Pixelmator Pro tutorial: upscaling and background masks

This beginner tutorial builds a YouTube thumbnail in Pixelmator Pro, starting with the 4K UHD TV preset for a 16:9 canvas. The presenter explains the layers sidebar and tool options, then imports roller coaster photos and adjusts their size and rotation.

The AI Super Resolution demonstration addresses a source image that looks pixelated on the larger canvas. The presenter compares the original with the processed result before accepting it. Quick Selection and mask refinement handle a cutout edge, while Smart Erase removes sky from another photo. Layer order determines which track appears in front.

Background removal gets a closer comparison. In the example, the automatic remover cuts out a small part of the subject that the presenter wants to retain. She describes that operation as destructive and prefers Hide Background, which creates a mask she can refine with a brush to restore the missing area.

The remaining steps cover selective color adjustments, a gradient sky and an effects layer that affects the images beneath it. Shapes, blending modes and text complete the composition. The tutorial ends with saving an editable PXD project locally or to iCloud, then using Share or Export for other image formats and quality controls.