Pixelmator Team Releases Pixelmator 1.4 Sprinkle
Thursday, 19 February 2009. Posted by Saulius.
Version 1.4 Features New Painting Engine, Support for Adobe Photoshop Brushes, Clouds Filter, Document Presets, and More
The Pixelmator Team released Pixelmator 1.4 today, the fourth major update to the revolutionary GPU-powered image editing tool that provides everything needed to create, edit, and enhance still images. Available as a free software update, Pixelmator 1.4, codenamed Sprinkle, features a new painting engine, Adobe Photoshop brushes support, a clouds filter, document presets, and more.

“By leveraging the power of Mac OS X, Pixelmator brings image editing to life,” said Saulius Dailide of the Pixelmator Team. “With Pixelmator 1.4 features, the application is a superior image editor and an excellent painting tool that is as fun as it is powerful.”
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.
Other new features in Pixelmator 1.4 Sprinkle include improved graphics tablet support, new brush presets, minor user interface, compatibility and performance improvements, and several bug fixes.
Pixelmator 1.4 Sprinkle is a free update for current Pixelmator users.

February 19th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Congratualtion on the release of the new version, just a question, was save for the web planned and not introduced or it is planned for furure 1.4.x releases??
Keep up the great work!
February 19th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
I can’t wait to try the new features! Keep up the good work!
Although, I’m REALLY, REALLY waiting for a Save for Web feature.
February 19th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I love you.
February 19th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Just started playing with it and already noticed a few neat little touches.
I love this app. The constant updates and attention to detail are really impressive.
February 19th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Love the updates – but because there is no real “Saving for web” I stay using CS4. I would rather use Pixelmator. =/
February 19th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
This is pretty awesome.
The drawing is a lot smoother than 1.3, but I have to play with it a bit more before determining if it was worth upgrading… *chuckle chuckle*…
February 19th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Fantastic update. It’s good to see that my money will be used to please the users.
But I’m also looking for “Save for Web” and a live shadow filter.
February 19th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Ditto all the comments on Save for Web…
As long as this is missing, I continue to use Fireworks or Photoshop.
February 19th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
i’m still getting the 62M 1.3.3 release when i download… is there a direct link?
February 19th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
(update works fine from within the app, however.)
February 19th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Great update. Broke out my tablet to play with the new brush tools.
Just out of curiosity what did you do that dropped the download size to %40 of 1.3.3?
February 19th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Damn guys, stop bitching about “save for web”. It will come when the time is right. They said Sprinkle is all about the new painting engine.
If you want to complain, use the feedback page.
Good job, Pixelmator team. The new engine is fantastic.
February 19th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Thanks! It’s again a great update. Who needs Photoshop?
Be serious: For me it’s one of best application on my mac. I’m loving it!
(also my DigitalPen still doesn’t work fine with Pixelmator…)
Also thank you, that it’s again a free update! Great work, great company, great application!
February 19th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Great work! I love Pixelmator! I appreciate the time and effort you put in developing this program. Keep up the great work
February 19th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Lucky CALM DOWN…people are entitled to post what they want….EVERYONE here is making compliments… cause the dev team deserve them, no harm in saying that save for the web is a requested feature.
People have used the feedback page people will keep using it….really no harm in saying what’s good …and what can be improved also here!
February 19th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Awesome. Thanks for the great tablet support! SMOOTH. This is now approaching Photoshop in terms of image manipulation ease, and surpassing it in areas.
February 19th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!! Dugg!
February 19th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
@Drew
Yes, I agree with you, but some people are just basically saying “until you add this, your program is not worth switching to”. It’s like they wait for just that one feature to buy Pixelmator or to switch.
I’m sure they would like the feature. I would like it. And it’s coming in 1.5 (so they say at Ars). The problem is the way they are “demanding” it. It’s like they are threatening the devs. Add this or else I’m still on Adobe.
I hope you understand my point. It’s okay to leave feedback, but not the way they are doing it.
@ Pixelmator team
It’s very practical to have a link to the release notes. Maybe you can update the article to have it. As for any confused user on where to see them, here you go: http://www.pixelmator.com/support/updates/
February 19th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
congratulations. The brushes look nice …but who actually still paints pictures using a brush in pixelmator or photoshop (apart from a few serious illustrators)?
anyway, keep up the good work.
February 19th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Lovely news! This’ll be a treat!
February 19th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Win.
February 19th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
@aurelio
I do! and so do many people I know. This update is GIGANTIC for me. The save for web stuff everyone is asking for is nice for me, but nothing required. This update means I can and will replace photoshop for 95% of what i do, if not more.
Nothing but praise for the Pixelmator team. I’ve been using it for a few hours now, and my tablet couldn’t be happier!
February 20th, 2009 at 1:24 am
Shapes feature, using bezier curves, lines, and a way to define rounds & chamfers on corners would also be a nice addition. Ideally, I’d like to be using something between illustrator and photoshop but better (numerical control?) over shape features. I realize many folks here are not product designers, but here is an opportunity to create this missing link. Oh, and add mechanical dimensioning tools for about $200 would complete my design studio. Thanks!
February 20th, 2009 at 2:36 am
[...] like the look PowerShot SX200 IS. I might buy one. The black one. The maroon/red one looks awful. Pixelmator just got bumped up to version 1.4 “Pixelmator 1.4, codenamed Sprinkle, features a new painting engine, Adobe Photoshop brushes [...]
