says Pavel Skurtul, Art Text Product Manager.

Other Art Text version 2 changes:
- 120 new vector icons added;
- Redesigned program interface;
- Merge layers using one of the 11 blend modes;
- Texture library with over 190 supplied textures added;
- Multi layers support added, each layer has its own properties;
- Library of Shading materials grew to 245 surface materials in total;
- Template Gallery with 200+ editable button, heading, icon and logo templates becomes available.

Art Text 1 is a fantastic app that put the power of higher end graphics programs into a smaller, lighter-weight package that's easy to use and create fantastic looking graphics. We here at AYAAW can't wait to put version 2 though it's paces. Check back for a complete review in the next couple of weeks.

Tags:update, graphics, announcement