Add stylized finishing effects in Pixelmator Pro for Mac
When your image is nearly complete, you can add character and atmosphere with classic film-inspired looks. These stylistic adjustments recreate the look and feel of analog photography, from the subtle edge darkening of natural vignettes to the organic texture of film grain.
The Vignette effect gradually darkens or lightens the edges of a photo, drawing attention to the center. The Fade effect creates the washed-out, vintage look of aged photographs by lifting shadows or reducing highlights. The Grain effect adds the organic texture of analog film, giving digital images tactile character and physicality.
These effects work well together—combine them all to create authentic vintage looks, or use them individually for subtle enhancements.
Apply these Color Adjustments to individual layers for selective enhancement, or add a color adjustments layer to affect multiple layers in a composition. After applying any adjustment, you can modify the settings in the Color Adjustments pane.
Add a vignette
Use the Vignette controls in the Color Adjustments pane to gradually darken or lighten the edges of a photo.
In Pixelmator Pro on Mac, select a layer in the Layers sidebar.
Select
in the Tools sidebar, then turn on Vignette in the Color Adjustments pane.
Drag any of the following sliders:
Exposure: Creates exposure-based vignetting that mimics natural lens behavior. Drag right to darken edges or left to brighten them. Press and hold the Option key while dragging to extend the range beyond 100%.
Black Point: Drag right to darken the vignette or left to brighten it. Press and hold the Option key while dragging to extend the range beyond 100%.
Softness: Controls how gradually the vignette transitions from the center to edges. Higher values create smooth, natural-looking vignettes, while lower values create more dramatic effects.
Fade shadows and highlights
In Pixelmator Pro on Mac, select a layer in the Layers sidebar.
Select
Drag any of the following sliders:
Blacks: Brightens shadow areas to create the faded look in dark regions. Drag right to increase the fade effect in shadows. Press and hold the Option key while dragging to extend the range beyond 100%.
Whites: Reduces highlight intensity for a washed-out effect in bright areas. Drag right to increase the fade effect in highlights. Press and hold the Option key while dragging to extend the range beyond 100%.
Add film grain
In Pixelmator Pro on Mac, select a layer in the Layers sidebar.
Select
Drag any of the following sliders:
Size: Adjusts the size of individual grain particles. Press and hold the Option key while dragging to extend the range beyond 200%.
Intensity: Controls how visible the grain is. Lower values add subtle texture, while higher values create prominent grain for dramatic effects.