v1.2.0 User Manual

Welcome to the MyPaint v1.2.0 User manual. Here you can learn the broad strokes of how MyPaint works.

User Interface

When MyPaint is first opened, a single relatively sparse window will appear. At the centre, there’s a plain off-white background where you can draw (the canvas). At the top, there are toolbars and menus. At the bottom, there’s a status bar with some buttons and indicators clustered in the corners.

Painting

When brush strokes are placed on the canvas, three elements determine the change made to the picture: The painting tool, brush, and paint mode. These three elements can be combined arbitrarily to fit any desired art style.

1. Painting Tool: Determines the broad geometry of the stroke.
2. Brush: Determines the design of the stroke.
3. Paint Mode: Determines the effect of the stroke unto the canvas.

Painting Tools

Menu → Edit → Current Tool

Painting tools change how the user makes strokes by adding or removing contraints on stroke input.

Brushes

Read more

Paint Modes

blend modes, eraser. Read more

Canvas Tools

Tools also exist to interact with the canvas in other ways.

Preferences

Edit → Edit Preferences, or Window → Edit Preferences

The preferences window gives you options to configure MyPaint’s appearance, input, keyboard shortcuts and many other settings. Read more