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Textual Paint is an interactive, open-source image editor that runs inside a terminal. It borrows the familiar toolset of Microsoft Paint and can create ANSI and text art as well as work with raster images. The command line launches the editor or opens a file; drawing and editing happen in its terminal user interface (TUI), not through a documented shell language of drawing commands. That makes it a good fit for terminal-art experiments, but not a substitute for a full desktop graphics suite.
What Textual Paint is—and what it is not
Textual Paint is a Python application built with the Textual framework and released under the MIT License. Its project describes it as an MS Paint-inspired terminal image editor intended for ANSI art, text art, pixel art, and raster-image editing. The canvas and controls are rendered in the terminal using characters and color output, rather than in a conventional desktop window. See the PyPI project page and the source repository.
Calling it a “command-line art tool” can be misleading. You can launch it from a shell and pass a filename, but the documented workflow is interactive: choose tools, colors, and characters in the TUI, then draw with its controls. The project does not present a scriptable drawing-command language or headless batch renderer as a central feature.
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The PyPI listing displays version 0.4.0 and labels the project alpha-stage; that version was displayed on August 18, 2026, and may change. Treat it as an experimental, actively inspectable project rather than a polished production graphics application. The project is available under the MIT License; that does not imply commercial support or a warranty.
Check these requirements before installing
- Python: PyPI lists Python 3.10 or later, while the repository’s compatibility notes specify Python 3.10 through 3.12. For the clearest documented compatibility, use Python 3.10–3.12 and check the current package metadata before trying a newer interpreter.
- Terminal: Prefer a modern terminal with Unicode and true-color support. Glyph width, emoji, color depth, mouse handling, and clipboard integration can all affect the experience.
- Artwork: ANSI files are not a universal, perfectly round-trippable format, and raster support has limits. Keep a copy of source art before editing.
- File size: The project warns that large files can be very slow and documents a 500 KB opening limit intended to prevent freezes. This is an opening constraint, not a general output-size benchmark.
Install and launch Textual Paint
Install with pip
python -m pip install textual-paintUsing python -m pip helps ensure that installation is tied to the Python interpreter you intend to use. The project also documents pip install textual-paint.
Install in an isolated environment with pipx
pipx install textual-paintIf pipx is not installed, the project suggests pip install --upgrade pipx; on Arch Linux it also lists sudo pacman -S python-pipx.
Open the editor or a file
textual-paint
textual-paint artwork.ansThe first command opens the editor without a file. The second opens an existing file, or starts with that filename for a new one. The project also documents --help, --version, --theme dark, --theme light, --language en, --ascii-only-icons, and --ascii-only. Since options can change between releases, run textual-paint --help in your installed version for the definitive list.
Make and save terminal art
A representative ANSI-art workflow is to open a new .ans file, choose a drawing character and color, sketch with the pencil or brush, add lines or shapes, and use fill or text tools as needed. Zoom can help with detailed work; Ctrl+Z undoes an action. Save with an ANSI extension, for example:
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textual-paint ship.ansAfter saving, the project documents previewing an ANSI file in a compatible terminal with:
cat ship.ansThat preview depends on the terminal interpreting the file’s characters and color sequences as intended. A project-documented gallery command, python -m src.textual_paint.gallery, is intended for a source checkout and should not be assumed to work in every installed-package layout.
Tools and editing features
The project lists a broad Paint-style toolbox: Free-Form Select, Select, Eraser, Color Eraser, Fill With Color, Pick Color, Magnifier, Pencil, Brush, Airbrush, Text, Line, Curve, Rectangle, Polygon, Ellipse, and Rounded Rectangle. It also advertises a palette, brush previews, menus, a status bar, zoom, undo and redo, dark mode, localization into 26 languages, drag-and-drop opening, overwrite and unsaved-change warnings, and temporary recovery backups. These are project-listed features; their behavior and appearance can vary with the terminal.
