itch.io

One tool I'd like to add to the list is Arttista.

The reason it's my favorite isn't simply because I enjoy using it. It's because I created it.

Years ago, when I started developing my own games, I couldn't find a drawing and animation tool that worked the way I felt a game development workflow should. Every tool I tried forced me to adapt my workflow to the software, instead of the software adapting to the creative process I had in mind.

So I decided to build my own.

Arttista is the result of that journey. It combines illustration, frame-by-frame animation, bones/IK, and sprite sheet export in a workflow designed specifically for game artists and indie developers.

Today it's used by illustrators and animators from many countries, and seeing people create amazing work with something that started as my own solution has been incredibly rewarding.

Website: https://www.arttista.com.br

There's also a YouTube channel with 140+ tutorials covering character creation, animation, sprite sheet export, and many other features:

https://www.youtube.com/@arttistachannel

Here is Itch.io page https://arttista.itch.io/arttista

Hi everyone!

I'd like to share a series of 3 free tutorials showing how to create a complete 2D game character workflow using Arttista.

The tutorials cover the entire process:

1.  Creating a 2D game character
2.  Animating the character
3.  Exporting the animations as sprite sheets ready to use in your game

Whether you're an indie developer, artist, or just getting started with 2D game art, I hope these tutorials will be useful.

Tutorial 1 - Character Creation 

Tutorial 2 - Character Animation

Tutorial 3 - Exporting Sprite Sheets

I'd love to hear your feedback, suggestions, or answer any questions you may have.

Thanks for taking a look, and happy game development!

Hello everyone,

I'd like to share Arttista, a 2D illustration and animation tool I've been developing for many years.

You can check it here in Arttista on Itch

The project originally started because I was creating games and animations but wasn't a professional illustrator. I needed artwork that looked natural and expressive, while still keeping the flexibility and editability of vector graphics. Existing tools often forced me to choose between a hand-drawn look and vector workflow, so I decided to build my own solution.

Over time, Arttista evolved into a complete application for creating illustrations, character animations, game assets, spritesheets, and more.

• Vector drawing with a natural hand-drawn appearance 

• Custom brushes and pens

• Frame-by-frame animation 

• Bone-based animation and inverse kinematics (IK) 

• Reusable shapes and animation assets 

• Spritesheet export for games

• Windows, Linux, and macOS support

To make evaluation easy, the version available on itch.io is fully functional. There are no time limits, disabled features, watermarks, or export restrictions. It simply displays occasional reminders about commercial licensing.

I'd love to hear your feedback, suggestions, and impressions.

Thank you for taking a look!