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Acorn (software)

{{Short description|Raster graphic editor for macOS}}

{{for|software arm of Acorn Computers|Acornsoft}}

{{Infobox software

| name = Acorn

| developer = Flying Meat Inc.

| released = {{start date and age|2007|09|10}}

| operating system = macOS

| genre = Raster graphics editor

| license = Proprietary

| website = {{URL|https://flyingmeat.com/acorn/}}

}}

Acorn is a raster graphic editor for macOS developed by August Mueller of Flying Meat Inc, based out of Mukilteo, Washington, United States. Acorn was first released on September 10, 2007{{cite web|url=http://www.macrumors.com/2007/09/10/new-mac-image-editor-acorn-1-0|title=New Mac Image Editor Acorn |last=Kim|first=Arnold|date=September 10, 2007|website= MacRumors|access-date=September 28, 2016}} and was built upon the framework of a previous image editing application of Flying Meat Inc., FlySketch.{{cite web|url=https://www.macstories.net/msinterviews/macstories-interviews-gus-mueller|title=Mac Stories Interviews Gus Mueller|last=Viticci|first=Frederico|date=December 18, 2012|website=MacStories|access-date=September 28, 2016}}

Acorn makes extensive use of Apple's Core Image framework for its image processing.{{cite book |last1= Lee |first1= Mike|last2=Meyers|first2=Scott|date=2009 |title=Learn Mac OS X Snow Leopard|location= New York, NY |publisher=Apress |page=572 |isbn=978-1-4302-1947-7}}{{cite web|url=http://www.flyingmeat.com/blog/|title=Acorn, OS 10.11 El Capitan and You|last=Mueller|first=August|date= August 21, 2015|website=FlyingMeatBlog|access-date= January 11, 2017}} The native file format of Acorn is .acorn. Acorn combines vector drawing with bitmap editing,{{cite web|url=http://www.cultofmac.com/147639/acorn-is-a-fine-image-editor-for-everyone-50-mac-essentials-46//|title=Acorn is a Fine Image Editor for Everyone|last=Turbell |first= Giles|date=February 21, 2012|website= CultofMac|access-date=January 9, 2017}} and has been described as an alternative to Photoshop.{{cite web|url=http://www.macworld.com/article/2036992/review-acorn-4-adds-impressive-features-and-a-smart-new-look.html/|title=Review: Acorn 4 adds impressive features and a smart new look|last=Friedman |first= Lex|date=May 1, 2013|website= MacWorld|access-date=January 9, 2017}} Key features of Acorn include image filters, a custom color picker, a brush designer, and image editing tools such as crop, erase, paint, select, pan, zoom, move, clone, smudge, dodge, and burn.{{cite web |author=Chadwick |first=Danny |title=Best Mac Photo Editing Software |url=https://pdfguru.com/png-to-webp |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250220160228/https://web.archive.org/web/20160730121807/http://www.toptenreviews.com/software/multimedia/best-mac-photo-editing-software/ |archive-date=2025-02-20 |access-date=November 7, 2016 |website=TopTenReviews}}

Major Features

  • Layers-based editing
  • Layer masks and blending modes
  • Multi-layer screenshots
  • Nondestructive stackable filters
  • Curves and levels
  • Multi-stop live gradients
  • Scriptable{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/5/2/4292166/acorn-4-mac-image-editor-launched-speed-new-ui-curves|title=Review: Acorn 4 flies through image editing with new filter UI, improved speed, and curves|last=Blagdon|first= Jeff|date=May 2, 2013|website= TheVerge|access-date=January 9, 2017}}
  • Automator support
  • Built in brush designer to create custom brushes
  • Photoshop brush import
  • Vector shapes, Bézier pen tool, and text tools
  • Shape processor
  • Circle text tool
  • RAW image import
  • Multiple selection tools including quick mask and magic wand
  • Smart layer export
  • Web export
  • Guides, grids, rulers, and snapping
  • Native support for Apple's retina displays
  • Color profile management
  • Deep color image support
  • Documentation online and in ePub format
  • Runs on Metal 2{{cite web|url=http://www.flyingmeat.com/acorn/ |title=Acorn Feature List|website=Flying Meat Inc|access-date=June 21, 2020}}

