- Mark your calendar! Brush loot - and that's permanent, when you... - 20 September 2026
If you use Shadowforge between 2026-09-25 and 2026-10-2 you will get to keep event brushes in Shadowforge's built-in brush library forever.All you need to do is start the app, you don't need to have it open for hours upon hours. It will instantly collect you as you and the items will be claimed by you.
- Shadowforge targets the Lasso - 19 September 2026
Shadowforge Update – Lasso Transform & ResizeA new Shadowforge update is here, bringing more control to the Freehand Lasso tool.Selections can now be resized directly after being created, making it much easier to adjust artwork without having to redraw or recreate the selection.New: Lasso Resize HandlesAfter creating a Freehand Lasso selection and entering edit mode, Shadowforge now displays transform handles around the selected area.You will find handles on:All 4 cornersTop and bottom centerLeft and right centerSimply hold Left Mouse Button on one of the handles and drag to resize the selected artwork.Corner handles let you resize in both directions at once, while the side handles let you adjust only the width or height.How to use itCreate a selection using the Freehand Lasso.Press ALT + E to enter the editable selection mode.Move your mouse over one of the transform handles.Hold Left…
- Sunsetting (for now)... - 12 September 2026
Going to focus on a game for a Slow Jam, I wish I had all the time in the world for everything - but time to sleep, make food and other daily things and now also this Slow Jam game eats up a lot of time.The timer down there on the screenshot is visible to the player because it is a timer for extracting out of that map. The full amount of timer is not set in stone now. This is an update of my game I mentioned before, it's now Top Down and not Sidescroller, and if you ask me personally - I think that Top Down is a bit more complicated to work with but a lot more interesting.It does not mean that the game will release as a full released game on any platform, I'm just letting you know that my hands are busy for a Slow Jam and other things in real life.Regards,Miki.
- Shadowforge 21.3 - 6 September 2026
A new Shadowforge patch is here! Recently added: * Improved Image shader tools and previews * Fixed Apply behavior on shader windows * Better draggable window handling * Camera no longer moves while dragging UI windows and palettes * Improved palette and Recent Colors behavior * General UI and stability fixes Thanks for sticking with Shadowforge while I keep polishing it!
- Shadowforge 21 — Cool & Warm, Safer Shader Previews and More - 31 August 2026
Hey everyone, Michel here.Shadowforge 21 is here, and this update continues the work on expanding the Image tools while also making sure these effects don't get in the way of actually using the editor.The biggest new addition is Cool & Warm.New: Cool & Warm ShaderA new Cool & Warm tool has been added to the Image menu, directly underneath Pixel Halver.The idea is pretty simple:Dark colors can be pushed toward cooler versions of their existing colors, while lighter colors can be pushed toward warmer versions.Instead of simply putting blue over the shadows and orange over the highlights, the shader works with the colors already present in the artwork.You can independently control how strongly the shadows are cooled and how strongly the highlights are warmed.Normal, Gradient & Tunnel ModesCool & Warm isn't limited to applying the effect evenly across the entire image.There are now three mo…
- Shadowforge 20 — New Tools & Drawing Improvements - 31 August 2026
Hey everyone!Shadowforge 20 is another major step forward for the editor, with a focus on adding new ways to manipulate pixel art while continuing to improve the core drawing experience.Pixel HalverOne of the biggest additions in Shadowforge 20 is the new Pixel Halver tool, available from the Image menu.Pixel Halver lets you experiment with reducing, redistributing, and scattering pixels across your artwork. You can control the pixel size, amount, distance, scattering behavior, and randomization to create anything from subtle pixel variation to much more broken-up and stylized effects.It also includes options for preserving dark outlines and shading so important details can remain intact.The tool has been designed with a manual preview system and performance safeguards so that opening it doesn't immediately start processing a large canvas.Improved Blur BrushThe Blur Brush has been worke…
- A Quick Apology — Shadowforge - 30 August 2026
Hey everyone,We want to apologize for the rocky build that came with the latest Shadowforge patch.The update introduced some unexpected issues, and we know it was frustrating for those of you who just wanted to get back to creating.We've been working through the problems, and the core features should now be working correctly again. There may still be smaller issues that need ironing out, so please continue reporting anything that doesn't behave as expected.Thank you for your patience while we get Shadowforge back into shape, and thank you to everyone who reported bugs and helped us track down what went wrong.We'll keep working on stability and fixes from here.— Shadowforge
- Shadowforge 19 - 27 August 2026
Shadowforge – Version 19.0Shadowforge 19.0 introduces the new Gradient Shader tool, available from the Image menu.The Gradient Shader lets you create gradient-based shading and preview the result before applying it to your artwork. Its window can also be dragged and repositioned around the screen.Bug fixesFixed a bug that prevented the Blur Brush from working correctly.Fixed a bug that prevented Multi Brush from working correctly.Thank you for using Shadowforge and continuing to report bugs!
