Piskel

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Overview

Piskel is a free online editor for creating animated sprites and pixel art directly in web browsers. It supports designing characters, animations, and tiles, with optional desktop downloads for offline use on Windows, macOS, and Linux.¹²³

Key Features

Pen Tool - Primary drawing tool with left-click for main color and right-click for secondary or transparent.⁶
Onion Skinning - Displays ghost image of previous frame for smooth animation creation.⁵⁷
Layers - Supports multiple layers for complex sprite composition.⁵
Color Palettes - Tools for managing and applying color palettes to images.⁵
Tile Mode - Enables creation of tileable sprites with grid and mirror options.⁵
Transform Options - Includes crop, resize, and other image transformations.⁵
Frame Animation - Sequence frames for animated GIFs and sprites.¹³

Pricing

Plan	Price	Includes
Free	$0	Full editor access, online and desktop versions, open-source code.¹

Platforms & Requirements

Runs in desktop browsers (landscape recommended) and as downloadable apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux for offline use. Best suited for small sprites; no mobile apps mentioned. Optimized for desktop browsers.¹²

Integrations & Ecosystem

Export to animated GIFs
Export to spritesheets
Import from backups/sessions
GitHub source code access
Browser-based file import/export

Alternatives

App	Difference
Aseprite	Paid desktop app with advanced animation features, not browser-based.
LibreSprite	Free open-source Aseprite fork, focused on desktop pixel art editing.
Pixelorama	Godot-based open-source editor with more game asset tools.
GraphicsGale	Windows-only pixel art tool with strong animation capabilities.

Reputation

Piskel is regarded as a simple, accessible free tool for beginners in pixel art and sprite animation, praised for browser convenience and open-source nature. Users highlight ease of use for small sprites and educational purposes, but note limitations for complex projects due to its focus on simplicity. Some report occasional crashes with session recovery available.²⁶

Sources (8)