Our verdict: Pixelorama is one of the most complete free pixel art editors, with animation, tilemaps and non-destructive layer effects. It is built with the Godot engine, so the interface feels more like a game tool than a classic Windows app. For sprites and tiles it covers most of what paid editors offer.
About Pixelorama
Pixelorama is developed by Orama Interactive and contributors and released under the MIT license. It is written in GDScript on the Godot engine, and the same editor also runs in a web browser.
You draw on layers and frames, with onion skinning, frame tags and audio sync for animation. Tilemap layers support rectangular, isometric and hexagonal tiles, and rotation and scaling use algorithms made for pixel art, such as cleanEdge, OmniScale and rotxel.
What it does well
- Animation timeline. Layers and frames with onion skinning, frame tags and audio sync.
- Tilemap layers. Build rectangular, isometric or hexagonal tile sets for games.
- Pixel-art transforms. Rotate and scale with cleanEdge, OmniScale and rotxel algorithms.
- Non-destructive effects. Outlines, gradient maps and drop shadows that keep the original pixels.
- Two-button tools. Assign different tools to the left and right mouse buttons.
Who it is for
Good fit
Game developers and pixel artists who want sprites, animations and tile sets in one free editor.
Look elsewhere
People editing photos or painting at high resolutions, and users who want a native Windows look.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free and open source (MIT)
- Tilemap layers for game art
- Pixel-art friendly scaling and rotation
- Non-destructive layer effects
Cons
- Godot-based interface feels unlike standard Windows apps
- Documentation is still incomplete
How to install Pixelorama
Download the Windows setup file from the official GitHub release; a portable 64-bit zip is offered too. Pixelorama is also published on Steam and itch.io, but the GitHub build is the same editor.
Questions about Pixelorama
Is Pixelorama free?
Yes. It is open source under the MIT license, and the GitHub and website downloads are free.
Can Pixelorama export sprite sheets?
Yes. It exports PNG, animated PNG, sprite sheets, GIFs and video, and exports can be automated from the command line.