Version history

class="wikitable"

!style="width:90px" |Version

!style="width:150px"| Initial Release Date

!style="width:100px"|OS Compatibility

! Notable Features

1.0 - 1.5.5{{Cite web|url = https://secure.flyingmeat.com/acorn/releasenotes.html|title = Acorn Release Notes|date = |access-date = March 20, 2021 |website = Flying Meat Inc }}

| September 10, 2007

|10.4 - 10.10{{Cite web|url = http://www.flyingmeat.com/acorn/docs/faq.html|title = Acorn FAQ|date = |access-date = March 20, 2021 |website = Flying Meat Inc }}

| Initial release;{{Cite web|url = https://arstechnica.com/apple/2007/09/first-look-acornthe-image-editor-weve-been-waiting-for/|title = Acorn? The OS X image editor we've been waiting for|last=Chartier|first=David|date =September 10, 2007|website = ArsTechnica|access-date = January 9, 2017}} brush designer,{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/apple/2009/01/mac-based-image-editor-acorn-bumped-to-version-1-5/|title=Mac-based image editor Acorn bumped to version 1.5|last=Berka|first=Justin|date=January 5, 2009|website=ArsTechnica|access-date=January 9, 2017}} fancy crop, open and save JPEG 2000 images

2.0 - 2.6.5

| September 13, 2009

|10.6 - 10.10

|Layered screenshots, rulers, RAW image support, 64-bit support, touchup tools, JSTalk scripting support, AppleScript support, layer groups, guides and snapping, layer masks, WebP

3.0 - 3.5.2

| April 12, 2011

|10.6 - 10.10

|Layer styles,{{cite web|url=https://www.cultofmac.com/91208/acorn-image-editor-updated-with-new-features-special-price//|title=Acorn image editor updated with new features, special price|last=Turnbull|first=Giles|date=April 20, 2011|website=CultofMac|access-date=January 9, 2017}} quick mask, instant alpha,{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/apple/2011/10/the-seed-of-something-great-ars-reviews-acorn-31/3/|title=The seed of something great: Acorn 3.1 reviewed|last=Girard|first=David|date=October 30, 2011|website=ArsTechnica|access-date=January 9, 2017}} live multi-stop gradients, new filters, add/subtract points on Bézier curves, full screen support, autosave and versions, retina canvas support,{{cite web|url=http://www.cultofmac.com/175179/acorn-3-3-to-get-awesome-retina-canvas/|title=Acorn 3.3 to get awesome 'retina canvas'|last=Sorrel|first=Charlie|date=June 22, 2012|website=CultofMac|access-date=January 9, 2017}} smart layer export, web export scaling, new blending modes {{cite web|url=http://digital-photography-school.com/acorn-version-3-5-1-image-editing-software/|title=Acorn Version 3.5.1 Image Editing Software|last=Smith |first= Barrie|website=DigitalPhotographySchool|access-date=January 9, 2017}}

4.0 - 4.5.7

| May 2, 2013

|10.8 - 10.12

|Nondestructive stackable filters, curves adjustment, vector line join style, multi-layer selection,{{cite web|url=http://www.macrumors.com/2013/05/02/acorn-4-image-editor-adds-improved-speed-enhanced-user-interface-and-more/|title=Acorn 4 image editor adds improved speed, enhanced user interface, and more |last=Sumra|first=Husain|date=May 2, 2013|website= MacRumors|access-date=January 9, 2017}} save selection with file, CMYK support when saving as JPEG and TIFF, editable image depth, sharing support, soft eraser, live font updates, live blending updates, share extension for Photos

