Source: Love Mac | Software download link: Another Sight for Mac

Another Sight is a professional-grade image processing and creative compositing software designed specifically for the Mac platform. With its unique non-destructive layer workflow, powerful AI-assisted tools, and intuitive interface, it provides an efficient all-in-one solution for digital art creation, photo post-processing, and visual design. This article will take an in-depth look at its core interface, complete workflow, and advanced tips.

I. Detailed Explanation of the Core Interface and Workspace

After launching the software, users are presented with a highly customizable yet logically clear workspace, mainly divided into the following six core areas:

Top Menu Bar and Tool Options Bar: Located at the very top of the screen. The menu bar contains all global operations such as File, Edit, Layer, and Filter. Directly below is the Tool Options Bar, which dynamically displays relevant parameters (such as size, hardness, and opacity) based on the currently selected tool (e.g., brush, selection).
Left Vertical Toolbar: Brings together all core editing tools, usually arranged from top to bottom as follows:
- Selection Tool Group: Rectangular/Elliptical marquee, lasso, quick selection, object selection (AI-driven).
- Retouch & Brush Tool Group: Retouch brush, clone stamp, and various painting brushes.
- Vector & Text Tool Group: Shape tool, pen tool, and text tool.
- Auxiliary Tool Group: Hand tool (H), zoom tool (Z), foreground/background color picker.
Central Canvas Workspace: The main viewport area for image editing. Supports multiple document tabs, allowing quick switching between open files via Cmd + ` (backtick). Rulers (Cmd + R), guides, and grids can be displayed around the canvas.
Right Panel Area: This is the core control area for the software’s features, typically presented as collapsible/expandable panels:
- Layers Panel: Manage all image layers, adjustment layers, effect layers, and groups. Supports blend modes, opacity, layer masks, and smart filters.
- Properties/Adjustments Panel: When an adjustment layer (such as Curves, Hue/Saturation) or a specific object is selected, its detailed parameters are displayed here.
- Color Panel: Provides multiple ways to select and save colors, including a color wheel, sliders, and swatches.
- History Panel: Records operation steps, allowing you to revert to any previous state.
Bottom Status Bar: Displays the current canvas zoom ratio and document information, and may also provide shortcut buttons for switching workspaces.

II. Complete Workflow: From Creation to Export

The following is a standard operation workflow for creating a project from scratch and completing the export.

Step 1: Create or Open a Project

Method 1: Create a New Project

Click the menu bar “File” > “New”, or use the shortcut Cmd + N.
In the pop-up dialog, set the document’s width, height, resolution, color mode (usually RGB/8-bit), and background content.
Click “Create” to enter a blank canvas.

Method 2: Open an Existing Image

Click the menu bar “File” > “Open”, or use the shortcut Cmd + O.
In the dialog, select one or more image files (supporting JPG, PNG, PSD, RAW, and other formats).
Click “Open”, and the image will be loaded into the canvas as a new tab.

Step 2: Basic Editing and Composition

Take adjusting the composition and basic tone of a photo as an example:

Crop and Straighten: Select the Crop Tool (C) from the left toolbar. Drag the border on the canvas to adjust the range; the options bar allows you to set the ratio and straighten the image. Press the Return key to confirm the crop.
Basic Tone Adjustments: At the bottom of the Layers panel, click the “Create new fill or adjustment layer” icon (black-and-white circle), and choose “Curves” or “Gradient Map”. In the Properties panel on the right, drag the sliders or curve to make adjustments. This operation exists as a non-destructive adjustment layer and can be modified at any time.
Remove Blemishes: Select the Spot Healing Brush Tool (J) and adjust the brush size in the options bar. Hold the Option key and click on a clean area to sample, then paint over the blemish to remove it.

Step 3: Advanced Compositing and Creativity

Add Elements: Open another stock image, use the Object Selection Tool (W) to select the subject, and the software’s AI will automatically detect the edges. Use the Move Tool (V) to drag it onto the main project canvas, creating a new layer.
Blend Layers: Select the new layer and set the Blend Mode (such as “Overlay” or “Soft Light”) and Opacity at the top of the Layers panel. Click the “Add Layer Mask” button at the bottom of the Layers panel, use a black brush to paint on the mask, and you can hide unwanted parts to achieve seamless blending.
Add Text: Select the Type Tool (T), click on the canvas, and enter your text. With the text selected, you can change the font, size, color, spacing, and other attributes in the Properties panel on the right.

