When the Apple Macintosh debuted in January 1984, it revolutionized personal computing with its intuitive graphical user interface and accessible creative tools. Among these, MacPaint stood out as a groundbreaking raster graphics editor.

It empowered users to create digital art with unprecedented ease. Its journey from LisaGraf to QuickDraw to MacSketch, culminating in the iconic MacPaint, is a testament to the brilliance of Bill Atkinson. Susan Kare made significant contributions in crafting its user-friendly interface.
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LisaGraf and SketchPad

The story of MacPaint begins with the Apple Lisa, a computer released in 1983 that, despite its commercial failure, laid critical groundwork for the Macintosh. Bill Atkinson, a key member of Apple’s development team, was instrumental in creating LisaGraf, a graphics library designed to handle bitmap displays with remarkable speed. LisaGraf was the foundation for the Lisa’s graphical user interface, enabling smooth rendering of windows, menus, and other visual elements on a bitmapped screen.

Bill Atkinson’s polaroid scans

While developing LisaGraf, Atkinson created a simple bitmap-based drawing program called SketchPad (also referred to as LisaSketch) to test and demonstrate LisaGraf’s capabilities. SketchPad allowed users to draw with a mouse, using various brushes and patterns, and served as a practical sandbox for refining LisaGraf’s graphics routines. Unlike later programs, SketchPad relied on menus for selecting tools and patterns, a design that Atkinson would soon rethink.

Bill Atkinson’s polaroid scans
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From LisaGraf to QuickDraw

When Atkinson transitioned to the Macintosh team, he brought LisaGraf with him, renaming it QuickDraw for the new platform. QuickDraw became the cornerstone of the Macintosh’s user interface, described by team member Andy Hertzfeld as “the single most significant component of the original Macintosh technology” for its ability to “push pixels around in the frame buffer at blinding speeds.”

QuickDraw’s efficiency was critical, given the Macintosh’s limited 128KB of RAM, and Atkinson’s optimisations—such as rewriting region calculation routines to be six times faster and 2,000 lines shorter—demonstrated his programming prowess.

QuickDraw’s speed and versatility made it the perfect engine for a new drawing application. Atkinson began adapting SketchPad for the Macintosh in early 1983, initially calling it MacSketch. This early version retained some of SketchPad’s menu-driven interface but was tailored to the Macintosh’s constrained hardware, requiring tight, efficient code to deliver a seamless user experience.
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MacSketch Demo.
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LisaDraw and MacDraw

It’s important to address a common misconception: there was no “LisaPaint.” The Lisa had a drawing program called LisaDraw, a vector-based application designed for structured graphics like diagrams, unlike the bitmap-based SketchPad/LisaSketch.

LisaDraw was complex and less intuitive, which prompted Atkinson to pursue a simpler, more user-friendly approach with MacPaint. LisaDraw later evolved into MacDraw, released for the Macintosh as a separate application focused on vector graphics, distinct from MacPaint’s pixel-based approach. This distinction highlights Atkinson’s deliberate choice to create a unique drawing experience with MacPaint, tailored to the Macintosh’s strengths.

 

From MacSketch to MacPaint

By July of 1983, MacSketch evolved into MacPaint, marking a significant shift in design and functionality. Atkinson replaced the cumbersome menu-based system of SketchPad with permanent tool palettes positioned at the bottom and left of the screen, making tools and patterns instantly accessible.

This innovation, combined with QuickDraw’s flicker-free rendering (achieved through dual offscreen memory buffers), eliminated the distracting flicker common in early graphics programs.
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Early MacSketch with Cream font in menubar.

MacPaint introduced features that became hallmarks of graphics software. The “Fat Bits” mode allowed pixel-level editing by magnifying the canvas, the “Paint Bucket” filled enclosed areas with patterns, and the “Lasso” tool enabled precise selection of irregular shapes.

Atkinson even experimented with a character-recognition feature to convert pixelated text back to editable text but ultimately removed it, prioritising MacPaint’s focus as a pure drawing tool over a makeshift word processor.

His attention to code clarity was as notable as his technical innovations. He viewed software as an art form, rewriting sections of MacPaint’s code to ensure it was not only functional but also comprehensible to human readers. This philosophy, combined with QuickDraw’s robust foundation, made MacPaint both powerful and accessible.

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MousePaint, MacPaint clone for Apple II.

MacPaint’s source code, released in 2010 by the Computer History Museum, revealed the elegance of Atkinson’s work, written in a mix of Pascal and Assembly to maximize performance on the Macintosh’s limited hardware. Its impact was immediate, spawning clones for the Apple II and IBM PC within a year.