- Shadowforge – Update 18.5: Tunnel Vision - 16 August 2026
Update 18.5 introduces the new Tunnel Vision image effect!You can now add adjustable shading around the edges of your artwork, helping draw attention toward the centre of the picture. Choose whether the surrounding area becomes darker or lighter, then adjust the effect’s strength, tunnel size and transition softness.Several gradient styles are included:• Soft Blur – creates a smooth, natural transition • Mosaic Squares – forms the shading from pixel-like blocks • Mosaic Rings – builds circular bands around the image • Mosaic Steps – produces a blocky, stepped gradientTunnel Vision includes a live preview, so you can experiment with every setting before applying it. It can also be used directly on an active lasso selection.You’ll find Tunnel Vision in the Image menu, directly below Ripple FX.Thank you for using Shadowforge!
- Shadowforge QoL and bug fixes - 15 August 2026
Today’s update improves how backgrounds appear around the canvas:Background textures are now tiled instead of stretched, keeping their original proportions and quality.The canvas remains visually separate from the surrounding workspace.The area outside the canvas now displays the correct gray application background.Background behavior has been improved for uploaded images of different sizes.Pixelate image critical bug has been fixed.
- Shadowforge v18.3 - 27 July 2026
# Shadowforge v18.3 – Pixel Lasso (Beta)This update continues improving the new **Pixel Lasso Tool** with new features and important bug fixes.### What's New* Added **marching ants** to completed Pixel Lasso selections, making it much easier to see the active selection while moving, editing, mirroring, or flipping it.* Improved the overall Pixel Lasso editing workflow and selection handling.### Bug Fixes* Fixed an issue where some selected Pixel Lasso grid squares were not being included when the selection surface was created. In certain cases, parts of a selection could appear highlighted but would be missing after the lasso was converted into a movable surface. Selected grid squares are now correctly counted and included in the final Pixel Lasso selection.The Pixel Lasso Tool is still in **Beta**, and more improvements, features, and refinements are planned for future updates. Thank y…
- Shadowforge v18.2 - 24 July 2026
Shadowforge v18.2 – Pixel Lasso (Early Beta)This update introduces the first Early Beta of the brand-new Pixel Lasso Tool!The Pixel Lasso Tool is still under active development, but it's already ready for you to experiment with and help shape through your feedback.New in this updateAdded the Pixel Lasso Tool (Early Beta) for selecting and moving pixel regions.Selections snap to Shadowforge's tile system for accurate placement.Added ALT + E to duplicate a selection without moving the original artwork, allowing you to edit a separate copy instead.Added CTRL + H to mirror Pixel Lasso selections horizontally.Added CTRL + V to flip Pixel Lasso selections vertically.Added CTRL + T to stamp transformed selections back onto the canvas.Improved movement and editing of Pixel Lasso selections.Added numerous stability improvements and bug fixes for the new tool.The Pixel Lasso Tool is still conside…
- Shadowforge update: Pixel Lasso Tool in Alpha end stage - 24 July 2026
Shadowforge UpdateThis update adds flip and mirror support to the Pixel Lasso Tool!After making a Pixel Lasso selection, you can now instantly transform it before placing it back onto the canvas:CTRL + H — Mirror the selected pixels horizontally.CTRL + V — Flip the selected pixels vertically.CTRL + T — Stamp the transformed selection back onto the canvas.The transformation preserves transparency, making it easy to mirror sprites, reflections, details, and other pixel art without losing alpha information.This update also includes fixes and improvements to the Pixel Lasso workflow to make editing selections more reliable and intuitive.
