Piskel, a free and open-source pixel art designer - App pick

Chris Were: Linux • tech • open source
2 Aug 201804:45

TLDRIn this video, the host introduces Piskel, a free and open-source online pixel art designer. The app offers a canvas with various tools such as shape selectors, a razor tool, and a paint bucket for creating pixel art and animated GIFs. It also features an onion skin mode for animation and the ability to save work in different formats. The host recommends Piskel for those interested in pixel art, highlighting its ease of use and the fun of experimenting with the app, which can be found at Piskel.app.

Takeaways

  • 🎨 Piskel is a free and open-source pixel art designer recommended for creating pixel art, icons, GIFs, and animations.
  • 🔍 The app is featured in the video as a tool that might not be well-known but is worth exploring.
  • 🌐 The video creator's website, chriswehrwein.com/links, provides a list of free and open-source software and web apps.
  • 🛡️ The video mentions the importance of using web apps like fake email address utilities to maintain privacy online.
  • 🖼️ Piskel offers a canvas for drawing and various tools such as grid, tile mode, and setup options for pixel art creation.
  • 🎭 The app includes features like shape selectors, a razor tool, and a paint bucket for detailed pixel art work.
  • 🔄 Piskel supports animation with tools like FPS settings and onion skinning, which is useful for creating sprite animations.
  • 💾 The app allows saving creations in various formats, including offline, in-browser, and online with services like Google Drive.
  • 🔧 Piskel is user-friendly and designed for pixel art enthusiasts, offering a range of tools for both beginners and advanced users.
  • 🔗 The video provides a link to Piskel's website, piskelapp.com, for those interested in trying the app.
  • 📢 The video creator invites viewers to suggest other apps for potential inclusion in future videos.

Q & A

  • What is the main focus of the video?

    -The main focus of the video is to introduce and demonstrate the use of Piskel, a free and open-source pixel art designer.

  • What type of software does the video primarily feature?

    -The video primarily features free and open-source software, particularly for creating pixel art and animated GIFs.

  • How can viewers access the website mentioned in the video?

    -Viewers can access the website by visiting 'chrisweareneo.com/links.html' or through the description of the video where the link is provided.

  • What is unique about the Piskel app?

    -Piskel is unique as it allows users to create pixel art and animated GIFs with various tools and options, and it is both free and open-source.

  • What kind of file formats can be saved using Piskel?

    -Piskel allows users to save their creations as .piskel files offline, in-browser, and online using services like Google Drive.

  • What additional features does Piskel offer for animation?

    -Piskel offers features such as tile mode, onion skinning, and FPS tools, which are useful for creating animations and game sprites.

  • How does the video describe the process of creating pixel art in Piskel?

    -The video describes the process as straightforward, with tools similar to basic paint programs, and designed specifically for pixel art and animations.

  • What is the purpose of the 'onion mode' tool in Piskel?

    -The 'onion mode' tool in Piskel is useful for animation, allowing users to see the layers of their animation as they work, which aids in creating smooth transitions.

  • How can viewers find more information or access Piskel?

    -Viewers can find more information and access Piskel by visiting 'piskelapp.com', with a link provided in the video description.

  • What does the video suggest for those who have app recommendations?

    -The video suggests that viewers with app recommendations can let the host know via email or on Mastodon at '[email protected]'.

  • What is the host's final message to the viewers?

    -The host's final message is a thank you for watching and an invitation for viewers to send their app suggestions, followed by a sign-off wishing viewers well.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Introduction to App Picks and Pesco App

The video begins with the host discussing the intention to feature more app picks, focusing on free and open-source software that might not be widely known. The host mentions their website, chrisweare.net/links, which lists various apps and games, mostly free and open-source, with a few closed-source web apps for utility purposes like RSS feeds and fake email addresses to enhance online privacy. The main feature of the video is the Pesco app, a pixel art icon and GIF utility creation tool, which offers a canvas for creating pixel art and saving the creations in various formats.

🛠️ Exploring Pesco's Features and Tools

The host provides an in-depth look at Pesco's features, highlighting its user-friendly interface with tools akin to classic paint programs. Pesco offers functionalities such as grid enable/disable, tile mode, and setup options. The host demonstrates the app's capabilities, including shape selection, a razor tool for freeform drawing, and a paint bucket for filling areas with a single color. The app is designed with pixel art and animated GIFs in mind, offering FPS tools and an 'onion mode' for animation, as well as sprite creation for game development. The host emphasizes the app's ease of use and encourages viewers to explore Pesco's features further.

