Pixelmator for Mac gets a Photos extension, new selection tools

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Pixelmator-Photos
You can now use Pixelmator tools right inside the Photos app.
Photo: Pixelmator

Pixelmator, the incredible image editing app for Mac and iOS, now ships with a useful Photos extension on OS X that allows you to make quick edits to your images without leaving Apple’s app. The latest release also brings new selection tools.

Pixelmator is like Photoshop, only it’s easier to use and a lot more affordable at just $29.99 — which makes it a much better choice for a lot of Mac users. And with every big update, the app just keeps getting better.

Version 3.5 brings a new Photos extension, which lets you use Pixelmator’s powerful retouching tools right inside OS X’s built-in Photos app. You can adjust things like color, light, and sharpness, and take advantage of the clone and repair tools.

Inside Pixelmator, you’ll find a new Quick Selection tool, which lets you paint over an object you want to select, then automatically identifies its individual parts. You can then select those parts and edit them individually.

There’s also a new Magnetic Selection tool, which automatically traces the outside edge of an object and allows you to use the regular Lasso or Polygonal Lasso tools by holding down the option key.

Finally, Pixelmator 3.5 makes a long list of improvements to existing tools and features, and fixes some bugs. The update is free for existing owners, and you can download it now from the Mac App Store.

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