- Shadowforge 18 - Introduction of a new tool - 24 July 2026
Shadowforge Update – Introducing the Pixel Lasso ToolThis update introduces the brand-new Pixel Lasso tool, giving you a fast and flexible way to select, move, and reposition parts of your artwork directly on the canvas.To activate the Pixel Lasso, press ALT + P. Once enabled, simply click and drag with the left mouse button to paint your selection. The selection follows Shadowforge's tile-stamping system, making it easy to grab aligned sections of your artwork.After creating a selection, you can drag it to a new location with the left mouse button. When you're happy with its position, press CTRL + T to place it back onto the canvas.If you decide not to use the current selection, press ESC to cancel it and restore the artwork to its original state. To leave the Pixel Lasso tool completely and return to normal drawing, press ALT + Q or CTRL + Q.The Pixel Lasso preserves the original colo…
- Shadowforge 17.4 - 21 July 2026
🎨 Shadowforge Update – Smarter Brush System & UI ImprovementsToday's update focuses on improving the painting workflow, making brush behavior more reliable while preventing accidental drawing over interface elements.🖌️ Smarter Brush RenderingThe brush system has been optimized to reuse generated blurred brushes instead of recreating them every frame. This significantly reduces unnecessary processing while keeping all existing brush functionality intact.The following features continue to work together correctly:Brush rotationHorizontal and vertical flippingBrush scalingHSV colorizationAlpha transparencyBlur brushesThis results in smoother painting performance, especially when using larger blurred brushes.🔧 Internal ImprovementsSeveral internal changes were made to improve the stability of the painting pipeline, including:Better brush sprite management.Improved cached brush handling.Cl…
- Shadowforge Update 17.1 - 15 July 2026
Shadowforge Update – Improved Lasso Editing & Transform ToolsToday's update focused on making the lasso tool much more powerful and intuitive when editing selections.The lasso system now supports horizontal and vertical flipping of active selections, making it much faster to mirror artwork without having to redraw it manually. Transforming selected areas has also been improved so edited selections are correctly applied back onto the canvas in their transformed position.Under the hood, I also refined how lasso transformations interact with the canvas, helping preserve image quality and making selection editing more reliable during move, rotate, scale, and mirror operations.These improvements are another step toward giving Shadowforge a more complete, professional selection workflow while keeping it optimized for pixel art creation.As always, thank you for your continued feedback and supp…
- Shadowforge 17 - 15 July 2026
🎨 Shadowforge Update – Automatic Color Palette Extraction & Workflow ImprovementsThis update focuses on making importing artwork much more convenient by improving how Shadowforge handles colors from imported images.✨ Automatic Palette ExtractionWhen you import an image into Shadowforge, the editor can now automatically analyze the artwork and populate the Recent Palette with colors found in the image. This makes it much faster to continue editing imported sprites or pixel art without manually picking each color one by one.Whether you're touching up an existing sprite, creating variations, or using imported references, your working colors are immediately available for painting.🎯 Better Pixel Art WorkflowThe Recent Palette has been improved to better integrate with imported artwork, allowing you to quickly switch between colors while maintaining a smooth painting workflow. This removes…
- Shadowforge 16.8 - 11 July 2026
Shadowforge Update – Timeline Improvements & Enhanced Blur SystemToday I improved several important parts of Shadowforge, including the animation timeline workflow and the blur effects system.Timeline System ImprovementsThe timeline has been redesigned to provide a more stable animation workflow.Removed Dynamic Frame Adding/DeletingRemoved the ADD/DEL frame controls.The timeline now uses a fixed frame structure.Frame management is more reliable and avoids surface resizing problems.Animation data stays organized without changing the timeline structure while working.Timeline Visibility ToggleAdded a cleaner workspace control:+ button opens the timeline.- button closes the timeline.The timeline panel can now be hidden when you need more space for drawing.Frame Selection SynchronizationClicking a frame in the timeline now synchronizes the workspace:The selected frame becomes the active anim…
- Shadowforge 16.5 - 5 July 2026
🎨 Shadowforge Update — Recent Color Palette SystemShadowforge now includes a fully integrated Recent Colors Palette, improving workflow speed and making color selection much faster and more intuitive during painting.✨ What’s new🟣 Recent Color History (30 slots)Shadowforge now automatically stores the last 30 used colorsColors are displayed in a clean 6×5 circular gridThe most recently used colors appear first🎯 Instant Color ReuseClick any circle in the recent palette to instantly switch to that color (while holding CTRL)No need to re-adjust sliders or color pickersWorks seamlessly with brush and tool switching🔄 Fully Synced Color SystemThe palette is fully integrated with Shadowforge’s color engine:HSV color wheel (Hue & Saturation)Gradient/value control systemMain brush color (global.color)Eyedropper and painting toolsAll systems stay synchronized automatically when a color is sele…
- Did you know... Episode 4. - 4 June 2026
This tutorial demonstrates how to use Symmetrical Drawing Mode in Shadowforge to create perfectly mirrored artwork.What Symmetrical Drawing DoesWhen symmetry is enabled, every stroke you draw on one side of the canvas is automatically mirrored on the opposite side. This is useful for:Character facesMasksCreaturesWeaponsDecorative patternsPixel art and concept sketchesStep 1: Enable SymmetryOpen a canvas.Turn on Symmetrical Drawing (CTRL + J).The center line becomes the axis that all strokes are mirrored across.Step 2: Draw on One SideIn the video, the artist draws half of a decorative shape on the left side.As soon as the stroke is completed, Shadowforge automatically creates the matching stroke on the right side, producing a perfectly symmetrical design.Step 3: Create Artwork FasterThe tutorial demonstrates drawing a heart:Draw one side of the heart.The opposite side appears automatica…