Step 4: Final Adjustments and Export

Global Sharpening and Noise Reduction: Select the topmost layer, click the menu bar “Filter” > “Sharpen” > “Smart Sharpen” for moderate sharpening. For noise, you can choose “Filter” > “Noise” > “Reduce Noise”.
Save the Project File: Click “File” > “Save” (Cmd + S) or “Save As” (Shift + Cmd + S). It is recommended to save in the software’s native format (e.g., .ASD) to preserve all layers and editing information.
Export the Final Image:
- Click the menu bar “File” > “Export” > “Export As” (Option + Shift + Cmd + W).
- In the pop-up window, set the format (JPG/PNG, etc.), quality, scaling ratio, and output path.
- Click “Export” to generate the final file for sharing or printing.

III. Advanced Tips for Common Features

Ultimate Use of a Non-Destructive Workflow: Use Adjustment Layers and Smart Filters whenever possible, rather than applying commands directly to the original layer. Double-click the corresponding Adjustment Layer or Smart Filter icon in the Layers panel to modify parameters at any time.
Efficient Selection and Masking:
- With an existing selection, hold the Shift key to add to the selection, and hold the Option key to subtract from the selection.
- Use a black-to-white gradient on a layer mask to create smooth transition effects.
- Hold Cmd and click the layer mask thumbnail to load it as a selection.
Advanced brush controls: When using the brush tool, in addition to adjusting parameters in the options bar, you can also use shortcuts directly: [ and ] to quickly decrease/increase brush size, and Shift + [ and Shift + ] to decrease/increase brush hardness.
Align and distribute: Select multiple layers (hold Cmd and click), then in the menu bar under “Layer” > “Align” or the “Distribute” submenu, you can quickly align or evenly distribute these layers according to specified rules.

IV. Common Issues and Solutions

Q1: The software runs slowly or lags?

A1: Check the following settings: 1) Click the menu bar “Pixelmator Pro” > “Preferences” > “Performance”, make sure the software has been allocated enough memory, and check the box to use GPU acceleration. 2) Clear history (History panel menu > Clear History). 3) Merge or rasterize complex layers that no longer need editing to reduce file size.

Q2: How can I precisely match colors across different images?

A2: Use the “Match Color” feature. Open both images in the same project, select the layer you need to adjust, and click the menu bar “Image” > “Adjustments” > “Match Color”. In the “Source” dropdown menu, select the document containing the reference image, and adjust the “Luminance,” “Color Intensity,” and “Fade” sliders until you are satisfied with the result.

Q3: How do I recover after a mistaken operation?

A3: The most common methods are using the shortcuts Cmd + Z (undo one step) and Shift + Cmd + Z (redo). If you need to restore an earlier state, you can use the History panel and simply click any step name in the list. The number of history steps can be increased in the preferences settings.

Q4: The colors of exported images don’t match what’s displayed in the software?

A4: This is usually a color management issue. Make sure: 1) The color mode is correct when creating the project (choose sRGB for web images). 2) Click the menu bar “View” > “Proof Colors” and check whether an incorrect simulation output has been enabled. 3) When exporting, check “Embed Color Profile” in the export dialog.

V. Keyboard Shortcuts Summary Table

Function Category	Operation Description	Mac Shortcut
File Operations	New Document	`Cmd + N`
Open Document	`Cmd + O`
Save Document	`Cmd + S`
Save As	`Shift + Cmd + S`
Editing Operations	Undo	`Cmd + Z`
Redo	`Shift + Cmd + Z`
Free Transform	`Cmd + T`
Fill with Foreground Color/Background Color	`Option + Delete` / `Cmd + Delete`
Tool Switching	Move Tool	`V`
Rectangular/Elliptical Marquee Tool	`M`
Lasso/Polygonal Lasso Tool	`L`
Healing Brush/Spot Healing Brush Tool	`J`
Brush Tool	`B`
Type Tool	`T`
View Controls	Zoom In/Zoom Out Canvas	`Cmd + +` / `Cmd + -`
Actual Pixels (100%)	`Cmd + 1`
Show/Hide Rulers	`Cmd + R`
Show/Hide Guides	`Cmd + ;`
Layer Operations	New Layer	`Shift + Cmd + N`
Merge Visible Layers	`Shift + Cmd + E`
Merge Down	`Cmd + E`
Auxiliary Operations	Temporarily switch to Hand Tool (under any tool)	Hold `Spacebar` and drag

Through the comprehensive analysis of the interface, workflow, tips, and shortcuts above, users can systematically master the core functions of “Another Sight” and efficiently apply them to various image processing and creative projects. Skillfully using the non-destructive editing concept and shortcuts will greatly enhance creative efficiency and flexibility.