If you are interested in creating pixel art then it is very important you have access to the right type of pixel art software. And that is why in this article, we have listed some of the best pixel art software and program that are beginner-friendly too. Note that these tools will allow you to create pixel art images, pixel art animations, and sprite sheets for games. So, let us take a look at this list. Enhance your digital art with Best Free Pixel Art Courses.
Note that this list may contain some paid software as well along with free pixel art software and programs.
List of Free Pixel Art Software & Programs
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is known to be an amazing go-to photo editing and graphic design tool that helps you create high-quality cutouts with detailed edges more quickly and easily. This tool is considered to be the #1 pick due to its versatility and can be used to create any kind of digital art including pixel art. Similarly, with this tool, you can share and edit Photoshop files with collaborators. In addition, it allows you to organize and manage feedback across web, desktop, and iPad apps without needing any additional tools.
Pricing:
Adobe offers multiple prices for its products starting from US$9.99 a month.
PiskelApp
This is a free online pixel editor that focuses on sprite creation. With the help of piskel app, you can save your pixel art online. This app also has an import function that can be used to edit your existing pixel art. It has a simple user interface and thus is a great choice for those who want to dive right into creating your sprite sheet. Similarly, it allows you to store images online for access anywhere.
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Pricing:
It is free to use.
ProCreate
This is a very suitable app for iPad and iPhone users that are quite versatile for photo editing, design, and animations. The best thing about this app is that it supports Apple Pen making it easier to work on your designs and artwork on the move.
Pricing:
This app is not free to use but yes you’d only have to make a one-time payment of $9.99 to get access to all the features of ProCreate.
Pixlr
Pixlr is a more advanced pixel editor that offers a large range of drawing tools. This app offers the same online saving feature as Piskel App. It allows you to edit photos and create a variety of stunning designs in your browser. With that, you can also edit photos and do so much more on your phone and even your desktop. You can start from an empty canvas, even a photo or video. With that, you can also select one of Pixlr’s professionally crafted templates.
Pricing:
This app is free to use.
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)
GIMP is considered to be an open-source image editor that is suitable for desktop users. It can be used for everything whether you want to do photo manipulation to create original artwork or create your pixel art and sprite sheets, this app is perfect to use. GIMP also provides its users with sophisticated tools to get the job done. It also allows you to enhance your productivity and offers many customization options and third-party plugins. Explore the comprehensive collection of resources designed to help you harness the power of GIMP.
Pricing:
GIMP is free to use.
Pro Motion
Pro Motion is both pixel drawing and animation software that has been designed by Cosmigo for creating pixel art. It is a complete pixel art editor used for creating, editing, and painting pixel art. With that, it allows you to tilemap engine for making level maps. Furthermore, you can also do onion skinning for animation creation.
Pricing:
This app is free to use but the free version offers limited features. If you want to use full features then you need to pay $39.
Krita
Krita is another professional open-source painting program that is offered by the Krita Foundation. Just like all the other mentioned apps offer a wide range of tools, Krita also offers great options for creating and exporting high-quality pixel art images. It offers hundreds of brush types for creating artwork and supports vector graphics as well.
Pricing:
This program is free to use.
Paint.NET
Paint.NET as we speak is an open-source image and photo editing software that runs effectively on PCs. It offers a large feature set that makes it particularly fit for pixel art design. Paint.NET offers an intuitive and innovative user interface and offers support for layers, special effects, and several useful and powerful tools.
Pricing:
This software is free to use.
GraphicsGale
GraphicsGale is an animation graphic editor that allows you to create and save pixel art in png format which is exactly what you need for your sprite sheet. This is an easy-to-use tool offering a wide range of tools for image creation. You can preview all your animations in real-time while at the same time while editing sprites. With that, the onion skinning lets you see both the previous and next frames while you draw.
Pricing:
This graphic editor is free to use. But for more advanced features, a paid version is also available.
Make Pixel Art
Make Pixel Art is known to be a fun online tool that allows you to start drawing your pixels straight away. Even though this tool is a little basic when compared with other tools but it is considered to be the safest option to choose when you need to sketch an idea or prototype an object quickly.
Pricing:
This tool is free to use.
Final Thoughts
From the above list, it is clear that there are many software/programs/tools available for pixel art. Some of them might be paid but the majority are free to use and offer excellent features. So, if you are interested in pixel art and looking for some of the best software/programs/tools, this list is the one you should count on.
