Alchemy is non-orthodox painting software experimenting with alternative ways of drawing.
Alchemy isn’t software for creating finished artwork, but rather a sketching environment that focuses on the absolute initial stage of the creation process. Experimental in nature, Alchemy lets you brainstorm visually to explore an expanded range of ideas and possibilities in a serendipitous way.
This is free and open source software. It is not under active development.
Key Features
- Drawing canvas has an intentionally reduced level of functionality. No undo, no selecting, and no editing. Interaction focuses instead on the output of a great number of good, bad, strange and beautiful shapes.
- Growing number of ‘modules’ that can be added or removed.
- Record a drawing ’session’. Automatically save the contents of the canvas to a page in a PDF file at set intervals.
- Auto-clear the canvas. Start drawing on a clean slate at set intervals. Force yourself to start over fresh.
- Switch the canvas. Automatically open your sketch in a more ‘conventional’ drawing application, either as a bitmap or vector file.
- Avoid distraction. Alchemy has a very minimal interface, just a simple toolbar that disappears magically, and a full screen mode to block everything else out.
Website: al.chemy.org
Support:
Developer: Karl D. D. Willis, Jacob Hina
License: GNU General Public License v3.0

Alchemy is written in Java. Learn Java with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Painting Tools | |
|---|---|
| Krita | Edit and paint images; part of the KOffice office suite |
| MyPaint | Paint program with dynamic brushes for graphic tablets |
| GIMP | GNU Image Manipulation Program |
| Drawpile | Draw, paint, sketch and animate |
| AzPainter | Full color painting software |
| Tux Paint | Drawing and painting software designed for children |
| Milton | Infinite-canvas paint program |
| Vara | Minimalist digital painting tool |
| CorePaint | Paint app for C Suite |
| InfiniPaint | Collaborative, infinite space, infinite zoom, canvas note-taking/drawing app |
| BlockPaint | Terminal-based painting tool |
| Alchemy | Non-orthodox painting tool experimenting with alternative ways of drawing |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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