Gradient Colorize

What features would you like to see in Pixelmator Pro?
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2019-06-06 22:22:17

Wow – I opened Pixelmator Pro with the intention of mapping the lightness values of a grayscale image to those of a gradient (sometimes called "gradient map" or "gradient colourize"), and realized I couldn't work out how. The closest effects I can find are Color Monochrome (involving only one colour), and False Color (involving only two).

Does this effect not exist in Pixelmator Pro, or am I missing it? (I bet there are other clever ways to do this as well; I'd be grateful for suggestions.)
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2019-06-08 06:35:02

Hi Starfia.
I came across this exact problem a while back and I've got to admit that I cheated. I want back to the original Pixelmator that has an effect called 'Infrared' which maps a fixed range of rainbow colours onto a monochrome range. This effect didn't transition across to Pixelmator Pro but your post got me wondering what I would do if I wanted to fine-tune the effect.
I drew a blank on clever ways, so here's brute force and ignorance:
1. With a copy of your monochrome layer add the Threshold, Mask to Alpha, and False Color Effects (we're just using that last one to create a colour). Add Gaussian blur if you want a softer effect. I didn't.
2. Set the Threshold to zero and the bottom colour of False Color to Purple.
3. Duplicate this layer, up the Threshold a bit and move the False Colour up the rainbow
4. Continue until Red.
This creates a set of discrete colours that map to the monochrome image.
Disadvantages: Manual. Doesn't blend colours like a gradient would.
Advantages: Easy to tweak to get exactly what you want.
Hope this helps a bit. Maybe someone else can come up with something better.
- Stef.
Image
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2019-06-09 08:59:49

Thank you for the reply, Stef. As it happens, I'm in a situation where I want to remap an image with a total of four colours, so something like this might actually get me by this time.
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2019-06-09 12:31:05

I'm glad I could help. It's not a bad workaround but I don't think that it's a direct replacement for the effect you describe. Hopefully that will make it to Pixelmator Pro as it's something that I would find useful.
- Stef.
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2019-06-10 08:50:11

A gradient map feature is definitely a great idea — I've added this to our feature request list and we'll consider it.

P.S. Love the inventiveness there, Stef!
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2019-07-16 18:51:02

I am also waiting for “Gradient Colorize” (or “Gradient Map”) feature because I need it sometimes. It would be awesome to have it in Pixelmator Pro.
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2019-07-17 08:43:11

by admirerden I am also waiting for “Gradient Colorize” (or “Gradient Map”) feature because I need it sometimes. It would be awesome to have it in Pixelmator Pro.
Noted. :wink:
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2020-12-21 15:15:17

A heads-up – a Gradient Map effect is now available in Pixelmator Pro, it was added in v2.0.2.
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2020-12-21 18:55:25

by Andrius 2020-12-21 08:15:17 A heads-up – a Gradient Map effect is now available in Pixelmator Pro, it was added in v2.0.2.
Wow, thanks a lot! You are awesome! Damn I love Pixelmator!
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2020-12-22 12:15:56

by admirerden Wow, thanks a lot! You are awesome! Damn I love Pixelmator!
:raised_hands:

Keep those feature ideas coming!