Frequency Separation

What features would you like to see in Pixelmator Pro?
User avatar

2019-03-20 12:12:09

Please add frequency separation! :pray: :pray: :pray:
User avatar

2019-03-20 13:55:41

Feature request noted! In the meantime, you could use a manual method for frequency separation — is that something you've been able to try?
User avatar

2019-03-20 14:07:18

by Andrius 2019-03-20 13:58:04 Feature request noted! In the meantime, you could use a manual method for frequency separation — is that something you've been able to try?
No, how can I do it in Pixelmator Pro? 🙂
User avatar

2019-03-21 15:54:19

The steps are pretty much the same as you would use in any other image editor which has these fundamental tools. Here they are:

1. Duplicate the base image and apply the Color Controls effect to it, set the Saturation to 0%.

Using the Effects tool is a better option as the adjustments there are purely 'mathematical', whereas if you used the color adjustments, they use a perceptual color model for more realistic and accurate editing results.

2. Duplicate the layer and invert it.
3. Set the blending mode of the upper layer to Linear Light and set its opacity at 50%.
4. Apply a Gaussian blur to the top layer, with a radius of around 3-4px.
5. Group the two layers together and set the blending mode of the group to Overlay.

When you edit the lowest layer (by retouching it in some way, for example), the details should be preserved pretty well, though if you have some specific workflows in mind that don't work using these steps, I could try to find some way of refining this workflow.
User avatar

2019-03-21 16:25:24

Thank you very much for answer! 🙂❤️
User avatar

2019-03-25 16:24:35

No problem, were you able to put those steps to good use? :smiley:
User avatar

2019-04-17 05:18:13

Can this be added (scripted) in the meantime before you implement it properly?
Also, do you have an ETA for this? (ie., this year or next?)
by Andrius 2019-03-21 15:54:19 The steps are pretty much the same as you would use in any other image editor which has these fundamental tools. Here they are:

1. Duplicate the base image and apply the Color Controls effect to it, set the Saturation to 0%.

Using the Effects tool is a better option as the adjustments there are purely 'mathematical', whereas if you used the color adjustments, they use a perceptual color model for more realistic and accurate editing results.

2. Duplicate the layer and invert it.
3. Set the blending mode of the upper layer to Linear Light and set its opacity at 50%.
4. Apply a Gaussian blur to the top layer, with a radius of around 3-4px.
5. Group the two layers together and set the blending mode of the group to Overlay.

When you edit the lowest layer (by retouching it in some way, for example), the details should be preserved pretty well, though if you have some specific workflows in mind that don't work using these steps, I could try to find some way of refining this workflow.
User avatar

2019-05-22 08:44:12

by Piotr 2019-03-20 12:12:09 Please add frequencyseparation! :pray: :pray: :pray:
+1
User avatar

2019-05-22 08:48:09

by Andrius 2019-03-21 15:54:19 The steps are pretty much the same as you would use in any other image editor which has these fundamental tools. Here they are:

1. Duplicate the base image and apply the Color Controls effect to it, set the Saturation to 0%.

Using the Effects tool is a better option as the adjustments there are purely 'mathematical', whereas if you used the color adjustments, they use a perceptual color model for more realistic and accurate editing results.

2. Duplicate the layer and invert it.
3. Set the blending mode of the upper layer to Linear Light and set its opacity at 50%.
4. Apply a Gaussian blur to the top layer, with a radius of around 3-4px.
5. Group the two layers together and set the blending mode of the group to Overlay.

When you edit the lowest layer (by retouching it in some way, for example), the details should be preserved pretty well, though if you have some specific workflows in mind that don't work using these steps, I could try to find some way of refining this workflow.
Can you do a video tutorial showing how this is best done? That would be very helpful for non-pro's editors like me.
User avatar

2019-05-22 10:08:18

by Han 2019-05-22 08:48:09 Can you do a video tutorial showing how this is best done? That would be very helpful for non-pro's editors like me.
Potentially! Thanks for the idea, we'll think about it. :wink:
User avatar

2019-11-10 06:17:45

This method doesn’t produce good results.

The resulting top layer isn’t preserving all of texture, just kind of half-way doing it.

I however have taken a Pixelmator Pro document, exported it as a PSD, had another program on my iPad do its handy frequency separation magic, bring it back with newly created separate layers, and then I was able to continue on smoothing skin in Pixelmator Pro. To be clear, there is no way to smooth skin as it stands now.

I need a high-pass top layer (in Linear), and a blurred bottom layer, so that I can smooth out skin discolorations on the bottom, and fix texture issues on top. Cheers, guys.



Edit:

Holy crap I figured it out! The trick is to not desaturate the layer first! Do everything else and now I have a perfectly frequency-separated file!

Edit #2

I made a tutorial → https://www.pixelmator.com/community/vi ... =6&t=17286
User avatar

2019-11-11 09:59:56

Out of interest, when you were desaturating before, were you using the color adjustments or the effects to desaturate? Because that's what may have been giving you incorrect results...
User avatar

2019-11-12 10:01:18

I was using effects, but I believe it comes down to different purposes. I think your method is good if you’re looking to get some pop of detail (?). But the two layers don’t blend into the original. I found an old Gimp tutorial and applied it to us: don’t desaturate, don’t linear light top layer.
User avatar

2019-11-13 15:22:55

Ah, the reason I asked is the Saturation slider in the color adjustments is perception-based (as is the entire color model for the color adjustments), while this most likely requires more of the purely mathematical desaturation. But that's just a hunch, to be honest.