February 20th, 2009 at 3:04 am
The brushes feature is awesome. But I still would like a folder option for the layers palette. Line height for fonts would be cool. A rgb color add on is almost necessary and you should include it instead of me finding one on the internet. I still need photoshop, but the speed of the app (and the fact that it is one bundle unlike Adobe) is great. Keep the versions rolling.
February 20th, 2009 at 4:27 am
uh
so, brushes don’t work at all.
whatever i select as brush this strange airbrush is used. same for the eraser. regardless what i select (brush or pencil) it erases in a airbrush type pattern.
tool options sometimes are visible, sometimes not. regardless what i select.
brush sizes that i select have nothing to do with what i select. they are random. same for opacity.
the options for brushes are stuck at the bottom of the screen with maybe half of the options off screen so I can’t use them.
time to trash pixelmator and reinstall. hope it works then. because it looks quite good. i guess my download/update process got somehow corrupted.
February 20th, 2009 at 4:30 am
ah, now it works!!! so everybody, if things act strange just download from the website and replace the old version. works like a charm now.
the new brushes rock!!
thanks for the update. seems to be faster as well.
February 20th, 2009 at 6:48 am
[...] Features für Pixelmator 1.4 Pixelmator 1.4 “Sprinkle” steht ab sofort zum Download bereit (.dmg, 25,3 MB). Änderungen: Neue Einstellungsmöglichkeiten [...]
February 20th, 2009 at 7:33 am
Awesome piece of software. Actually thinking about going back to do some actual work with it
— keep up the good work!
February 20th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Hi staff, again another grat improvmento to this wondrful app!
February 20th, 2009 at 10:40 am
Thank you so much for that update, it resolved almost all the problems i had with Pixelmator, mainly the performance on my macbook.
February 20th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
The brushes do indeed rock and the update is sick, to borrow a phrase and appear down with the kids. Clouds are cool, hadn’t noticed they weren’t there but good to see them join the crowd (still missing wave though
)
There’s loads of little things that I’d love to see join the software and, like some others, I’m not going to delete any competing apps just yet, but on version update 4 I’m HUGELY impressed with where Pixelmator is going and now probably use it 50% next to the other photothing. I do big it up much more though when I chat to people about digital art (sadly I teach in a college that’s wedded to the other software but all of my students are in no doubt as to where my loyalties are headed) and managed to find a half hour to blog about it here also: http://kercal.wibsite.com/2009/02/18/pixelmator-14/.
Nice one Team Pixelmator. As ever looking forward to the next thing (ah we are so impatient on the nets are we not?) but loving where we’re at at the mo’. Keep it up and yeah, another vote for a link to the version update history thing as an option when you open the software and get the dialog box doo dah.
February 20th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Is HDR coming?
February 20th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Mine is saying 1.3.3 is the latest, and I’m up to date..
February 20th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Great update! T H A N X !
February 20th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
[...] folks at Pixelmator have released version 1.4, named Sprinkle, and it’s now available from their site or from directly within the app. [...]
February 20th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
[...] folks at Pixelmator have released version 1.4, named Sprinkle, and it’s now available from their site or from directly within the app. [...]
February 20th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
Um… I may have overdone it on the importing of Photoshop brushes… Could we have pages/folders in the brush box at some point please?
February 21st, 2009 at 8:01 am
missed the release date! downloading right now.
love the app. cheers!
February 21st, 2009 at 8:54 am
Great, finally this programm is usefull. to actual see the brush while painting is essential …. thanks a lot. got work
well, now just a save for the web and I would jump arround in join.
February 21st, 2009 at 10:38 am
Great! I was really waiting for this one! Now if you guys add some layer effects and vector mascs you’ll get all my love!
February 21st, 2009 at 4:58 pm
You people asking ransoms (threatening not to buy or not “get all [your] love” until feature X is implemented) are being disingenuous.
February 22nd, 2009 at 6:26 am
[...] folks at Pixelmator have released version 1.4, named Sprinkle, and it’s now available from their site or from directly within the app. [...]
February 22nd, 2009 at 8:58 am
Me to: I also was hoping for a Save for Web feature. And @ foofoorabbit: I guess some features are not just wishes, they are important to get finally to work with Pixelmator instead of Photoshop.
Anyway the brushes are a nice feature – but: How do I install or uninstall them correctly?
The palette gets longer and longer (no scroll!!) and I can’t delete some unuseful brushes. All I found was this old help page: http://www.pixelmator.com/support/manual/ and no tutorial how to use them.
Keep up the good work, the version seems stable to me. : )
February 23rd, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Just Noticed:
There is a limit to the amount of brushes you can import. There is no scroll feature nor re size on the brush palette which make it impossible to view the entire brush collection. as you import, the palette get longer and longer eventually hiding off your entire monitor.
March 10th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Please bring on slicing and a save-for-web dialog… webdesigners need it!
April 4th, 2009 at 10:52 am
Hmm I have tried this application, basically for the price and the features I can say is really awesome application. I just think that layer effect is really important, if this can add in asap. It just fantasic I can describe.
April 4th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Hmm I have tried this application, basically for the price and the features I can say is really awesome application. I just think that layer effect and save-for-web is really important, if this can add in asap. It just fantasic I can describe.
June 13th, 2009 at 1:53 am
[...] folks at Pixelmator have released version 1.4, named Sprinkle, and it’s now available from their site or from directly within the app. [...]
July 14th, 2009 at 8:01 am
Премного благодарен за оригинальную точку зрения. Я с ней не совсем согласен, но она имеет право быть.
July 27th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Естественно присоединяюсь к вышесказанному!
August 26th, 2009 at 12:29 am
Что то Автор почти совсем перестал писать новые темы и даже админить блог? Может что случилось?