Intervention/image · error · ModifierException

Failed to apply ' . self::class . ', unable to draw pixel on

Error message

Failed to apply ' . self::class . ', unable to draw pixel on image

What it means

ModifierException from the Imagick CanDraw trait, false-return variant: Imagick::drawImage($element) returned false while rendering a shape, so nothing was drawn. The trait is shared by DrawPixelModifier, DrawLineModifier, DrawPolygonModifier, DrawBezierModifier, DrawEllipseModifier and DrawRectangleModifier, so every shape-drawing API funnels through this single check.

Source

Thrown at src/Drivers/Imagick/Traits/CanDraw.php:25

use Imagick;
use ImagickDraw;
use ImagickException;
use Intervention\Image\Exceptions\ModifierException;

trait CanDraw
{
    /**
     * Draw given element on canvas.
     *
     * @throws ModifierException
     */
    protected function draw(Imagick $canvas, ImagickDraw $element): void
    {
        try {
            $result = $canvas->drawImage($element);

            if ($result === false) {
                throw new ModifierException(
                    'Failed to apply ' . self::class . ', unable to draw pixel on image',
                );
            }
        } catch (ImagickException $e) {
            throw new ModifierException(
                'Failed to apply ' . self::class . ', unable to draw pixel on image',
                previous: $e,
            );
        }
    }
}

View on GitHub (pinned to 5598b9e397)

Solutions

1. Verify the target image decodes or is created properly and has pixel data before drawing
2. Simplify the shape configuration (plain opaque colors, simple coordinates) to find the rejected property
3. Reproduce with a raw Imagick script calling drawImage() on the same element
4. Catch ModifierException and log the shape parameters plus getPrevious() for diagnosis

Example fix

// before
$image->drawRectangle(function ($rectangle) {
    $rectangle->background('rgba(255, 0, 0, 0)'); // drawImage() returns false
});

// after
$image->drawRectangle(function ($rectangle) {
    $rectangle->background('#ff0000');
});

// draw only on images that hold pixel data
if ($image->count() === 0 || $image->width() < 1 || $image->height() < 1) {
    throw new InvalidArgumentException('Canvas has no pixel data to draw on');
}

use Intervention\Image\Exceptions\ModifierException;

try {
    $image->drawRectangle($callback);
} catch (ModifierException $e) {
    $logger->warning('Shape draw returned failure: ' . $e->getMessage());
    // overlays are often optional - continue without the shape if acceptable
}

When it happens

Trigger: $image->drawRectangle(...), drawEllipse(), drawLine(), drawPolygon(), drawBezier() or a pixel draw on the Imagick driver when drawImage() returns false - typically because the ImagickDraw element is in an unusable state (bad font/color setup, invalid primitive) or the canvas frame is invalid.

Common situations: Drawing shapes on blank/programmatically created images whose frame native object is incomplete; draw elements configured with values some ImageMagick builds reject; reusing an image after an earlier modifier failure.

Related errors

• Color channel {class} value must be in range {min} to {max}
• Class '{objectShortname}' is not supported by {id} driver
• Failed to apply Intervention\Image\Drivers\Imagick\Modifiers
• Failed to apply Intervention\Image\Drivers\Imagick\Modifiers
• Failed to apply {class}, unable to process unsharp mask

AI-assisted analysis of Intervention/image@5598b9e397 (2026-08-23). Data as JSON: /api/errors/d2558da4c552587e. Report an issue: GitHub.