RetroStudio v2.1.5

RetroStudio is a desktop graphics and animation studio for creating retro artwork, animated compositions, character art, procedural backgrounds, and demoscene-inspired visual effects.

Build scenes from multiple layers, animate each layer independently, and combine background generators, images, text, sprites, masks, and foreground effects into a single composition.

Add a moving perspective grid behind your artwork, overlay rain or scanlines in the foreground, animate a glitch effect on one specific layer, or build an entire scene from procedural generators.

Layer-based composition

RetroStudio provides Background, Content, and Foreground layer roles. Every layer can have its own:

• Position, scale, rotation, opacity, and timing
• Animation and keyframes
• Processing effects
• Effect settings and animation speeds
• Masks and blend modes
• Preview and export visibility
• Independent entrance and exit times

Layers can be reordered, grouped, duplicated, hidden, locked, or excluded from export.

Retro Generator Library

Create independently animated procedural layers with the built-in Retro Library:

• Matrix Rain
• Perspective Grid / Tunnel
• Sine Wave
• Demoscene Text Scroller
• Palette Plasma
• Raster / Copper Bars
• Warp Starfield
• Rotozoomer

Every generator includes a Transparent Background option, allowing generated artwork to appear over or behind other layers.

Generator definitions use editable JSON files, making it possible to customize presets and create variations of the included effects.

Processing effects

Apply effects independently to any compatible layer:

• Glow
• Chromatic Aberration
• Color Adjustment
• Gaussian Blur
• Pixelate
• Scanlines
• Rain Overlay
• Snow Overlay
• Row Glitch
• JPEG Glitch
• Bitmap Posterize
• Sine Modulation
• Halftone
• CMYK Halftone
• Declarative CRT and VHS shaders

Effects can be reordered, enabled or disabled, animated, keyframed, and saved as reusable presets.

Character art and classic fonts

RetroStudio supports Code Page 437 and numerous additional character sets for creating DOS-style and terminal-inspired artwork.

You can use:

• Complete Code Page 437 glyph support
• ASCII, block, Braille, box-drawing, and symbol sets
• Installed system fonts
• Custom TTF, OTF, and TTC fonts
• Custom character strings
• Font-selectable procedural effects
• Text and character-art export

Load a DOS extended-character font to create authentic CP437 artwork.

Animation and timeline

• Real-time animated preview
• Layer and effect keyframes
• Timeline markers
• Adjustable work area
• Curve and interpolation controls
• Forward and reverse playback
• Independent layer timing
• Adjustable animation speed
• Deterministic procedural animation
• Progress dialogs for lengthy operations
• Cancellation support for background work

Import and export

RetroStudio supports still images, animated images, sprite sheets, image sequences, video, text, SVG, and PDF workflows.

Export options include:

• PNG and other still-image formats
• Animated GIF
• APNG
• Animated WebP
• PNG image sequences
• MP4 and WebM video
• Sprite sheets
• SVG
• Character-art text
• PDF

Video importing and exporting requires FFmpeg and FFprobe.

Project workflow

Projects are saved as readable .retroproject files. Your original source images are left unchanged, and all layer settings, effects, animation, masks, and composition data remain editable.

Additional features include:

• Undo and redo
• Automatic recovery saves
• Missing-file relinking
• Batch processing
• Watch folders
• Command-line tools
• Editable JSON presets
• Responsive background processing
• Centered progress and cancellation dialogs
• Canvas resizing with proportional layer scaling

System requirements

• Windows or Linux
• Python 3.11 or newer
• NumPy 2.0 or newer
• Pillow 10.0 or newer
• PyQt6 6.7 or newer
• FFmpeg and FFprobe for video features

Current status

RetroStudio is under active development. Manual testing is recommended, particularly when working with large compositions, custom fonts, video files, or third-party generator manifests.

Bug reports, feedback, effect ideas, and example creations are welcome.

License

RetroStudio is released under the MIT License.

Copyright © 2026 non-npc.