PikoPixel is a free, open-source Mac application for drawing & editing pixel-art images. PikoPixel also runs on other Unix-like platforms (Linux, BSD), using the GNUstep framework. PikoPixel is a free application for drawing & editing pixel-art images. Easy to use - Unlimited undo - Supports multiple layers - Customizable canvas background - Hotkey-activated popup panels - Export upscaled images - Runs on OS X 10.4 Tiger & later. PikoPixel is listed in. A free, open-source application for drawing & editing pixel-art images.
- /api/cask/pikopixel.json (JSON API) Cask code on GitHub. Current version: 1.0-b9. Analytics: Installs (30 days) pikopixel: 2: Installs (90 days) pikopixel: 7.
- PikoPixel for Mac/Linux/BSD (BETA) Version History & Checksums version 1.0 BETA10 — Dec 31 '20 Mac app: PikoPixel.1.0-b10.dmg SHA-256.
No.1 – Aseprite
This software is created for pixel art animation and editing. This is the one of best software on market. Of course, there is a Windows, Mac OS and Linux (Ubuntu) versions. And if you can choose that you try the free version of Aseprite. There are lots of cool features likes pixel perfect strokes, palette controls, layers animation, alpha channel, sprite rotation, shading and blend modes and so on. In Command Line, you can easily convert and export images and you can automate a few things. I recommend it for beginners or professional pixel artists. The software prices is under $20 and it’s worth it.
Price: Free or $19.99
Free Download: Here
Buy: Here
No.2 – Pyxel Edit
Pyxel Edit is a quit simple and cheap pixel editing and creation software, so it’s great for pixel art drawing. This tool allows you to import existing art or creating new piece of arts. There’s also an older version available for free, so you can try for free anytime. There is a few limitations in free version, because it’s little bit outdated. Pyxel Edit is available for Windows and Mac OS X. The best thing about this pixel art maker compared to the other softwares is that has a really greatest high creation feature, so you can pretty much do anything you want with the software. Or if you want to make pixel animation, of course you can do it. I recommend it for beginners.
Price: Free or $9
Free Download: Here
Buy: Here
No.3 – Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop admittedly Photoshop what’s the part of the Adobe family. It isn’t the easiest program, because it’s created for professional artist and wide using, so if you want to create pixel art with Photoshop, you need to zoom in a lot, set a pencil tool or brush to draw a pixel, etc. It’s great choose if you plan to make design, digital illustration or painting, photo manipulation not just pixel sprites or images. If you want to use this, you have to sign up for a monthly subscription for around 20 dollars a month and available for Windows and Mac OS too.
Price: $20+
Sign-up & Download: Here
No.4 – GIMP
The big old one open source and free image editing software.We can say it’s alternative to Adobe Photoshop just for free. It’s available for Windows, Mac OS and Linux. You can absolutely make great pixel art with GIMP if you’re on a short budget or just want to learn pixel art, but you want a more advanced software. There are several cool features like advanced filters, layer blending or brush customisation and lots of other.
Price: Free
Free Download: Here
No.5 – Piskel
Piskel is totally free and online (browser-based editor), but there is desktop version too for Windows, Mac OS and Linux. You can do almost everything what you can do in the bigger softwares. What’s more you can even use it in a table or mobile browser with or without a stylus. Suddenly Safari isn’t supported. What else can you do with Piskel? if you need to make animation, you can , but animation creation is relative simple. Of course, you can draw pixel art or sprite. Really cool features are lightning and dithering tools.
Price: Free
Free Download: Here
No.6 – Slate
Slate is a simple, open-source software, but that was the goal of the creator of Slate. Make simple software with which anybody can make artwork for games. It’s available for Windows, Mac OS and Linux (Ubuntu). Slate maybe is a great option to start to create something nice, especially it is completely free. Slate main features are make pixel perfect pixels, create animations and tilesets.
Price: Free
Free Download: Here
No.7 – Pro Motion NG
Cosmigo’s Pro Motion NG is one of the professional pixel drawing and animation software which is mainly developed for games and mobile games.What’s more it is designed similar to the famous Amiga Deluxe Paint (DPaint). Lots of professional game studios use this complex software such as UBI Soft, Gameloft, and Glu Mobile and many more. It also shows how forceful this software is and what high quality results it produces. There are some strong features in Pro Motion NG which makes pixel artist life easier whether you want to create a tilesets or animations or any pixel sprites. Unfortunately, Pro Motion NG is running only on Windows. The price is little bit higher then other similar software’s prices, but for that price you will get a professional pixel maker and animator software. Of course, there is a free version too that’s a little feature-limited, so you can try it for free before buy it and you can make the right decision.
Price: Free or $39
Free Download: Here
Buy: Here
No.8 – Paint.NET & Paint
If you want to give a try to pixel art, you can use Paint, because it’s free and available on every Windows computer. Of course, if you use Linux or Mac, you have to find different software. This is a simple free image and photo manipulation software, but it’s great tool. There’s a big community behind it, so you can find how to create pixel art, tutorials easily. The Paint.NET manages image layer, multi image editing and there are a lots of color adjustments. What’s the different Paint and Paint.Net? The Paint is free, while the Paint.NET is paid. Of course, the Paint.NET smarter then free version.
How to install Paint.NET: Here
No.9 – GraphicsGale
GraphicsGale is old but reliable software and became freeware, so you can use fully. Unfortunately, it’s only available for Windows. There are a lot of clever features that makes pixel art easier. As with most similar programs, you can create animations too. There are features like multiple layers to make drawing, onion skins for animation, lots of painting tools, color palette handling, etc. Just give it a try, if you want to use a free software.
Pic A Pixel
Free Download: Here
No.10 – PikoPixel
Gnustep Pikopixel
After the only Windows software, here is the only Mac & Linux software. PikoPixel is a small and simple pixel editor, mainly for beginners. This open-source software is completely free. There are a few painting tools, palette handling, layers and supports linear color blending.
Price: Free
Free Download: Here
Pikopixel Github
I hope you enjoyed this little article and you find the right pixel editing software for you. If this article was useful for you, just share it!