GPArt Studio
v2.1
Source
Options
Exports
Edit
Click/drag to paint, right-click to pick.
Color B (gradient): -- (right-click a color to set it)
Snapshot
Click a snapshot to restore.
x=- y=-
ZQSD: Scroll • G: Grid • X/W: Zoom • A/E: Color • U/R: Undo/Redo
Preview 200%
Rasters CPC
Mode
Line - Ink - Split - Raster -
Shift Y -
Split X -4
Split W 48px
Click image to pick ink + set raster.
Sprites grab/export
Selection: -Hard: 0
CPC ratio Ratio 1:1
Select area then Grab.
Sprites preview/edit
Zoom -
Display: CPC ratio Ratio 1:1
Timer ms
Shift
Circular
Destructive
Ink
Edit
Cut/Copy/Paste/Transform
Selection: - Clip: -
Angle
Flip
Shift
Circular
Destructive
Ink
Wave
Ink 0
Amp 0
Period 0
Phase 0
Paste
Clips
Drag to select. Click to paste.
Layers
Transp ink
Active layer is editable. Double-click a name to rename. Transparent ink affects compositing.

Rename layer

Hybrid Amstrad

Keyboard configuration

User Guide

Welcome to GPArt Studio, a small conversion and retouch tool for Amstrad CPC (classic and plus), Amiga, and Atari ST.

1. Import & Conversion

  • Source: Load an image (JPG, PNG, BMP, GIF, WEBP, IFF, LBM, PI1) and select area (or not). You can also create a blank one.
  • Adjustments: Adjust brightness, contrast, gamma, saturation, RGB.
  • Amstrad modes: Modes 0, 1, 2, overscan, EGX1, plus CPC+ variants (12-bit palette) and EGX1 CPC+ (standard or overscan).
  • Hybrid Amstrad: Custom size CPC/CPC+ (Mode 0/1/2/EGX1), exportable as DB ASM with a separate palette.
  • Amiga mode: 320x256, 32 colors out of 4096.
  • Atari ST mode: 320x200, 16 colors out of 512.
  • Dithering: Choose from many dithering algorithms to optimize output.

2. Edit & Retouch

  • Tools: Brush, Line, Rectangle, Circle, Fill, Gradients, Hatches.
  • Palette: Manage, force, lock inks. Left (or right) click selects a color (or the secondary), right-click the preview to pick.
  • Zoom & Grid: Use keys (configurable) 'W' and 'X' to zoom and 'G' to toggle the grid.
  • Floating window 100% or 200%: Key (configurable) 'F' (on/off). For a better global view while editing at zoom.

3. Rasters (CPC)

  • Availability: CPC mode 0/1/2 only, with or without overscan.
  • Usage: Mode "Rasters": choose a color, click the image to place one raster on the line/ink.
  • Splits rasters x8 (experimental): One ink per line, with 8 equal horizontal splits. Each split can use its own raster color. Warning: Always verify your Split X (position x) and Split W (width) values for your target screen format and mode. They are only visual values inside the tool and must be defined correctly in order to achieve the desired result on real hardware or emulation. See some (non-exhaustive...) samples (testeur/json/asm...) in the archive...
  • Actions: Right-click removes the raster (or the split cell), Clear all wipes current mode, arrows shift in Y (circular), Split X and Split W (visual only, DB unchanged).
  • Export: Rasters mode exports ASM z80 (200/272) or DB in hybrid. Splits mode exports DB tables.

4. Cut/Copy/Paste/Transform

  • Availability: After conversion/creation, edit mode enabled. Supported in EGX1.
  • Select: Drag to define the selection area.
  • Cut/Copy: Captures the selection into an internal clip.
  • Paste: Click to paste, modes Normal / AND / OR / XOR.
  • Transform: Angle, Flip H/V, Shift Circular (wrap) or Destructive (loss) with fill ink.
  • Wave: Line (Axis X) or column (Axis Y) wave. Circular/Destructive modes (dedicated ink), Amp/Period/Phase in real time.
  • Clips: Quick save via + (max 5) to paste later.

5. Sprites (CPC classic & CPC+ hard)

  • Availability: Sprites only in CPC/CPC+ modes. EGX1 supported for classic sprites. Hard mode is CPC+ only and disabled in EGX1.
  • Selection: In the Sprites window, enable "Select", then drag in the image. Size is shown. For clean ASM export: Mode 0 multiple of 2px, Mode 1 multiple of 4px, Mode 2 multiple of 8px, EGX1 multiple of 4px.
  • Classic grab: Captures the area as-is and freezes the current palette/mapping (if the palette changes, re-grab).
  • Lock size: Fix W/H to the last selection for repeatable grabs. Disable for free size.
  • Hard block (CPC+): Cuts the area into 16x16 tiles and captures as hard sprites.
    • Limit: 16 hard + 16 classic. If the area exceeds, the extra is ignored (left-to-right, top-to-bottom).
    • Hard mode disables "Lock size".
  • Bank: Click = Select, double-click = Open preview, "x" = Delete.
  • Preview/edit: Zoom, CPC/1:1 ratio, Loop/Once/Ping-Pong playback (classic/hard group). Shift "Circular" or "Destructive" (fill ink). Clickable palette. Right-click picks ink. Left-click draws pixel. "Save changes" applies edits.
  • Exports: ASM/PNG depending on type. The 1:1 ratio affects PNG only. CPC+ hard exports (solo/multi) enable only for 16x16 hard sprites with a 16-ink CPC+ palette.
  • Project: Save/load keeps the sprite bank and associated options.

6. Layers

  • Basics: Up to 6 stacked layers.
  • Editing: Only the active layer is editable (draw, fill, cut/copy/paste/transform, and sprites).
  • Controls: V toggles visibility, L locks editing. Double-click a name to rename.
  • Transparency: "Transp ink" defines the transparent ink used for compositing.
  • Order: Up/Down changes the final render.
  • Save: Layers are included in snapshots and project/json saves.

7. Project Management

  • Snapshots: Save intermediate states to test safely.
  • Save: Save your full project (.json) to resume later.
  • Export: Generate binary screen files, palette, db, asm (including CPC+ and CPC+ EGX1/overscan), png, iff, pi1.
  • Keyboard config: Reconfigure keyboard shortcuts to your liking.