Pixel art software. Best pixel art tools

Pixel-level painting has a niche in the visual arts. Real masterpieces are created using simple pixels. Of course, you can create such drawings on a paper sheet, but it is much easier and more correct to make pictures using graphic editors. In this article, we will analyze in detail each representative of such software.

The world's most popular image editor capable of working at the pixel level. To create such pictures in this editor, you just need to perform a few pre-configuration steps. It has everything an artist needs to create art.

But on the other hand, such an abundance of functionality is not needed for drawing pixel art, so there is no point in overpaying for the program if you are going to use it only for a specific function. If you are one of these users, we advise you to pay attention to other representatives who are focused specifically on pixel graphics.

PyxelEdit

This program has everything you need to create such paintings and is not oversaturated with functions that an artist will never need. Setting up is quite simple, in the color palette you can change any color to the desired tone, and the free movement of windows will help you customize the program for yourself.

PyxelEdit has a function for setting tiles to canvas, which can be useful when creating objects with similar content. The trial version is available for download on the official website and has no restrictions on use, so you can touch the product before making a purchase.

Pixelformer

In appearance and functionality, this is the most common graphics editor, only it has a few additional opportunities to create pixelated images. This is one of the few programs that are completely free.

Developers do not position their product as suitable for creating pixel art, they call it a great way to draw logos and icons.

GraphicsGale

They are trying to implement a picture animation system in almost all such software, which most often turns out to be simply unsuitable for use due to limited functions and incorrect implementation. GraphicsGale is also not so good with this, but at least this function can work fine.

As for drawing, everything is exactly the same as in the bulk of editors: basic functions, a large color palette, the ability to create several layers and nothing superfluous that could interfere with work.

Charamaker

Character Maker 1999 is one of the oldest such programs. It was created to create individual characters or elements, which would then be used in other programs for animation or implemented in computer games... Therefore, it is not very suitable for creating paintings.

The interface is not very good. Almost no window can be moved or resized, and the default layout is not very good. However, you can get used to it.

Pro Motion NG

This program is ideal in almost everything, from a well-thought-out interface, where you can move windows independently of the main one to any point and change their size, to an automatic switch from an eyedropper to a pencil, which is just an incredibly handy feature.

Otherwise, Pro Motion NG is just good software for creating pixel art of any level. Trial version can be downloaded from the official site and tested to determine the further purchase of the full version.

Aseprite

It can rightfully be considered the most convenient and beautiful program for creating pixel art. The interface design alone is worth a lot, but that's not all the benefits of Aseprite. Here you can animate a picture, but unlike the previous representatives, it is implemented competently and is easy to use. There is everything to create beautiful GIF-animations.

Finally, with the arrival of the rains, I managed to allocate some time for drawing: work above the roof (although, when was it different in the village?) And the stable +32 did not contribute to good health in particular and the gushing of energy in general. I wanted to practice my knowledge of anatomy, and a simplified image of a person would be good for this. So I looked away.

Of course, I have Photoshop and Illustrator and some people use them to create old-school images, but I personally find them inconvenient for these purposes. In addition, when we talk about creating sprites, these programs are outperformed by specialized software. Well, google to help.

Graphics Gale turned out to be the first in frequency of mentioning on various resources, but it did not please me. The program is terribly dull, sometimes crashes or gives errors out of the blue. The software is clearly written crookedly, although it has good functionality in the devil paid version, and was sent to the trash can.

The next in line was just Aseprite and, after getting acquainted with it, I definitely will not change it for something else. This is, damn it, a real BFG for creating sprite graphics!

The interface turned out to be convenient and very "tube", reminiscent of the well-known GUI. As in any serious graphics editor, Aseprite supports layers with blending and transparency modes; all are present necessary tools for drawing including Bezier curves.
The selection toolkit matches Photoshop; selected areas can be scaled, stretched, moved and rotated.

If you need a special brush, you can draw it yourself here. Saving / loading brushes available. There is a small set of effects, however, without the possibility of adjustments that can be applied to the image. There is also a tool for creating seamless textures / tiles. There is also a color replacer that allows you to replace all pixels of one color with some other.

