Before the internet made software instantly accessible, Amiga users relied on Public Domain (PD) libraries such as United PD and 17-Bit Software to discover new software that didn’t matched the commercial standards.
While browsing a Norwegian Amiga magazine from 1992. I saw the image of FreePaint and thought it was worthy enough to write something about it.
Lightweight graphics program for Amiga
The FreePaint 35z, is a lightweight graphics program distributed on compilation disks in the early 1990s.
The “35z” designation is not a version number in the modern sense, but rather a catalog reference—most likely tied to a specific disk release, such as United PD Disk 35. This naming style was common in the Amiga PD scene, where software was organized and shared through physical floppy collections rather than downloads.
Released in 1992, FreePaint 35z was designed to run on base Amiga systems, requiring only 512KB to 1MB of RAM. This made FreePaint highly accessible at a time when not every user had expanded hardware.
FreePaint fits comfortably on a single floppy disk, reflecting the efficiency and constraints that defined Amiga software development during that era.
Up to 32 colors at once in FreePaint
In terms of functionality, FreePaint provided a familiar set of tools for its time. Users could work within standard OCS/ECS display modes such as 320×256 or 640×512 resolutions, using up to 32 colors from the Amiga’s indexed palette. The toolset included as seen on the picture shows basic brush painting, line drawing, flood fill, and text features. Everything needed for simple pixel art and everyday graphics work.
While FreePaint never reached the iconic status of Deluxe Paint, FreePaint 35z represents something equally important: the grassroots creativity of the Amiga community.
FreePaint reflects a time when software was shared, copied, and improved across user groups and PD libraries, helping to build the strong ecosystem that still defines the platform today. Amiga users continue to nurish the platform like no other.
Where to Find Freepaint
Because Freepaint is historical public domain software, it is primarily available through retro-computing archives:
- Amiga PD Archives: You can often find United PD disk images (ADF format) on sites like the Amiga PD repository.
- Aminet: The world’s biggest archive that includes PD software from notable sources such as Fred Fish, United PD, Assassins, and 17bit. Link to Aminet here!
Have you ever tried FreePaint?
