If you've been working on a detailed piece in Pigment and noticed some small changes in quality after saving and reloading, here's what's going on.
How Pigment saves your work
Pigment saves artwork as JPEG files. This format is fast and keeps file sizes manageable, but it uses a process called lossy compression — meaning each time a file is saved and reloaded, a tiny amount of image data is adjusted to keep things lightweight.
On their own, these adjustments are barely noticeable. But on complex, highly-detailed artwork that's been saved and reloaded many times, those small changes can accumulate. Think of it like making a photocopy of a photocopy — each generation is slightly different from the last.
What you can do
To minimize this effect, try reducing how often you save and reload the same piece mid-session. Letting your work progress further before saving can help preserve more of the fine detail you've put in.
What we're working on
We know this isn't ideal, especially for artists pushing the limits of what Pigment can do. Our team is actively exploring improvements to how artwork is saved, and your feedback helps us prioritize that work.