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Useful shortcuts and color controls
| Action | Shortcut or interaction documented by the project |
|---|---|
| Toggle Colors Box | Ctrl+W |
| Undo / redo | Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y; F4 is also listed for redo |
| Select all / clear selection | Ctrl+A / Delete |
| Copy / paste / cut | Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V / Ctrl+X |
| Image Attributes | Ctrl+E |
| Large Size / Normal Size | Ctrl+PageUp / Ctrl+PageDown |
For character-based drawing, click the selected-color display and type a character; double-click it to choose a character from a list. Right-click a palette color, or hold Ctrl while clicking, to set the text color. Double-right-clicking a color, or holding Ctrl while double-clicking, opens color editing. Right-click the current-colors area, or hold Ctrl while clicking it, to swap foreground and background colors. Shortcut behavior—especially for function keys, modifier combinations, and clipboard actions—can depend on the terminal.
Supported formats and the important exceptions
The project lists the formats below. “Listed support” does not mean every format has identical import and export behavior: the project explicitly identifies HTML as write-only, disables JPEG saving, and says some icon and cursor formats can be opened but not saved.
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| Format or use | Extensions | Documented qualification |
|---|---|---|
| ANSI | .ans |
Default save format; compatibility varies across ANSI conventions and terminal artwork. |
| mIRC codes | .irc, .mirc |
Listed by the project. |
| Plain text | .txt |
Listed by the project. |
| HTML | .htm, .html |
Write-only according to project documentation. |
| SVG | .svg |
Listed by the project. |
| Raster images | .png, .bmp, .gif, .tiff, .webp, .jpg, .jpeg |
JPEG saving is disabled because lossy compression would damage pixel art. Multi-frame formats such as GIF and APNG generally open at their first frame. |
| Windows Icon / Mac Icon | .ico, .icns |
Some icon formats can be opened but not saved; check the project’s current format notes for the specific format. |
| Windows Cursor | .cur |
Some cursor formats can be opened but not saved; check the project’s current format notes for the specific format. |
Image metadata is not preserved when opening and saving. This matters if you are using the program as a general raster converter or expect camera, color-profile, or other embedded metadata to survive.
Why ANSI art behaves differently from PNG editing
A PNG stores raster pixels. ANSI and text art instead depend on a grid of character cells, character glyphs, and terminal color output. The chosen font affects the apparent shape and width of marks; terminal color support and escape-sequence handling affect color; and a terminal’s background can change the composition’s appearance. A terminal preview is therefore not a guarantee that another terminal—or a desktop image viewer—will display the work identically.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe project reads ANSI files as UTF-8, not CP437, Windows-1252, or another historical encoding. It also loads ANSI files with a white background, which may conflict with artwork designed around a black terminal background. ANSI files can contain varied control codes, non-text behavior, or animation; the project warns that compatibility is imperfect. Keep the original file if the exact source representation matters, and check the result in the target terminal after saving.
Terminal compatibility by environment
Linux
The repository reports testing on Ubuntu 22 with GNOME Terminal, Kitty, XTerm, and the VS Code integrated terminal. It says GNOME Terminal worked best among those tested; Kitty supports true color and emoji. For XTerm, the project documents this launch form:
COLORTERM=truecolor textual-paint --ascii-onlymacOS
The repository’s test notes cover macOS 10.14 Mojave with iTerm2 and VS Code’s integrated terminal. It warns that the default macOS Terminal in that test context could show missing characters, poor borders, misalignment, and only 256-color output. These are the project’s documented test notes, not a definitive assessment of every current macOS Terminal release.
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Windows
The project says Textual Paint works with the newer Windows Terminal, but not properly with the legacy Windows console, conhost.exe, which lacks the Unicode and true-color support it expects. Command Prompt is a shell; Windows Terminal and the old console are terminal environments in which that shell can run. If Ctrl+V does not work in Windows Terminal, the repository suggests using the application’s Edit → Paste menu. The legacy console can be tried with --ascii-only, though colors may remain limited or confusing.
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VS Code integrated terminal
The repository warns that VS Code’s terminal.integrated.minimumContrastRatio setting can alter displayed contrast. It suggests trying this in settings:
"terminal.integrated.minimumContrastRatio": 1If needed, it also suggests trying 1.1. Since the editor’s purpose includes terminal art, contrast adjustment can make the display differ from the file’s intended appearance.
Where Textual Paint fits—and where it does not
- Good fit: ANSI or text-art creation, terminal-native drawing, retro-computing experiments, remote work where a terminal is the available interface, and exploring a Python/Textual application.