The program provides ample opportunities for working with the palette. There is not only a color wheel, but there is also an opportunity to easily and quickly get shades that match the desired color by choosing one of seven harmonies. This really makes it easier to create your own palette. By the way, the program also has predefined sets of palettes. various devices such as Atari2600, GameBoy, Commodore64 and NES.

But most importantly, Aseprite, as befits a professional software, allows you to create sprite animation. There is a timeline, frames, onion skinning mode, setting the animation playback speed. In short, everything is as in the same Adobe Flashbut only without ActionScript.

The finished graphics can be saved in various formats, from the main ones I will note * .png, * .tga, * .gif, * jpg. At the same time, the program will help to create a sprite sheet and generate JSON data for it.

During the whole time of working with Aseprite there was not a single crash or freeze. The program itself, when installed, takes up 8 MB hard disk and uses the minimum random access memory... As for the price, it is, for such powerful program, just ridiculous - 350 rubles. (

The application interface is made on english language, but it is so minimalistic that every user can understand the software. There is nothing superfluous here, just a palette, brushes and a working canvas, consisting of pixels that are to be filled with paints. It will take the user a few minutes to master the principles of work. Pixel Art program has a minimum of settings: grid, palette and brush. You can create new images, save projects and open previously created materials for making edits.

With the Pixel Art editor, everyone can try their hand at the popular pixel art direction. It will also be very useful for illustrators when preparing material for printing in a printing house or creating a unique logo.

Features of Pixel Art

• Selecting the resolution of the created illustration.
• Export images to popular formats: png, gif, bmp, and jpg.
• Lightweight and user-friendly application interface.
• Ability to draw pixel drawings on the grid cells of the working canvas.
• Adjustable work area size.
• English-language interface.
• Assortment of brushes, eraser and wide color palette.
• Ability to undo the last changes in the drawing (step back).

Summing up the Pixel Art program, it can be noted that this graphics editor has a very narrow specification. It is intended solely for creating pixel art images. In his arsenal there are only the necessary tools for this. The interface is very user-friendly and simple, designed for a user of any level.

It seemed that pixel graphics have long outlived their usefulness. There are many new formats (much better quality). But it turned out that pixel art is still alive. It is still used in games, memes, various programs... Pixel art is slowly becoming a new form of art that only has the right to exist on the Internet. But this does not make it in any way specific. To fulfill your artistic ambitions, you will first have to choose a suitable software... There is a great option. "Pixel Art Studio" - free program for drawing pixel art. She will help to bring to life the most daring projects. We'll go over all of its main options, but first let's figure out what the phrase "pixel art" means.

What is pixel art?

Creating pixel art involves drawing complex graphic objects from simple shapes. A complete picture is created from small squares (pixels), which are painted by hand and give the image the desired color, volume and shape. Previously, this is how icons for launching applications (shortcuts) were created. Some of them are still created to this day. Pixel Art is currently used in a wide variety of fields. It is used in 2D games, basic cartoons, memes on the Internet and in some programs. Which is pretty weird. However, we have to admit that pixel art looks pretty funny.

Any graphic editor will do to work in this style. Even the notorious "Photoshop". But it is much easier to use a specialized application that was created just to work with just such graphics. Such a program is free product called Pixel Art Studio. There are versions for "Windows" and "Mac OS". The corresponding versions can be found in the Windows store and in the AppStore. Now let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of the application.

Benefits of the software product

So, "Pixel Art Studio" is a program for drawing pixel art for PC. It has an impressive list of benefits.

• The utility is completely free. Anyone can download and install it.
• The program has the most simple and intuitive interface (albeit without the Russian language). Even a beginner can figure it out.
• The product does not have as many tools as more advanced editors. This keeps you from getting lost in the tools and settings.
• The program supports working with layers. Like any high-quality graphics editor.
• The utility works very quickly even on old and weak machines (although it is optimized for Windows 10). This rarely happens.
• It will not be difficult to understand how the basic tools work. For the most part, these are simple geometric shapes and lines.
• The program for drawing pixel art has a very rich reference material with a bunch of lessons. Here is just the entire text in English. But there is nothing wrong with that. A translator from Google will quickly and efficiently interpret what is written there.

