Albert, the GTK-based pixel art editor, is moving closer to version 3. In his latest development update, thechaosengineer shares what’s coming in version 2.5.0 Alpha 3 and outlines key decisions shaping the next phase. This new build marks Albert’s migration to GTK3—laying the groundwork for better support on Apple Silicon and improving cross-platform compatibility. The transition also brings cleaner integration with native file chooser dialogs, including Windows and macOS support. This update is especially relevant as macOS begins phasing out Intel support and, with it, Rosetta 2.
GTK3 Upgrade and Compatibility
The switch to GTK3 was expected and implemented efficiently, but it means theme customizations—like those used in the GTK2 version—must be redone from scratch. In the meantime, users can enjoy native file choosers. For example, on Windows, the editor supports thumbnail previews for C64 image formats through a custom thumbnail provider. This improves usability when importing images into projects.
New Playground Tools and Features
Albert’s upgraded core engine includes a prototype playground app with experimental features aimed at blurring the line between pixel editor and paint program. New tools include:
- Adjustable brushes for scribbles and freehand work
- Shape drawing for lines, rectangles, ellipses, stars, rounded and circled rectangles
- Fill options with anti-aliasing and multiple dithering patterns
- Drawing tablets with pressure sensitivity
- Experimental support for NTSC/PAL deformation modes with automatic shape compensation
The shape tools already support quick shortcuts—holding Shift snaps circles and squares, while Control aligns shapes to the rotated canvas. Pressure-sensitive input lets users change brush size dynamically, a feature especially useful for stylus work.
What’s Coming Next
Before reaching version 3, Albert will gain refined theme customization, completed builds for macOS, Linux AppImage, and Docker, and potentially more paint-style tools. Selections and deformation tuning for NTSC/PAL are still in progress. While not every feature will make it into the 2.x branch, many are already showing up in the playground build, acting as a live preview of what’s next.
This isn’t just about technical improvements. It’s a practical step forward that makes Albert more usable on modern systems while hinting at a much broader creative scope.
