User guide
Everything you need to start painting on pPlace, in simple steps. Once you are inside the canvas, you can also open the help shortcut on the top bar to review this content.
Getting started
- Open the canvas.
- Sign in with your Google account to start painting.
- Paste the URL of the website you want to paint and wait for the capture.
- Pick a color and tool, then click to paint pixel by pixel.
- Your changes are shared in real time with anyone painting the same website.
Tools on desktop
Brush
- Main tool. Paints one pixel per click.
- Combine with the color palette to vary tones.
Eraser
- Removes painted pixels.
- Useful to fix strokes without switching colors.
Selection / cursor
- Lets you navigate without painting.
- Ideal to inspect the art without changing anything by mistake.
Color picker (browser native)
- Use the native color picker to grab the color of any on-screen pixel.
- On compatible browsers (Chrome/Edge) the popup includes an eyedropper button.
Zoom
- Enlarges or reduces the visible area for more precision.
- Recommended for fine adjustments and alignment checks.
Grid
- Shows a visual reference for pixel-by-pixel reading.
- Especially useful in small drawings and exact placement.
Coordinates
- Shows the cursor x/y position over the canvas in real time.
- Great to locate exact points and report pixels precisely.
Reference image
- Available next to the opacity control, only for signed-in users.
- Imports a local image overlaid on the canvas with adjustable opacity, to use as a template.
- The pixel count of the image can be set in canvas pixels, so each block matches one pixel of the grid; smaller images use fewer pixels and larger ones can use more.
- Drag to reposition (snap to grid), lock, hide, or remove. The image stays only in your browser.
- Optional mode for transparent pixel borders — even at max opacity you can see the canvas behind each block to know whether you already painted it.
Tools on mobile
Brush
With one finger, draw directly on the capture. It is the main tool to create art on mobile.
Eraser
Erase pixels with a tap, with the same precision as the brush.
Pan and zoom
Use a two-finger gesture to move and zoom. Get closer for precision; pull back to see the whole.
Precision and reading
- Turn on the grid when drawing in detail.
- Turn on coordinates to check exact position and report specific pixels.
- Use the reference image with pixelation to faithfully reproduce an illustration.
Community and conduct
Painted pixels are public and tied to your profile. Keep the environment healthy — no attacks, no illegal content, no scams. Read the Terms of Use for details on what can lead to a block.
Common questions
The most common questions about permanent pixels, limits, sites that can be painted, reference image and more are gathered in the FAQ page.