Microsoft Paint (originally Paintbrush) was first created in 1985, and has become one of the most iconic pieces of software associated with the Windows operating system. The latest version was released on Windows 11, though I admittedly do not particularly enjoy using it. Despite the presence of the updated tools and addition of layers, the program is no longer the simple, yet surprisingly powerful tool it once was. The new UI looks dull and flat, and manipulating text no longer works properly. I chose to downgrade to the Windows 10 version of the software present on my family’s slightly older computer, and I prefer it in nearly every way.

Like many people born in the 1990s and 2000s, I grew up using Ms Paint to make simple art pieces, and over the years grew to love it, in spite of how simplistic it is. It lacks the fancy tools and custom brushes its high-end counterparts have, but it has a certain charm that seems to be almost impossible to replicate. I always recommend the classic versions of Paint to new digital artists, as I think it’s a great way to learn the ropes of a graphics tablet and understand the basic tools present in any art software. The next step for many is Paint.Net, a similar, yet slightly more advanced piece of software. I’ve personally been using the professional Clip Studio Paint software for many years now, but still find myself coming back to Ms Paint time and time again. I find the process of working with its rough and somewhat unpolished tools to be a surprisingly enjoyable experience, and I love the semi-pixelated look finished pieces tend to have. In a time where most art programs are packed with detailed tools and custom brushes, it can be quite fun to revisit a more simplistic piece of software and look back at what the standards for digital art once were.

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