Mr. Macintosh

Belgian artist Folon drew Mr. Macintosh on an early MacSketch Demo.

In the early 1980s, the Mac software team postponed work on the Mr. Macintosh character due to more urgent priorities. Later, Steve Jobs met Belgian artist Jean-Michel Folon, whose whimsical style seemed ideal for the project. Folon visited the Mac team in Cupertino, where he was introduced to an early drawing program called MacSketch. Enthralled by the prototype, Folon quickly began sketching, creating a cartoon of a man holding a bitten Apple—cleverly echoing the company’s logo..

Susan Kare’s Iconic Contribution

While Atkinson was the mastermind behind MacPaint’s functionality, Susan Kare, Apple’s bitmap artist, brought its interface to life with her iconic designs. Kare crafted the tool icons and patterns that defined MacPaint’s intuitive and playful aesthetic.

Her pixel-art icons—like the paintbrush, pencil, and lasso—were not only functional but also visually memorable, making the program approachable for novice users. Kare’s work extended beyond MacPaint to the Macintosh’s system fonts and interface elements, but her contributions to MacPaint’s palette and visual identity were pivotal in its success.

Old icons

New icons

Together, Atkinson’s technical brilliance and Kare’s design sensibility created a program that felt both revolutionary and inviting.

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Comparing MacSketch and MacPaint

Early MacSketch used Cream 12 font . This was the first font adapted for Mac prototype. It was later replaced with Susan Kare’s elefont which was renamed to System font. Later System font was redesigned (See Fonts Before Mac) again and renamed to Chicago. You can also notice round left and right corners and not straight bar.
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Menubar

Manubar comparison from top to bottom, two menubars from MacSketch Demo, early MacSketch, MacSketch 0.1, MacPaint 0.1, 0.3, MacPaint 0.5, 0.6, 0.7 and Final MacPaint menubar.
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Toolbar

Toolbar comparison from left to right, early MacSketch, MacSketch 0.1, MacPaint 0.1, 0.3, mockup toolbar, MacPaint 0.5, 0.6, 0.7 and Final MacPaint toolbar.
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MacSketch patterns

From top left to bottom right: black, gray 9, gray 8, gray 7, gray 6, medium gray, dark trellis, dark 4 r-slant, dark 8 r-slant, varigated r-slant, 4 grid, brick, 8 dot grid, criss-cross, mosiac tile, hounds tooth, pluses, waves & dots, hearts, White, gray 1, gray 2, gray 3, gray 4, fine slant brick, light trellis, light 4 r-slant, light 8 r-slant, heavy r-slant, 8 grid, slanted bricks, indian blanket, carets, bamboo, fish scales, stars, slant with blobs, anchors. The final patterns included in MacPaint 1.0 were slightly different see bottom pattern pallete on picture below.
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Pattern palettes comparison from top to bottom, early MacSketch, MacSketch 0.1, MacPaint 0.1, 0.3, mockup palette patterns, MacPaint 0.5, 0.6, 0.7 and Final MacPaint palette.
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MacSketch version 0.1 – July 1983 MacSketch was included on twiggy disc that presented the Macintosh New Finder with icons and menubar. The Aids menu had Magnify On and Magnify Off option and was later replaced with Atkinson’s “FatBits” name.

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MacPaint version 0.1 – 6 July 1983

MacPaint mockup paint documents – (diferent icons and patterns included)

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MacPaint version 0.3    – 26 July 1983

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MacPiant version 0.3.1 – 2 Avg 1983

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MacPaint version 0.3.1 added the round brush. Before brush tool was just a square, from version 0.3.1 on you could choose different types of brushes, by clicking on a brush tool or choosing it from Aids menu.
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MacPaint version 0.5 and 0.6 – 19 Avg 1983

Version 0.5 and 0.6 shortened the menubar items to only FILE, EDIT and AIDS. By double clicking the toolbar tools opened window for brush and font style and size selection.
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Font selection from Text Style menu or by double clicking on palette tool A.

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MacPaint version 0.7

MacPaint version 0.95 – December 1983

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MacPaint Final Release – January 1984

The version 0.95 and final release included FILE, EDIT, GOODIES, FONT and STYLE menu item and also About MacPaint window with Bill’s icon. The Apple symbol for menu shortcuts was replaced with Command ⌘ symbol.
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MacPaint’s Lasting Impact

Released on January 24, 1984, alongside the Macintosh, MacPaint was bundled with MacWrite, making it accessible to early adopters. Its ability to integrate with other applications—allowing users to cut graphics from MacPaint and paste them into MacWrite—showcased the power of the Macintosh’s clipboard and QuickDraw. Features like the “marching ants” selection outline (inspired by a sign Atkinson saw, as noted in online discussions) became industry standards, influencing programs like Adobe Photoshop and others.