- Less suitable: photography, large images, color-managed production work, layer-heavy illustration, and workflows that require predictable pixel-perfect rendering across systems.
- Why: character-cell resolution, glyph rendering, terminal color and input support, the documented large-file constraint, and format-specific limitations all shape the result. Broad raster-format support does not turn a TUI editor into a full desktop graphics suite.
The project says it can be used over SSH, but the terminal at both ends still needs suitable character, color, and input support. The application also creates a temporary .ans~ file alongside the edited file for crash recovery; treat it as a recovery aid, not as a replacement for saving separate copies or using version control.
Common problems and ways to recover
The shell says textual-paint was not found
The package may be installed in another Python environment, in an inactive virtual environment, or in an executable directory that is not on PATH. Check installation and, if appropriate, try a user install:
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- Working Area Configuration - HUION art tablet equips with a 10 x 6.25 inches working area, providing the user with the most comfortable size to work; the 10mm slim structure and minimalist design of appearance make the drawing tablet more attractive.
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- Press Keys:12 programmable press keys plus 16 programmable soft keys, you can set shortcut keys on drawing tablet's driver based on your preferences, such as erase, zoom in/out, scroll up and down, and so on.
- Compatibility: HUION graphics tablet supports Windows 7 or later/ macOS 10.12 or later/ Android 6.0 or later/ Linux (Ubuntu). A USB adapter is required to connect to a Mac computer. H1060P supports various mainstream design and drawing software, including PS, SAI, AI, CDR, etc. (Please note: The H1060P is compatible with Ubuntu, but it requires the use of the Xorg display server. Wayland is not supported.)
- NOTE: You can easily connect your phone to the art tablet via the OTG connector; while iPhone and iPad are NOT at the moment. The cursor will not show up in the SAMSUNG Galaxy S series at present. If you are not sure whether the product is compatible with your Phone or any help, please contact us.
python -m pip show textual-paint
python -m pip install --user textual-paintAlternatively, install with pipx. If the executable still cannot be found, check the environment’s executable path; these commands cannot fix every local PATH configuration automatically.
Icons or characters are garbled
Try ASCII-only display:
textual-paint --ascii-onlyFor XTerm, use the documented COLORTERM=truecolor launch form shown above. A Unicode-capable terminal and font may also be necessary.
Colors look wrong
Check true-color support, terminal contrast adjustment, and the VS Code contrast setting if applicable. For ANSI art, also consider whether the file assumes a black background while Textual Paint loaded it with white.
Clipboard shortcuts fail
In Windows Terminal, use Edit → Paste if Ctrl+V is unavailable by default.
A saved ANSI file looks different
Differences may come from a non-UTF-8 source, control codes the editor does not reproduce, animation or terminal-specific behavior, the white-background loading choice, or different glyph rendering. Retain the original before editing and preview the output in the terminal that matters.
A large image stalls or fails to open
The project warns of slow performance on large files and documents a 500 KB opening limit. Resize or convert the image before opening it, or use a conventional graphics editor for larger-image work.
Alternatives for different art workflows
| Tool or category | When it may fit better |
|---|---|
| JavE | The Textual Paint repository describes it as an advanced Java-based ASCII-art editor. |
| Playscii | The repository describes it as a polished Python ASCII/ANSI-art editor under the MIT License. |
| cmdpxl | A terminal pixel-art editor that the repository says uses the keyboard. |
| pypixelart | A non-terminal pixel-art editor with Vim-like keybindings, as described by the repository. |
| Conventional graphics editor | Consider a desktop editor when layers, large files, filters, color management, or professional raster workflows matter more than terminal-native editing. |
The tool descriptions above are from the Textual Paint repository; the comparison is about workflow fit, not a claim that these alternatives have been tested here.
Verdict
Textual Paint is a distinctive way to make and edit art without leaving a terminal, especially when the target is ANSI or text artwork. Its Paint-like toolbox and multi-format ambitions make it more than a shell-based drawing command, but the terminal is part of the medium: fonts, Unicode, colors, file encodings, and terminal behavior all affect the work. Try it with modest files in a modern terminal if that trade-off suits your project; use a conventional graphics editor when image fidelity, large canvases, or production features are the priority.
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