Disadvantages of the program

As befits an ordinary application, Pixel Art Studio has a number of disadvantages. Of course, there are fewer of them than advantages, but they are there.

• The program is distinguished by a rather meager set of functions and tools: a couple of lines, several shapes, a paint palette, a canvas with pixels and several editing tools. That's all.
• This pixel art editor does not allow you to create high quality content. The maximum image quality is artificially limited.
• There is no way to create animated pixel art in this program. And this is very important for games, cartoons and memes. The specialty of the application is static pixel images. For more software not able to. But it is completely free.

Why not use Photoshop?

The fact is that the graphics editor from Adobe is a very sophisticated product. In order to work successfully in it, you need to study for a long time. And in the case of pixel art, everything is completely complicated. We'll have to shovel a mountain of literature on the topic "How to draw pixel art in Photoshop." This editor is good for those who are already used to it. And beginners will simply get lost in the abundance of tools and functions. Although we must give it its due: the product does its job well and can do almost anything with an image. Also in "Photoshop" there are animation options that are suitable for creating cartoons in the style of "pixel art". In general, you can use "Photoshop" to draw stylish pictures in pixels. But only if you are willing to spend a lot of time learning. Do not forget that Photoshop is a paid product. And the subscription is very expensive.

Positive feedback on the app

Let's go back to our pixel art program. What do users say about Pixel Art Studio? It is worth noting that opinions are divided. Some users claim that it is a powerful and convenient tool for creating masterpieces. Praise the ease of use and the availability of all basic tools. Also, users like the intuitive interface and the design of the program, made in a minimalist style. The utility fits perfectly into the standard Windows 10 interface. In addition, users note the very high speed of the software product. Pixel Art Studio really works faster than more feature-rich graphic editor... And the owners of relatively old PCs claim that this application behaves just fine even on their ancient machines. In general, everything is fine with the optimization of the program.

Negative reviews for Pixel Art Studio

All positive reviews were left by those who have just started to dive into the fascinating world computer graphics... Negative comments belong to those for whom there is nothing easier than drawing pixel art in Photoshop. These comrades claim that Pixel Art Sutdio is a useless app for those who want to paint in cells. Professionals say that this program has absolutely nothing to praise it for: a meager set of tools, there are no additional functions, there is no way to animate objects. Also, many people point out the fundamentally wrong mechanism for working with layers. Be that as it may, this software product is not designed for professionals, but for beginners. So you can ignore the reviews of "experts".

Conclusion

So, let's summarize. Pixel Art Studio is a great pixel art app for beginners. It has a clear interface that is not overloaded with various unnecessary elements and a minimal set of tools for creating simple images... At the same time, this product will not suit professionals in any way, since it will not be able to satisfy their needs with its functionality. In any case, drawing pixel art in this program is much easier than in the notorious "Photoshop". If you need a product to get started, then there is nothing better than Pixel Art Studio.

6 the best options to create your own pixel artwork from gorgeous free tools to powerful professional software.

As pixel art has evolved into a popular art form rather than a testament to a technical limitation, various tools have emerged that developers use to create it. Some use old favorites, others use freeware, and some choose higher-end software. Whether you're into pixel art or looking for new game creation software, the choice can be tricky.

Most artists will tell you that a tool is just a tool and you can create beautiful graphics with any tool if you study it well. But if you need help finding the tool that works best for you, here are some recommended ones. And for inspiration, check out the huge archive of graphics at PixelJoint and this great collection of pixel art tutorials.

Aseprite

Link

Price: $ 15 USD or free if you compile it yourself
Available for: Windows / OS X / Linux

Aseprite is specially made for pixel art. It's not free, but $ 15 isn't a bad price if you're looking for a long-term solution. However, you can use Aseprite for free if you want to compile source yourself.

It is one of the most commonly recommended pixel art programs, and for a reason. Aseprite has all the standard features you need to create pixel art wrapped in a user-friendly interface. Onion-skinning - the ability to see the frame with which you are working, as well as the animation frames that follow and precede it, is what you need for animation. Aseprite can also export entire sprite sheets and GIFs and perform other pixel-specific functions.