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Timeline

1978

• Bill Atkinson joins Apple: Atkinson begins working at Apple, initially contributing to early projects before being assigned to significant roles in software development.
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1979

• Atkinson visits Xerox PARC: Steve Jobs and a small group of Apple employees, including Atkinson, visit Xerox PARC, where they are exposed to the Alto computer, Smalltalk, and likely the Bravo text editor. This visit inspires Atkinson’s work on graphical user interfaces for the Lisa project.
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1980–1981

• Atkinson starts work on the Lisa project: Atkinson is assigned to the Lisa project, where he develops LisaGraf, the foundational graphics library for the Lisa’s user interface. He also works on the window manager, menu manager, and event manager.
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• Development of LisaSketch (SketchPad): Atkinson begins working on a simple bitmap-based drawing program called LisaSketch (also referred to as SketchPad) for the Lisa, used to test and demonstrate LisaGraf’s capabilities.
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1982

• LisaGraf development continues: Atkinson refines LisaGraf, focusing on optimizing its region calculation routines. Notably, he rewrites QuickDraw’s region calculations to be six times faster and 2,000 lines shorter, showcasing his emphasis on efficient and clear code.
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• Susan Kare reconnects with Andy Hertzfeld: Kare, a high school friend of Hertzfeld, is contacted by him about a potential role at Apple. He introduces her to a rudimentary Macintosh prototype and suggests she create small images using graph paper for the Macintosh’s graphical interface.
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Early 1983

• Atkinson transitions to the Macintosh project: Atkinson moves from the Lisa project to the Macintosh team, bringing LisaGraf and starting work on MacSketch, an evolution of LisaSketch tailored for the Macintosh.
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• LisaGraf becomes QuickDraw: The graphics library LisaGraf is renamed QuickDraw for the Macintosh, becoming a cornerstone of the Mac’s user interface, praised for its ability to manipulate pixels at high speeds.
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• Susan Kare joins Apple (January 1983): Kare is hired as a part-time “Macintosh Artist” to design icons, typefaces, and graphical elements for the Macintosh operating system and applications like MacPaint. She has no prior computer graphics experience but draws on her art background, likening bitmap graphics to mosaics and needlepoint.
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• Kare begins designing fonts and icons: Kare starts creating iconic elements for the Macintosh, including the Chicago (See Fonts Before Mac 1983) system font, and icons like the scissors for “cut,” a finger for “paste,” and a paintbrush for MacPaint. She uses graph paper to sketch pixel-based designs, which are converted to hexadecimal code for the computer.
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• Atkinson develops MacSketch: Atkinson adapts LisaSketch into MacSketch, replacing menus with permanent palettes for tools and patterns, enhancing usability. He begins adding features like “Fat Bits” (pixel-level editing), the “Paint Bucket” (for filling areas), and the “Lasso” tool (for non-rectangular selections).
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July (?) 1983

• MacSketch renamed MacPaint: Atkinson changes the name from MacSketch to MacPaint, reflecting its expanded capabilities and focus as a drawing program. He continues adding features almost daily.
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• Kare demonstrates MacPaint’s capabilities: As the main customer of MacPaint, Kare creates drawings (e.g., a Japanese woman combing her hair, tennis shoes, gourmet baby food) for Macintosh user manuals and promotional materials, showcasing the program’s artistic potential.
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December 1983 to January 1984

• MacPaint completed: Atkinson finalizes MacPaint, which operates within the Macintosh’s limited 128K memory and 8 MHz processor, alongside QuickDraw and parts of the operating system. The program sets a new standard for personal computer graphics applications.
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January 1984

• Macintosh and MacPaint released: The Apple Macintosh is launched with great fanfare, including a Super Bowl ad. MacPaint, alongside MacWrite, is one of the two applications shipped with the original 128K Macintosh. Kare’s fonts (Chicago) and icons are integral to the Mac’s user interface.
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New video with voice over by Ron McAdams.

Sources

• Computer History Museum, MacPaint and QuickDraw Source Code
• Folklore.org, MacPaint Evolution
• Folklore.org, Folon
• Wikipedia, MacPaint
• Programmez.com, Bill Atkinson
• ZtoZ.blog, Investigating MacPaint’s Source Code
• The Register, MacPaint Source Code

Updated 2025.08.28