📚 Conclusion and Invitation for App Suggestions

Concluding the video, the host invites viewers to suggest other apps they would like to see featured, either via email or on social media platforms. The host expresses gratitude for watching and provides links in the video description for further exploration of Pesco and other recommended apps. The video ends on a friendly note, encouraging viewers to take care and promising more app picks in the future.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Piskel

Piskel is a free and open-source pixel art designer, which is the main focus of the video. It is a tool that allows users to create pixel art, icons, GIFs, and animations. The video demonstrates the basic functions of Piskel, such as enabling and disabling the grid, tile mode, and setup options, which are essential for creating pixel art designs.

💡Pixel Art

Pixel art is a form of digital art where images are created on the pixel level. It is a key theme of the video, as Piskel is specifically designed for creating this type of art. The script mentions the creation of a 'Bob Ross style painting' as an example of pixel art within the app.

💡Open Source

Open source refers to software whose source code is available to the public, allowing anyone to view, use, modify, and distribute the software. Piskel is described as an open-source application, which is a significant aspect as it encourages community involvement and transparency in its development.

💡Canvas

In the context of the video, the canvas is the virtual space within Piskel where users can create their pixel art. The script describes the canvas as having options to enable or disable a grid, which is a common feature in graphic design software to assist with alignment and precision.

💡Tile Mode

Tile mode is a feature in Piskel that allows users to create patterns that repeat horizontally and vertically, which is useful for creating backgrounds or textures in pixel art. The video script mentions this feature as part of the app's capabilities.

💡GIF

GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format, and it is a popular format for animated images on the web. The script discusses Piskel's ability to create animated GIFs, which is one of the app's key functionalities for making simple animations.

💡FPS Tools

FPS stands for Frames Per Second, a measure used in film and digital media to describe the frequency at which consecutive images called frames appear on a display. In the context of the video, Piskel provides tools to adjust the frame rate of animations, which is essential for creating smooth GIF animations.

💡Onion Skinning

Onion skinning is a technique used in animation to see multiple layers of an animation at once, typically to make it easier to draw inbetween frames. The video mentions this feature in Piskel, highlighting its utility for creating animations within the app.

💡Sprites

In video games and computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene. The script explains that Piskel can be used to create sprites for pixel art games, emphasizing its utility for game development.

💡GitHub

GitHub is a platform for version control and collaboration that allows developers to work on projects and contribute to open-source software. The video mentions that Piskel has a GitHub page, indicating that the source code is accessible and the project is open to community contributions.

💡App Pick

The term 'app pick' refers to the video's format where the creator reviews and recommends an application. In this case, the app pick is Piskel, and the video serves as a review and demonstration of its features and capabilities.

Highlights

Today's video focuses on an app pick, specifically Piskel, a free and open-source pixel art designer.

The presenter plans to feature more app picks in upcoming videos, highlighting free and open-source software.

Piskel offers a canvas for creating pixel art, with options to enable or disable the grid for better precision.

The app includes features like tile mode and setup options for various creative needs.

Users can resize their canvas and save their work in various formats, both offline and online.

Piskel supports saving to Google Drive and likely other cloud storage services for easy access.

The app provides a range of tools including shape selectors, a razor tool, and a paint bucket fill.

Piskel is designed with pixel art and animated GIFs in mind, offering FPS tools and onion mode for animation.

The app is suitable for creating sprites for pixel art games, enhancing its utility for game developers.

Piskel is easy to use and encourages users to explore and experiment with pixel art.

The presenter finds Piskel enjoyable for drawing shapes and practicing pixel art, even without a specific project.

Piskel is available online at Piskel.app and is free, open-source with a GitHub page.

The video invites viewers to suggest app picks for future videos via email or social media.

Links to Piskel and other resources will be provided in the video description for easy access.

The presenter emphasizes the importance of making responsible data decisions for online safety.

The video also mentions other useful web apps like Blogger Trotter, Mail for Spam, and Temp Mail.

The presenter's website, chrisweirner.org/links, lists free and open-source games and apps.

The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to share their app suggestions and a thank you note.

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