Aseprite has many fans, but not everyone likes it. The program itself is of low resolution. For some, a pixelated interface for pixel editing is considered logical and helps to gain creative thinking. For others, it is an unnecessary distraction.

Jay Tolen, creator and artist of the point-and-click adventure game Dropsy, switched to Aseprite after Microsoft Paint and since then have not changed their preferences. " I used to stick more to the "safe" color picker. If I made a piece and then decided that this color is not working, I would have to intensively fill it with other colors or just leave it that way and then suffer for ages. For the Hypnospace Outlaw, I used Aseprite's Color Dimming feature to give 3D graphics the old-fashioned look of "safe" colors.”.

Price: Is free
Available for: Windows

GraphicsGale is another serious program built specifically for pixel art. It has the same major features you'd expect to see for painting and animation: onion-skinning, layer management, and color palette management. The biggest drawback of GraphicsGale is that it is only available for Windows.

Aside from its great value for money, GraphicsGale has two great opportunities to enhance your workflow. You can import images from scanners and digital camerasif you prefer to paint by hand before creating pixels. The program uses devices that support TWAIN, which, fortunately, is almost all scanners and cameras. Probably the most notable feature is the ability to preview animations while editing. There is no need to interrupt to export the gif or even pause the preview window. Immediate feedback while working will help you feel more confident in experimenting with animation.

One of the notable pro games made with GraphicsGale: the gorgeous Duelyst.

Pro Motion NG

Link

Price: $ 40 or time-limited free version
Available for: Windows

While GIMP and Photoshop are repurposed tools, Pro Motion is a high-quality program built specifically for pixel art that has created impressive professional games like Shovel Knight. Pro Motion has a wide range of options for animating sprites and editing tilesets. Like Pyxel Edit, Pro Motion lets you edit all the same tiles. It can also automatically fill large parts of a drawing.

Pro Motion is initially available only for Windows, but it is possible to run the program on Linux and OS X via Wine. Free version Pro Motion offers many features for pixel art: support for drawing tile patterns, tile map editor, color palette editing, and layer effects. If you try and decide to purchase the program, the paid version adds many features for advanced users, such as the ability to change keyboard shortcuts, automatic backup and opening several projects at the same time. Pro Motion can become the best program, a great value for money and made specifically for working with pixels.

Price: $ 20-30 per month
Available for: Windows / OS X

Adobe Photoshop needs no introduction, but I'll tell you more. As the leading high-resolution image editing software, Photoshop will cost you $ 20 per month depending on the subscription plan you choose (yearly cheaper than monthly). Students can purchase it for less than $ 10 per month. If you've already been lucky enough to get yourself a copy, thanks to an educational license, or before subscribing, using the program to create graphics immediately becomes more possible. The advantage of using Adobe products is the sheer amount of resources available. If there is a feature you need to learn, you can rest assured that there is official documentation and an endless supply of text and video guides on Google.

In terms of features, Photoshop has everything you need and more. Like its free GIMP alternative, it isn't built specifically for pixel art, but there are many tutorials on how to set up Photoshop to work with pixel art and get the most out of the power of Photoshop. It is sometimes not very good for working at low resolutions, but it can be extremely effective for those used to it. The ability to manage layers, layer styles, custom brushes, palettes, and editing history can add a lot to your workflow.

Len Stewart, lead artist for Pixel Noir, uses Photoshop not only because of its versatility, but also because it's used to it. “Personally, I've been using Photoshop since middle school, so it's just a program that I feel comfortable using.”

Gimp

Image from the tutorial on recoloring sprite sheets in the Gimp.

Price: free
Available for: Windows / OS X / Linux

GIMP is a well-known high-resolution image editor, but that doesn't make it a less popular editor for low-resolution work. Although the most famous quality of the GIMP is that it “ free Photoshop", He has others strengthsthat reduce the running time. One of the features is that it is customizable through multiple programming languages. There are quite a few community-made plugins out there, which means you can, with some effort, customize a set of features for GIMP yourself.

If for any reason you switch from pixel work to graphics work high resolution, GIMP - good way not be sprayed with a huge number of other programs.