How does the 60-second pixel art challenge work?
Every day, Lopy picks a theme: a cat, a pizza, a ghost… You have 60 seconds and 10 colours to draw it on a 24×24 pixel grid. When the clock hits zero, the pencils are locked: time to look at the result!
Then send your drawing to your friends. They see it when they open your link, then draw the same theme against the same clock. There is no jury: you decide who made the best one.
A free pixel art editor, no sign-up
Free mode is a real online pixel art maker, nothing to download: grids from 16×16 to 64×64, pencil, eraser, paint bucket, colour picker, mirror mode, undo and redo, 24 colours plus a custom colour. Your drawing is saved automatically on your device, and you can export it as a transparent PNG, scaled up to 32 times without losing sharpness.
Keyboard shortcuts: B pencil, E eraser, F paint bucket, I colour picker, M mirror, Ctrl+Z undo, 1 to 0 for colours. Right-click erases.
How to make pixel art: 6 tips for beginners
- Start with the silhouette. A solid, recognisable shape matters more than details: if your drawing reads as a shadow, you’ve won.
- Limit your colours. Three or four well-chosen colours look sharper than a rainbow. That is the whole spirit of the 10-colour challenge.
- Use a dark outline. A one-pixel black or brown line makes your subject pop from the background, just like 80s and 90s games.
- Pick one light source. Add a lighter colour on one side and a darker one on the other: your drawing gains volume.
- Avoid uneven steps. In a curve, keep regular steps (3-2-1 pixels) so the line doesn’t look “broken”.
- Use symmetry. For a face, a rocket or a butterfly, mirror mode does half the work for you.
Easy pixel art ideas
Need inspiration? These subjects work great at a small size:
a cat · a pizza · a ghost · a mushroom · a rocket · a fish · a house · a robot · an ice cream · a burger · a penguin · a frog · a car · a castle · a dragon · a lollipop · an alien · a rainbow · a cactus · a banana · an owl · a butterfly · a crown · a birthday cake · a pumpkin · a snowman · a Christmas tree · a turtle · a bee · a unicorn · a dinosaur · a plane · a guitar · an apple · a strawberry · a donut · a lightning bolt · a bear · a bunny · a snail
Frequently asked questions
Is the pixel art challenge free?
Yes, completely. No sign-up, no account, no limits: play and draw as much as you like, on a computer or a phone.
How do I challenge my friends?
When the clock runs out, click “Challenge my friends”. The link you send contains your drawing: your friend sees it, then draws the same theme with the same 60-second clock. You decide who made the best one!
Are my drawings sent to a server?
No. Everything happens in your browser. Your free-mode drawing is saved on your device, and a shared drawing only travels inside the link you send.
How do I export my pixel art as a PNG?
In free mode, pick a scale (for example ×16) and click “Download PNG”. Empty cells stay transparent and pixels stay crisp, with no blur.
What grid size should a beginner use?
A 16×16 grid is ideal for a first drawing: it is the size of icons and classic console sprites. At 24×24 or 32×32 you get more room for details. 64×64 suits more ambitious illustrations.
How is today’s theme chosen?
The theme changes every day at midnight and it is the same for everyone. You can also roll another random theme if today’s doesn’t inspire you.
What does mirror mode do?
Everything you draw on the left is copied to the right, and vice versa. It is perfect for symmetrical subjects (faces, rockets, butterflies, robots) and saves precious time against the clock.
Can I use my drawings?
Of course: your drawings belong to you. Use them as an avatar, in a video game, on a T-shirt or as a perler bead pattern.
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