About the Brush Tool
Draw and paint straight on a picture with a brush in any colour. Choose the size, how soft the edge is and how opaque the paint is, then drag across the picture with a mouse, finger or pen. A stroke never gets darker where it crosses itself, which gives a smooth, even line at the opacity you set. Undo any stroke, start over and download the result as a full-size PNG. Use it to mark up a screenshot, retouch a flaw, add a hand-drawn touch or colour in an area. Your picture stays in your browser and is never uploaded.
Updated October 2026
How to use the Brush Tool
- 1Select an image or drop one on the page.
- 2Pick a colour, a brush size and how soft the edge should be.
- 3Set the opacity. Lower values make see-through paint.
- 4Drag over the picture to paint. Lift your finger to start a new stroke.
- 5Undo if needed, then press Download PNG.
A simple brush for quick jobs
You do not always need a full image editor. If you only want to circle something on a screenshot, paint over a blemish, colour in an area or add a hand-drawn arrow, a brush is enough. This tool opens fast, works on a phone and gives you a full-size PNG afterwards.
Choosing size, softness and opacity
A small hard brush draws crisp lines. A large soft brush at low opacity works like an airbrush, good for blush on a cheek or a glow behind an object. Use full opacity for markup that must stand out.
- Markup: hard edge, 100% opacity, bright colour
- Airbrush glow: soft edge, 20 to 40% opacity
- Cover a flaw: medium edge, match the surrounding colour
Even strokes
The brush applies its opacity once per stroke, no matter how many times your pointer passes over a spot. So a 50% stroke looks the same everywhere. To make it darker, lift your finger and draw again over the same area.
A quick example
Imagine a screenshot where you want to highlight a button. Choose yellow, a medium soft brush at 40 percent opacity and drag back and forth over the button in a single stroke. The result is a translucent highlighter effect, and the text underneath stays readable.
Phone and computer
On a phone, use one finger; the page does not scroll while you touch the picture. On a computer, a ring shows the brush size. Pictures up to about 16 million pixels are supported and saved at full size.
Brush or pencil?
Choose the brush for anything soft: shading, glow, airbrushed colour and highlights. Choose the pencil for crisp outlines. A common routine for markup is to draw the shape with the pencil and then use the brush at low opacity to tint inside it. Both tools keep your strokes even and let you undo each one separately.
Good to know
The result is saved as PNG. If you need a text label, use Add Text to Image; for a straight hard line use Pencil Tool. Your original file is never changed.
Features
- Any colour, size and softness
- Opacity control, even within a stroke
- Smooth strokes with no gaps
- Undo and Start over
- Touch, mouse and pen supported
- Private, no upload
Frequently asked questions
Can I paint with any colour?
Yes. Use the colour picker to choose any colour. Change it between strokes.
Why does a stroke not get darker when it overlaps itself?
Within one stroke the opacity is applied once, so a semi-transparent line looks even. Start a new stroke on top to build up more paint.
What is the edge hardness for?
A hard edge gives a crisp line like a marker. A soft edge fades out like an airbrush.
Can I use it to hide part of a screenshot?
Yes, with full opacity and a hard edge, the paint covers what is underneath. For more reliable hiding, use Blur Image with pixelate.
Can I paint on a transparent PNG?
Yes. The paint is added and the transparent areas stay transparent where you do not paint.
Is my picture uploaded?
No. It stays in your browser.