Seven different floating palettes are available in Pixelmator to help you play with images. Several of the palettes are displayed by default, with more of them available under the View menu.
The most important palette in Pixelmator is the Tools palette. This palette allows you to choose tools with which you can select, paint, draw, retouch, add text, move, crop, zoom, slice, and navigate.
The Layers palette is used to manage layers. Pixelmator allows you to arrange, link, and blend layers, change their opacity, create clipping masks, or even add layer masks in order to hide portions of a layer.
The Effects Browser offers dozens of effects to give your images interest, texture, or just a special touch.
The Brushes palette in Pixelmator is used to select, create, edit, and manage brushes.
The Gradients palette is used to select, create, edit, and manage gradients.
The Photo Browser in Pixelmator offers quick access to your iPhoto and/or Aperture Libraries, Pictures folder, or any other customized folders.
Choose View > Show (or Hide) Photo Browser.
You can set the Photo Browser source view to display iPhoto albums, the Aperture Library, or Pictures folder in a pop-up menu or a list by dragging the split line between the source list and the photo thumbnails view up or down.
Use to quickly add predrawn shapes to your compositions, or store your own shapes.
Use to create more polished, advanced shapes.
The Fonts palette is used to change font colors, format text, or add special effects.
Pixelmator takes advantage of the Apple Color Picker to select or pick colors.