Import Image
Drop an image on the canvas or use File import. It lands selected with Move, opacity, rotate, and Remove Layer BG nearby.
Brush ready
Layer: Base
Beginner Workflow
Start loose with a pencil brush. Only the tools you need for this step are shown.
Pick a brush to start drawing
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I am your tiny starfish studio buddy. Let me show you the good stuff.
Map these keys to tablet pen buttons or express keys.
Choose an action, then press a key.
Tablet setup tip: map a pen button to a single key like E, X, H, [, ], or I.
Quick Flow
Move a slider to preview.
Exports are final images. Use File > Export .starby or Project Safety > Backup File when you need editable layers.
Choose settings, then estimate file size.
Performance: checking canvas.
Quick lookup for tools, common workflows, and common questions.
Jump straight to the tool or panel you need.
Drop an image on the canvas or use File import. It lands selected with Move, opacity, rotate, and Remove Layer BG nearby.
Pick a color, choose Fill, then tap a closed area. Raise tolerance for rough edges; lower it when color leaks too far.
Select or draw a line layer, open Render, preview regions, then Auto Color. Use Find Gaps when fills leak.
Draw around artwork, then use handles, Move, Apply, or Deselect. Select All is for moving or scaling the whole artwork.
Tap painted artwork to sample that color. It checks nearby visible painted pixels first so anti-aliased edges are easier to grab.
Keep sketch, ink, color, shadows, and highlights separate. Use Move/Size to transform only the selected layer.
Use clipping, alpha lock, masks, folders, and adjustment/filter layers to edit without destroying original pixels.
Select a layer, tap Move/Size, then drag inside the selection to move it or pull handles to resize. Apply keeps the change.
Save a .starby project when you want to keep layers. Export PNG for sharing; use transparent PNG when paper should disappear.
Use File Open PSD for layered raster Photoshop files. Export PSD when another app needs your Starby layers.
Use Upscale before a final export when the art needs a larger clean PNG. Preview first, then export the upscaled version.
Turn paper transparent, then export Transparent PNG when you need stickers, overlays, or art with no background.
Import a photo or image, keep it selected, then use the cutout icon in the floating image tools to remove the background.
Use Trace to turn sketch/photo edges into safer linework. If output looks too heavy, lower detail or use Clean Ink first.
Open Brushes for packs, favorites, recents, pressure, stabilizer modes, smudge, texture, and save-as-new-brush settings.
Use stamps for reusable art pieces and Reference for images you want beside the canvas without painting them in.
Proof records process clips while you draw. Start it before a session, then export a small replay for sharing.
No matching help cards yet. Try a simpler word like fill, render, image, save, or layer.
Follow the numbered spots when you are learning a workflow.
Quick answers for things that feel confusing while you work.
Lower tolerance, close the visible gap, or use Render Assist Find Gaps on your rails layer.
Use visible linework as rails first. Try Photo Rails, Trace Rails, Loose Lines, then Preview Regions again.
Click the imported image or its layer. The floating image tools appear near the selected image.
Use Steady for clean sketching, Pull String for long curves, Ink Taper for line art, or Raw when stamps and textures need immediate marks.
Use Clean Ink, lower Sensitivity or Gap close, and avoid heavy Coloring Page settings on dense photos.
Turn paper transparent before exporting, then choose Transparent PNG instead of regular PNG.
Save a .starby project for Starby. Older .stardraw project files still open. Export PSD when you need layered handoff to Photoshop, Krita, or Photopea.
First PSD support preserves raster layers, names, visibility, opacity, and common blend modes. Text, effects, masks, and adjustment layers may come in as pixels or warnings.
Plain-English meanings for Starby Art terms.
The line has a gap or tolerance is too high. Lower tolerance, close the gap, or use Render Assist Find Gaps.
Use the background transparency control, then export as transparent PNG so other apps see the clear paper.
Import the image, keep it selected, then use Remove Layer BG in the floating image tools.
Save .starby for editable layers. Older .stardraw files still open. Export PNG when you are ready to post, print, or send the final image.
Click the imported image or make sure its layer is active. The floating image tools appear near the image selection.
It needs visible linework or rails. Try Photo Rails, Trace Rails, Find Gaps, or Loose Lines before Auto Color.
Use Alpha Recolor or lock transparency on the layer so new color only affects pixels that already exist.
Streamline smooths and stabilizes your hand movements. The "Streamline" stabilizer snaps curves and straight lines to crisp, clean shapes and paths, reducing hand wobbles.
Draw any shape (like a circle or line) and hold at the end of the stroke (Quick Shape). Once it snaps, you can toggle between Perfect Circle/Square and Ellipse/Rectangle, and use the interactive handles and sliders to resize, rotate, skew, or flip your shape before applying it.
On transparent layers, Paint For Me recognizes all painted outline strokes (regardless of color brightness) as boundary walls. If you have transparent regions, draw your separating borders with a solid brush (like a white brush). Paint For Me will contain the colors within those boundaries.
The Rim Light layer adds a beautiful backlight glow along the silhouette edges of your character or object. It generates automatically opposite the main light direction to make your subject pop from the background.
Recording is off.
Record a few frames, then export a proof replay.
Start Proof before a drawing session. Starby captures process frames while you draw, then condenses the session into a shareable WebM or GIF.
Confirm proof action.
Are you sure?
Select custom brushes to package into a shareable pack.
Take your creative studio to the next level.
The Workspace Backpack is a Starby Pro feature. Protect and transfer all your custom tools with one click.
Run OCR on the visible canvas, then rewrite or place the text.
Choose a PDF, then pick which page to bring in.
No PDF loaded.
Choose a canvas size and start clean.
Orientation
Recent sizes
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Backup & Sync your brushes and settings.
Sign in to sync your custom brushes, palettes, favorites, and settings automatically across all your devices.
Generate a printable process proof certificate for your artwork.
Type your words, then place them on the active layer.