klad

Paint and animation CLI that agents and humans share

TLDR

Open the editor on the start window

$ klad open

Open a drawing

$ klad open [scene.klad]

Create an empty drawing

$ klad new [art.klad]

Paint a stroke with a brush

$ klad stroke [art.klad] [l4] --brush oil --path 'M100 400 C 300 200 500 600 700 400'

List strokes on a layer as JSON

$ klad strokes [art.klad] [l4] --json

Change a stroke

$ klad set [art.klad] [c4:s12] size=3.5 color=#3355aa

Export to Godot

$ klad export [art.klad] --godot [../game/art]

Undo the last change

$ klad undo [art.klad]

Put klad on PATH

$ klad install

Print the agent skill

$ klad skill

SYNOPSIS

klad command [options] [bundle]

klad is a 2D painting and animation tool. The same drawing is a folder of files on disk. The editor is a GUI; every editor action also has a klad command, so a script or coding agent paints with the same brushes, layers, and timeline.A drawing is a `.klad` directory. Addresses look like `l4` (layer) and `c4:s12` (cel and stroke). klad apply takes JSON lines, one transaction per call. klad-client is a Rust crate that runs the same commands.Linux builds live under `target/linux/release/` after `just compile`. The editor starts on Linux with the mouse; tablet pressure is documented as macOS-first.

PARAMETERS

open [bundle]

Open the editor on a drawing, or the start window with no argument.

new bundle

Create an empty bundle with paint layers.

stroke bundle layer [--brush] [--path]

Paint a stroke along an SVG path or explicit points.

fill bundle layer [--at] [--color]

Fill a region of a paint layer.

set bundle id key=value...

Change properties of a layer, cel, stroke, or fill.

strokes bundle layer [--json]

List strokes and fills of a paint cel.

ls bundle

Layer tree with ids, kinds, and bounds.

export bundle [--godot dir]

Export PNGs, sprite sheets, numbered frames, or a Godot SpriteFrames scene.

inbetween bundle [--layers] [--from] [--to]

Drawings between two keys.

undo / redo bundle

Undo or redo the last change (CLI or editor).

notes / selection bundle

Notes pinned on the canvas, or the current editor selection.

apply bundle [--file]

Apply JSON-line edits in one write (stdin or a file).

install

Put klad on the terminal PATH for you and for agents.

skill [drawing]

Print the agent skill (tool use, or `drawing` for craft).

samples

List shipped sample drawings, or copy one out.

CAVEATS

Source-available, not open source: free to build and use for yourself, and inside a company under 500000 euros yearly revenue (see the project licence). You currently build it yourself. Bones commands may still change. Drawings migrate when the format version changes. klad-editor is the GUI binary; this page is the klad CLI.

RESOURCES

Homepage · Source code · Documentation