Novaboard - pixel art editor

Novaboard - Free Browser Pixel Art Editor v0.8.0

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

- Bucket fill (contiguous and global)

- Shape tools: lines, rectangles, circles (outline or filled)

- Gradient tool with dithering support

- Selection tools: marquee, magic wand, lasso

- Transform: rotate, flip, scale, move

Animation

- Full timeline with frames and layers

- Onion skinning to see previous/next frames

- Frame tags for organizing animation cycles

- Real-time playback preview

- Export to GIF or sprite sheets

Layers & Organization

- Unlimited layers with groups

- Blend modes (multiply, screen, overlay, etc.)

- Lock and hide layers

- Opacity controls

Colors

- Built-in palettes (Pico-8, Sweetie 16, and more)

- Custom palette creation

- Color picker with HSL/RGB/Hex

- Eyedropper (hold Alt + click)

- Primary/secondary color swap (X key)

Import/Export

- PNG, GIF, Aseprite (.ase), PSD, ICO, ORA support

- Sprite sheet export with customizable columns/padding

- Multi-scale export (1x, 2x, 3x, 4x)

Other Stuff

- Symmetry modes (horizontal, vertical, quad)

- Pixel grid overlay

- Tile mode for seamless patterns

- Rulers and guides

- Customizable keyboard shortcuts

- Unlimited undo with branch history

- Works offline (PWA)

- Dark and light themes

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

Eraser: E

Bucket Fill: G

Color Picker: I (or hold Alt)

Selection: S

Zoom: Scroll wheel

Pan: Space + drag

Undo / Redo: Ctrl+Z / Ctrl + Shift + z

Swap colors: X

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)

---

The app is still in development, and there are definitely bugs!

We are looking for feedback to improve the tool, so any bug reports, suggestions, or complaints are welcome!

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