What it does
Pixelmator Pro is Apple’s image and graphics editor for painting, vector drawing and layered compositions on Mac and supported iPads. Apple Creator Studio provides subscription access; Mac also has a one-time purchase.
Add painted texture over a shape
On Mac, select a layer and the Paint tool, then choose a brush category and tip. Set colour, size, softness and opacity before painting. If a vector layer is selected, the strokes go onto a new image layer above it, leaving the shape editable.
Stroke with Brush can paint a border around a layer. Preview a different brush or blend mode before applying the border. Erase works on image layers, but cannot remove pixels directly from text or vector shapes.
Save the working document in the native PXD format. A duplicate opens in a new tab, and export provides a separate JPEG, PNG or PDF for delivery.
The Creator Studio edition includes Warp. iPad access requires iPadOS 26 and a supported device: an M1 chip or later, iPad A16, or iPad mini A17 Pro. The subscription needs an Apple Account and has a 30-day trial.
Strengths
- Painted marks and vector shapes can remain on separate layers.
- Brush borders can be previewed with different settings before applying them.
Watch out for
- The Erase tool cannot act directly on text or shape layers.
- Warp and iPad access belong to the Creator Studio offering.
Best for
- Painted texture over shape-based illustrations
- Layered artwork across Mac and iPad
Sources
- Pixelmator Pro product, access and requirements (Oct 27, 2026)
- Paint and erase with brushes on Mac (Oct 27, 2026)
- Save, name and close Pixelmator Pro documents (Oct 27, 2026)