Classic Games

Deluxe Paint

The pixel artist's canvas

Electronic Arts' Deluxe Paint defined digital art on the Amiga, creating the pixel art that filled a generation's games.

Amiga creative-toolsgraphicsessential 1985–1994

Overview

Deluxe Paint wasn’t a game, but it created games. Dan Silva’s pixel art program for the Amiga became the tool of choice for game artists throughout the late 80s and early 90s. Sprites, backgrounds, title screens, animations—if you saw pixel art on an Amiga, C64, or early PC, Deluxe Paint probably made it.

Fast facts

  • Developer: Dan Silva, Electronic Arts.
  • Original platform: Amiga (1985).
  • Versions: DPaint I through V, plus ports to PC and other platforms.
  • Industry standard: used by game artists worldwide.
  • Animation: later versions added powerful animation tools.
  • Legacy: defined pixel art workflow for a generation.

The tools

Deluxe Paint provided everything pixel artists needed:

  • Drawing modes: freehand, lines, shapes, fills.
  • Brush system: capture any area as a reusable brush.
  • Colour cycling: animated palette effects.
  • Stencils: protect areas from editing.
  • Perspective: transform brushes with simulated 3D.
  • Animation (DPaint III+): timeline-based frame creation.

The Amiga advantage

Deluxe Paint leveraged Amiga hardware:

  • HAM mode support: all 4096 colours available.
  • Custom chip acceleration: smooth operation.
  • Resolution options: from lo-res game art to hi-res illustrations.
  • Overscan: full-screen editing without borders.

Industry adoption

Game studios standardised on Deluxe Paint:

  • Sprites drawn and animated in DPaint.
  • Backgrounds composed frame by frame.
  • Colour palettes optimised for hardware.
  • Exported formats ready for game engines.

Artists who learned Deluxe Paint could work anywhere.

The workflow

Game art creation followed patterns:

  1. Sketch in lo-res with large pixels.
  2. Refine with zoom tools.
  3. Create animation frames.
  4. Test colour cycling effects.
  5. Export for game integration.

Beyond games

Deluxe Paint served other purposes:

  • Demoscene: title screens and graphics.
  • Video production: NewTek Video Toaster graphics.
  • Commercial art: illustrations, logos, designs.
  • Education: teaching digital art concepts.

Legacy

Deluxe Paint taught a generation how to create pixel art. Its tools and workflows influenced every graphics program since. When people remember the Amiga’s creative power, they’re often remembering Deluxe Paint—the tool that turned hardware capabilities into artistic expression.

See also