Pixel Studio
Verdict: Pixel Studio has many useful features that can be found in other Pixarra TwistedBrush software products. Besides, it comes with a set of advanced tools for creating pixel art. While some people believe that this kind of art is a bit outdated, others like it because it allows them to create unique artworks.
In this Pixel Studio review, I will tell you about the advantages and disadvantages of this software that can be used for creating icons, sprites, and various small drawings for games and websites. Besides, it is perfect for artists who specialize in pixel art.
The developers made Pixel Studio easy to use even for beginners. Thanks to its streamlined user interface, you can solve any task more quickly. The team has been working at the TwistedBrush product line for over a decade to create the best pixel art software.
Pixel Studio is a pro-level software for creating pixel artworks. If you want to make a photo mosaic and further enhance it by editing it to your liking, this program is what you need. It comes with an assortment of handy tools designed for creating static pixel art and animated sprites. You can export third-party tilesets and mockups, and the program will apply them automatically.
What makes this software different from similar programs on the market is that it allows you to use tile references. It makes it easier to edit links without replacing the tile. Thanks to an integrated tile editor, you can create tilesets that will match your levels and then change them depending on iterating level design.
Whether you are an aspiring artist or experienced designer, you can use a variety of creative tools available in Pixel Studio to create pro-level pixel art. You can install this software on your desktop computer or laptop to use its rendering, blending, color mixing tools and mirror effects.
When creating pixel art, you need to choose the right tools. Here are the best pixel drawing brushes that you can use:
1. Pure pixel brush. You can paint pixels by moving your cursor. Unlike other similar brushes that allow you to draw a line, this tool is perfect for drawing circles or squares. It is quite convenient to use, which makes it similar to free Photoshop brushes available online.
2. Anti-alias pure pixel. It’s somewhat similar to the previous one, but it allows you to smoothen pixel edges.
3. Pixel brush makes it easier for you to draw connected lines. With this solid, anti-aliased brush, you can quickly create straight lines.
One of the most useful tools available in Pixel Studio is the auto mask fill brush. It allows you to draw pixels within a selected area without worrying that you will paint over the outline. With it, you can adjust colors in a selected area and then save your settings to facilitate further editing.
When editing your images, you will often use the Color Management and Brush Shortcut panels. They can be hidden automatically if you don’t need to use them when painting an image. Besides, you can hide them manually by using the F3 hotkey.
The Quick Command panel allows you to access a variety of easy-to-customize buttons that will help you optimize your workflow. You can make it bigger or smaller depending on your needs. Besides, you can change its shape.
To make your work process even more streamlined, you can delete or move buttons to create a convenient layout. You can hide or show this panel by using the F4 hotkey. To edit any button, you need to right-click on it. It will also allow you to add an empty slot. If you press Ctrl and click on a button, you will be able to move it.
Besides, the Quick Command panel has some advanced features that aren’t available in other control panels in Pixel Studio. Since it’s so simple to use, there is no need to learn how to pixelate an image in Photoshop even if you are a beginner. You just need to install this software and customize its tools to your liking.
The program allows you to use User ArtSets for importing brushes from third-party platforms. If you are wondering where you can download high-quality brushes, take a closer look at the Pixarra forum. You can also import brushes from Pro Studio. Another option is to edit brushes in Luminance Studio with the help of the Brush Effects system released by Pro Studio.
In 28 effect layers, you can combine and use over 500 effects. Each of them can be further customized with the help of 100 modifiers. The Pixarra brush effects system is considered to be the most powerful brush engine nowadays. For instance, Tree Studio is based on this engine. There, you can draw a straight line or a tree with branches with a single stroke.
Even beginner users can use the Brush Effects panel to slightly adjust brushes and make them suitable for their needs. For instance, you can make these adjustments in Pixel Studio and save them to User ArtSets for further use.
In Pixel Studio 3, you can use a variety of tools, such as Line, Color Picker, Crop, Gradients, Transform, Bezier Curve, Rectangle, Ellipse, Paint Bucket, Mask Rectangle, Mask Ellipse, Mask Polygon, Mask Wand, Warp, Copy and Paste, Pan and Rotate tools.
Brush Control is a convenient control panel that allows you to customize Pro brushes. You can use it in TwistedBrush Pro Studio. In a brush editor, you can define exposed control points for every tool. This way, you can quickly customize every brush even if you don’t have advanced editing skills.
If you are on a budget and don’t know whether you actually need to use this program, you can use its free trial version without paying a dime. However, it’s quite limited, so you won’t be able to use all the features of this software.
A standard version of the program costs $29. This one-time purchase will allow you to use all the features available in Pixel Studio.
