Graphics
List of recommended software for creating sprites, textures, and models as well as repositories for free to use graphics.
2D Software
- Paint.NET - Think MS Paint but with a few bells and whistles like multiple layers and transparent backgrounds. It only supports Windows (It doesn't even work under Wine) and requires the .NET framework. Fitting for pixel art.
- Pinta - Open source (MIT) equivalent of Paint.NET. Unlike Paint.NET, it supports macOS, Linux, and BSD as well as Windows.
- GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) - Aims to be the FLOSS Photoshop, but has a different interface. Has the ability to export images to ASCII, C source files, and HTML tables.
- Krita - Professional FLOSS painting program. More fitting for hand-drawn graphics. Has normalmap tools/brushes and special mode that shows your sprite/texture repeated in all directions.
- Piskel - A simple pixel art app that runs without downloads on the browser.
- Aseprite ($15) - An advanced pixel art editor. (Source is available to compile for personal use only.)
- GraphicsGale - A freeware pixel art editor.
- GrafX2 - A freeware bitmap paint editor.
- TerrariaXNB2PNG - Converts XNB files (XNA and MonoGame's format for sprites/textures) to PNG files.
- Lazy Nezumi Pro - Smooths mouse movement for digital drawing/painting. Paid software but can be acquired easily
3D Software
- Blender - Currently the most popular FLOSS modeling software. It even has a built-in video editor, and a 3D game engine. (Our own Blender-Knowledge-Base)
- Autodesk 3ds Max ($185/month) - Commercial 3D modeling software. Very popular in the AAA video game industry.
- Cinema 4D ($995) - Flexible 3D software, often used in the visual effect (VFX) and video industry.
- zBrush ($795) - Industry standard 3D sculpting software. Very popular in the AAA scene. Easy to use, and robust toolset.
- Anim8or - Freeware 3D modeling software with a simple UI that is ideal for children or beginners to learn with. Features are quite basic to reflect this. Generally not considered a viable tool for game development.
- Milkshape3D - Freeware 3D modeling software. It supports a huge amount of model formats that older game engines like id Tech 1-3, GoldScr, and UE1 use.
Free Assets
- OpenGameArt.org - Free to use art assets licensed under the GPL, Creative Commons, and Public domain.
- Open Pixel Project - A set of pixel art game graphics made collaboratively and shared in the Public Domain
- The Spriters Resource - Sprites ripped from ROMS of existing games. Free to use for non-commercial purposes. (Unless you get a DMCA.)
- The Models Resource - Same as above but for 3D models
- The Textures Resource - Same as above again but for textures
- Blender-Models - Downloadable 3D models, remember to check the license just in case.
- 1001Fonts - Free to use fonts.
- GNU FreeFont - Free to use fonts from the GNU project. Keep in mind if you use any of them, you have to release your program under the GPL v3.
- Textures.com - Free to use textures.
- Poliigon - Some of these textures are free, but you have to pay for others.
- Texture Haven - Free (CC0) PBR assets in up to 8k resolution.
- CC0 Textures - Same as Texture Haven.
- CGBookcase - Same as above.
- Pattern Pictures - Good resource of free photographs of objects with repeating patterns. You'll have to make them seamless yourself, though.
- Wild Textures - pictures for web design shared by a photographer for free
- Drawing Database - Collection of vehicle and weaponry blueprints, useful for 3D modeling.
- benkyoustudio.com/Textures/ - A nice, organized collection of textures in glorious web 1.0 style. Great seamless photos of building exteriors, especially.
- Pixnio - Public domain textures.
- game-icons.net - free SVG and PNG icon resource
- Pexels - big collection of free stock photos and videos
- Free PBR - Collection of free PBR textures
Palette Generators
- Paletton - A browser-based tool to help you pick color combinations.
- Coolors - Quickly generate complementary palettes.
- Palettes - Contains some frequently used palettes
- Lospec - Contains a variety of pixel art palettes submitted by its community.
- Image Color Picker - Image color picker and palette generator.
- Color Picker From Image - Get HEX, RGB,HSV,HSL and CMYK color code from image.
Material/Texture Authoring Software
- xNormal (Free) - Quality, and time tested normal/height/AO map baking software.
- Shadermap - Paid equivalent to xNormal. Maintained, easy to use, and has a robust set of features.
- Substance Painter - 3D PBR based painting software. Paint with layers similar to PS, and capabilities to author diffuse/spec/normal/AO/etc maps via hand authoring and/or baking tools.
- Substance Designer - PBR material authoring software. Capability to export authored PBR materials to various game engines (Unity3D, UE, etc).
- PixaFlux - Free node-based PBR material authoring software. Alternative to Substance Designer.
- Texture Maker 3.0 - (Abandonware) Full DL of texture maker 3.0, with procedural texturing tools, and material authoring tools. Competent alternative to substance painter/designer. Videos of software capabilities. NOTE: Works well on Linux w/wine. SCANS: [1] [2]
Font Creation Software
- FontForge - Open source (GPL) font creator. Supports many file formats like OpenType, TrueType, UFO, and more.
Tutorials
- HD Index Painting in Photoshop - Describes how to create a layer stack to cleanly apply pixel art with more power and less tedium
- Les Forges Pixel Art Course (Translated from French to English)
- So You Want to Be A Pixel Artist?
- Procedural Grass Rendering
- IK Rigging Basics by Thirite
- Photogrammetry Workflow from Unity
- The often-reposted Pixel Logic PDF series (you can support its creators here):
- Neil Blevens Art Tutorials - Great overview of the design process, and has tutorials for just about any art or design topic.
- Rendering Remember Me, Part A - PBR rendering and reflections, artist's perspective
- Attracting and keeping artists on an OSS game project - Advice on attracting artists to an open-source project through this also applies to hobbyist projects as well
- Blender 2.8 Texture extraction projection painting (part 1) - Compact instructions for extracting textures from photos at any angle.
page revision: 59, last edited: 15 Jul 2022 00:54