5.0 - 5.6

| August 20, 2015

|10.10+

| Shape processor, nondestructive curves and levels, improved PDF import, Photoshop brush import, image metadata editing, basic SVG support, deep color image support, circle text tool, new color picker, improved color management{{cite web|url=http://www.imore.com/acorn-5-mac-arrives-let-you-master-your-shapes|title=Acorn 5 for Mac arrives to let you take control of shapes|last=Keller|first=Joseph|date=August 20, 2015|website=iMore|access-date=January 9, 2017}}

6.0 - 6.3.3

| July 10, 2017

|10.11+

| Text on a path, clone tool works across layers and images, new Web Export features, smart layer export settings palette, new Bézier tools, color profiles, make shape from selection {{cite web|url=https://secure.flyingmeat.com/blog/archives/2017/7/acorn_6.html|title=Acorn 6|date=July 10, 2015|access-date=July 25, 2017}}

7.0

| March 17, 2021

|10.14+

| Support for Mac computers with Apple silicon, tabbed document interface, new Export window, animated GIF export, perspective fix and crop tool, new color picker, Spotlight-like command bar{{cite web|url=https://shapeof.com/archives/2021/3/acorn_7.html|title=Acorn 7|last=Mueller|first=August|website=The Shape of Everything|date=March 19, 2021|access-date=March 20, 2021}}

8.0

| December 16, 2024

|14+

|

Reviews and awards

{{Content|date=June 2023}}

  • Houston Chronicle Acorn 4 review{{cite web|url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/drmac/article/Acorn-image-editor-worth-scooping-up-4493361.php?t=3341fe3803b05374ef|title=Acorn image editor worth scooping up| author=|date=February 19, 2015|website=The Houston Chronicle|access-date=November 7, 2016}}
  • The 25 Best Alternatives to Photoshop{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/19/25-alternatives-to-photoshop-image-editing|title=The 25 Best Alternatives to Photoshop|last=Gibbs |first= Samuel|date=May 6, 2013|website=The Guardian|access-date=November 7, 2016}}
  • Macworld Editor's Choice Award 2009{{cite web|url=http://www.macworld.com/article/1144949/editorschoice2009.html?page=2|title=25th Annual Editor's Choice |author=|date=December 10, 2009|website=MacWorld|access-date=September 28, 2016}}
  • Mac App Store Best Apps of 2013{{cite web|url= https://www.macstories.net/news/apple-posts-best-of-2013-itunes-lists/|title=Apple Posts "Best of 2013" iTunes Lists|last=Viticci |first=Frederico|date=December 17, 2013|website=MacStories|access-date=September 28, 2016}}
  • Mac App Store Best Apps of 2015
  • 50 Mac Essentials #46
  • Acorn 5: Tom's Mac Software Pick{{cite web|url=https://www.lifewire.com/acorn-5-toms-mac-software-2259815/|title=Acorn 5: Tom's Mac Software Pick|last=Nelson|first=Tom|date=August 29, 2016|website=LifeWire|access-date=January 23, 2017}}
  • Clash of the Image Editors: Acorn vs Pixelmator{{cite web|url=http://mac.appstorm.net/general/clash-of-the-image-editors-acorn-vs-pixelmator/|title=Clash of the Image Editors: Acorn vs Pixelmator|last=Lobo |first=Pedro|date=July 5, 2013|website=MacAppstorm|access-date=January 9, 2017}}
  • Acorn 4 Macworld Review
  • Acorn 4 The Verge Review
  • 16 Essential Photo Editor Apps{{cite web|url=http://www.creativebloq.com/software/best-photo-editor-51411752/|title=16 essential photo editor apps|last=Stewart|first=Craig|date=August 4, 2016|website=CreativeBloq|access-date=January 9, 2017}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.flyingmeat.com/acorn/ Official Webpage]

{{Raster graphics editors}}

Category:Proprietary raster graphics editors

Category:MacOS graphics software

Category:MacOS-only proprietary software