Apply LUTs in Pixelmator Pro on Mac

Transform your images with professional color grading using lookup tables (LUTs). LUTs provide precise color transformations to achieve consistent, professional looks across different images and projects. LUTs combine color, shadow, and contrast adjustments to give an image a particular look and feel.

Whereas color adjustment presets are settings specific to Pixelmator Pro, LUTs are universal files that work across different applications and media types. This compatibility makes LUTs valuable for maintaining consistent color grades between projects, or for sharing color treatments with other professionals.

LUTs work by mapping existing color values to new ones using mathematical tables. When you apply a LUT, Pixelmator Pro uses these tables to transform each pixel’s color to create the desired look.

Apply a custom LUT to an image

In Pixelmator Pro on Mac, select a layer in the Layers sidebar.
Select in the Tools sidebar, then go to LUT in the Color Adjustments pane.
Turn on the LUT adjustment, then click next to the pop-up menu under LUT, and click Choose LUT.
Select a .LUT file on your Mac, then click Choose.
Drag the intensity slider to control how completely the LUT is applied.

Apply a pre-installed LUT

Pixelmator Pro includes five pre-installed LUT collections, which can be applied to an image.

In Pixelmator Pro on Mac, select a layer in the Layers sidebar.
Select in the Tools sidebar, then turn on LUT in the Color Adjustments pane.
Turn on the LUT adjustment, then click the pop-up menu and choose a LUT.

Import a custom LUT

If you have a custom LUT you want to use in Pixelmator Pro, you can import it. Custom LUTs are saved to the Pixelmator Pro LUTs library and are available from the LUT collections pop-up menu in the Color Adjustments pane.

In Pixelmator Pro on Mac, select a layer in the Layers sidebar.
Click in the Tools sidebar, then turn on LUT in the Color Adjustments pane.
Click next to the pop-up menu, then select Choose LUT, select a LUT in the browser, then click Choose.

Note: Pixelmator Pro supports 1D and 3D LUTs in the .cube file format.

Convert a LUT into Pixelmator Pro color adjustments

In Pixelmator Pro on Mac, select a layer in the Layers sidebar that has a LUT applied to it.
Select in the Tools sidebar, then go to LUT in the Color Adjustments pane.
Click next to the pop-up menu, then click Convert LUT to Adjustments.
Pixelmator Pro will make changes to various Color Adjustments to match the look of the applied LUT.

Save Pixelmator Pro color adjustments as LUTs

If you have a set of color adjustments you want to use in apps other than Pixelmator Pro, you can save them as LUTs.

In Pixelmator Pro on Mac, select a layer in the Layers sidebar that has color adjustments applied to it.
Select in the Tools sidebar, then turn on LUT in the Color Adjustments pane.
Under LUT, click next to the pop-up menu, choose Export Adjustments as LUT, enter a name for the new LUT, then click Export.

Reset custom LUTs

You can reset the LUTs library to the default collection.

In Pixelmator Pro on Mac, click in the Tools sidebar, then turn on LUT in the Color Adjustments pane.
While pressing and holding the Option key, click next to the LUT pop-up menu, then choose Reset LUTs.

Important: After the reset, any custom LUTs will also be deleted from the “Custom LUTs” folder on your Mac.

Helpful?

Pixelmator Pro User Guide for Mac