Novaboard - pixel art editor

Novaboard - Free Browser Pixel Art Editor v0.10.0

A web-based pixel art editor with an infinite canvas. No downloads, no account needed. Just open and start creating.

What is it?

Novaboard is a pixel art editor that runs entirely in your browser. It's built for game devs, pixel artists, and anyone who wants to make sprite art.

Unlike traditional editors with fixed canvases, Novaboard gives you an infinite workspace where you can organize all your sprites, characters, and tilesets in one place. Think of it like having a giant desk where you can spread out all your work.

A special thank you to:

@mostlydecent for his CC-0 walk animation that is currently used as the example file in Novaboard https://mostlydecent.itch.io/8-frame-walk

Remember to rate the App!
Rate Novaboard!

Features

Drawing & Editing

- Brush, pencil, eraser with adjustable sizes and shapes
- Spray, dither, and shading tools
- Bucket fill (contiguous and global)
- Shape tools: lines, curves, rectangles, circles, triangles, hexagons, stars, polygons (outline or filled)
- Gradient tool with dithering support
- Dodge/burn, blur, and jumble tools
- Text tool with pixel fonts
- Isometric drawing tool
- Contour tool

Selection & Transform

- Selection tools: rectangle, ellipse, magic wand, lasso
- Transform: rotate, flip, scale, move
- Grow/shrink, invert, select opaque/transparent
- Crop to selection, send to new layer

Animation

- Full timeline with frames and layers
- Onion skinning to see previous/next frames
- Frame tags for organizing animation cycles
- Real-time playback preview with ping-pong mode
- Export to GIF or sprite sheets

Layers & Effects

- Unlimited layers with groups
- Layer types: regular, draft, reference, adjustment
- Blend modes (normal, multiply, screen, overlay, and 13 more)
- Layer effects: shadow, glow, outline, blur, CRT scanlines, vignette, gradient map, and more
- Clipping masks
- Lock, hide, and opacity controls

Color Adjustments

- HSL, OKLCH, curves, brightness/contrast
- Posterize, invert, grayscale
- Color mode conversion (RGBA, indexed, grayscale)
- Anti-aliasing and outline generation

Colors

- Built-in palettes (Pico-8, Sweetie 16, and more)
- Custom palette creation and import/export
- Color picker with multiple modes (SV, HL, wheel)
- Color harmonies
- Eyedropper (hold Alt + click)
- Primary/secondary color swap (X key)
- Recent colors tracking

Import/Export

- Import: PNG, JPG, GIF, WebP, PSD, Aseprite, Piskel, Gale, Pyxel, Pixaki, ORA, SVG, ICO, CUR, ANI, QOI, PCX, TGA, TIFF, VOX, NetPBM
- Export: PNG, GIF, Aseprite, PSD, ORA, SVG, ICO, CUR, ANI, QOI, PCX, TGA, TIFF, VOX, NetPBM, Piskel, Gale
- Sprite sheet export with customizable columns/padding
- Multi-scale export (1x, 2x, 3x, 4x)
- Per-layer PNG export
- Cross-stitch pattern export

Other Stuff

- Symmetry modes (vertical, horizontal, diagonal)
- Pixel grid overlay with rectangular and isometric modes
- Tile mode for seamless patterns
- Rulers and guides
- 9-slice guide preview
- Slice tool for asset management
- Zen mode for distraction-free drawing
- Wheel menu for quick tool access
- Customizable keyboard shortcuts
- Customizable panel layouts
- Unlimited undo with branch history
- Workspace management (multiple boards)
- Voxel viewer for .vox files
- Works offline (PWA)
- Dark and light themes
- Available in 14+ languages

Who's this for?

- Game developers making sprites, tilesets, and UI assets
- Pixel artists who want professional tools
- Students and hobbyists learning pixel art
- Anyone who needs quick access to a capable editor without installing anything

How to Use

1. Open the app here or go to https://novaboard.app/ in your browser
2. Start drawing
3. That's it

Your work saves automatically to your browser. No account, no cloud, no hassle.

Controls

Action - Shortcut

Brush: B
Pencil: P
Eraser: E
Bucket Fill: G
Color Picker: O (or hold Alt)
Selection: S
Line: L
Rectangle: R
Circle: C
Text: shift + T
Zoom: Scroll wheel
Pan: Space + drag
Undo / Redo: Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Shift+Z
Swap colors: X
Quick swap tool: Q

Full list of shortcuts in the app (press ? or check the docs).

Technical Notes

- Runs in any modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
- All processing happens locally - your art never leaves your device
- Works on desktop. Tablet and mobile coming soon
- No server required for editing (pure client-side)

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The app is still in development, and I am looking for feedback to improve the tool!

You can also help by rating the app on itch: Rate Novaboard!