PhotoCraft
storytold · Images
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What is PhotoCraft?
Build an image from separate, revisable parts: a photograph, a masked correction, a painted layer and a caption. PhotoCraft keeps that familiar layer-based approach local, while exposing editing commands to scripts and agents as well as the interface.
PhotoCraft is an open-source Rust image editor from ArtCraft for painting, retouching and layered compositions. It combines masks, adjustments, text and brushes with PSD/PSB import and export. It is in early alpha: the maintainers explicitly say it is not yet a Photoshop replacement for daily professional work.
Core capabilities
- Layers, masks, adjustment layers and editable text
- PSD and PSB files alongside a native document format
- Desktop editing, CLI batch operations and MCP access
Keep corrections separate from the source image
Adjustment layers change tone and color without baking the correction into the original pixels. Masks control where a layer applies, while text, shapes and layer styles can be revised independently. Brushes and selection tools sit alongside this compositing workflow, so the same document can mix retouching, illustration and layout. The canvas uses a GPU compositor, but that architecture is not a guarantee of smooth performance on every document or machine.
- Layered editing
- Masks
- Local files
Work with documents by hand or through commands
PSD and PSB support offers a route for trying existing layered artwork, while the native .pcraft format keeps a PhotoCraft working document. The CLI supports headless edits and batches, and an MCP bridge can connect an agent to the running app. Desktop control is authenticated and limited to the local machine; automated file access uses explicitly configured read and write roots. Import and export can return warnings, so automation should inspect those results rather than assume every layer transfers unchanged.
- PSD and PSB
- CLI
- MCP
An early alpha, not a finished professional substitute
The maintainers identify gaps in advanced typography, professional workflows, generative features and the plugin ecosystem. A menu command being present does not establish that it behaves like its counterpart in another editor. PSD rendering and round trips remain works in progress: an application save is not a byte-identical preservation of the input file. Evaluate copies of representative documents, compare the results visually and retain originals before adopting it for a consequential workflow.
- Early alpha
- Compatibility limits
- Evaluate on copies
Where it fits
Use cases
- 01
Explore photo corrections
Try Curves, Levels and color adjustments on separate layers, using masks to limit a correction to part of an image. Keep original files while evaluating the alpha.
- 02
Compose a graphic from images and type
Combine photographs, shape layers, captions and layer styles for a poster or social graphic, then inspect an exported image before publishing it.
- 03
Prototype repeatable editing tasks
Use the CLI to apply an action list to a folder, or connect an MCP client to inspect and edit a document. Check outputs before using the workflow on important assets.