Workbench Guide

Covers draft management, parameter settings, canvas controls, editing tools, reference images, immersion mode, and export flow, plus the plaza, publishing, and account login.

Open Workbench

1Entry & Drafts 2Left Panel (Global Settings)3Canvas & View Controls 4Right Panel Editing 5Reference Image 6Immersion Mode 7Keyboard Shortcuts 8Export & Build Prep 9Physical Build Workflow 10Plaza & Publishing 11Account & Login

1. Entry & Drafts

Generate via upload/whiteboard or import a pattern; save drafts manually to avoid overwriting.

Core Flow

1Upload an image and drag the crop box to choose what to keep (width × height is shown), use the original, or create a blank board.
2After confirming the crop, adjust grid width and height, color count, and processing mode. Lock the ratio or set each dimension independently.
3Turn on Edit Mode for local fixes and color replacement.
4Check color stats before downloading, printing, or exporting CSV.

Drafts & AI

1Left-side toolbar "Drafts" button lets you manually save, continue, or delete drafts.
2Drafts only take a slot when you click Save; current limit is 5.
3Opening a draft replaces the current canvas, so save first.
4"AI" panel is for templates and history, separate from drafts.

Upload vs. Whiteboard

1Upload: crop once in the workbench; the confirmed result becomes the only source for both pattern generation and the reference image.
2Whiteboard: ideal for drawing pixel art from scratch or redrawing.
3For whiteboards, decide grid width before you start.

Import a Pattern

1No need to pre-create a canvas—choose "Import Pattern" to upload an external pattern.
2In the align dialog, use nudge buttons plus overlay opacity and grid scale to match cells.
3Confirm to detect color IDs per cell and replace the current canvas.

AI Template Generation

1Pick a template in the AI panel, upload images, and spend points to generate a pattern.
2Results are saved in AI history and can be imported into the workbench in one click.
3Templates, points, and daily quotas follow the backend configuration.

2. Left Panel (Global Settings)

Controls detail density, palette depth, and build difficulty.

Grid Size

1Higher values add more detail and more cells.
2Width and height are editable. Locked values stay proportional; unlocked values resample to the exact size.
3Denser grids require more time and materials.
4Choose based on final size and acceptable time.

Color Count

1Limits the total number of colors.
2Fewer colors are easier to assemble but reduce detail.
3Start mid-range, then fine-tune with color stats.

Merge Threshold

1Merges similar colors to reduce speckles.
2Higher = more uniform; lower = more layers.
3Raise it when you see too many tiny colors.

Processing Mode: Cartoon / Real

1Cartoon: cleaner edges and larger blocks; good for anime avatars and logos.
2Real: smoother shading; good for portraits, landscapes, photos.
3If unsure, start with Real and switch to Cartoon if assembly is too complex.

Render Mode: Square / Cylinder

1Affects preview and exported images; color stats/CSV stay the same.
2Square is easier to read; Cylinder looks closer to real beads.

Board Theme & Grid Style

1Board theme sets the base/background tone.
2Grid style options: Standard, Bold every 5, 10x10 blocks, 5-step diagonals.
3Affects exported images, not color stats/CSV.

Brand & Palette

1Match your actual bead brand/palette.
2Mismatch leads to real-world color differences.

Watermark & Display Toggles

1Watermark: add text to exported pattern images.
2Grid: show alignment lines (included in exported images).
3Coordinates: show row/column labels (included in exported images).
4Color IDs: show codes inside cells; auto-hide when cells are too small.
5Crosshair: highlight row/column on hover (preview only).
6Legend: show color codes + counts and control legend inclusion in exports.
7Dither: re-maps colors to smooth gradients, but can add speckles.

Flip & Remove Background

1Flip Horizontal: mirror left-right.
2Flip Vertical: mirror top-bottom.
3Remove Background: clear edge-connected areas of the most common edge color (not for whiteboards).

Persisted Settings & Reset

1Parameters and display settings are saved automatically and restored the next time you open the workbench.
2Use "Reset parameters" to return to the initial values in one click.

3. Canvas & View Controls

Fast navigation and quick actions.

Zoom & Pan

1Use the zoom slider, mouse wheel, or pinch to zoom; grid size stays the same.
2Hold Space to pan temporarily; H locks the hand tool.
3Touch devices: one-finger pan, two-finger pinch to zoom.

Top Toolbar

1Download/Print/Export CSV: output pattern and lists.
2Upload/Replace image: upload an image to generate a pattern, or replace the current source.
3New whiteboard: start a fresh blank pattern anytime; also available when you came from a draft or a plaza remix.
4Import Pattern: align an external pattern (replaces current canvas).
5Color Stats: open the legend drawer (Legend must be on).
6AI: open template generation and history.
7Fullscreen/Immersion: inspect details.

Quick Toolbar & Help

1Undo/Redo float at the canvas top-left and Hand at the top-right; the bottom status row exposes color, brush, and board size above direct editing, zoom, and reference tools.
2Onboarding: the first visit runs a guided tour, and you can replay it from the ? menu anytime.
3Desktop has a ? help bubble with shortcuts.
4Workbench navigation toggles parameters, editing, drafts, and guidance; the active brush color stays in the bottom status row.

4. Right Panel Editing

Refine local colors, shapes, and details.

Edit Mode & Tools

1Edit Mode toggle: must be ON to modify cells.
2Brush (B / 1), Eraser (E / 2), Fill (F / 6), Picker (I / 3), Reference picker, Reference brush, Rectangle fill.
3Reference picker/brush require a reference image.
4Hand tool (H) for panning without accidental drawing.
5Brush size adjustable 1–6 cells.

Color Replacement (Key)

1Step 1: choose Color Replacement and click the source color on the canvas.
2Step 2: pick the target color in the dialog and confirm; all matching cells are replaced.
3Enable Full Palette to pick from the complete list.
4Restore Color Replacement returns to the pre-replace state.

Palette & History

1Toggle Used Colors / Full Palette to control the list scope.
2Search by color code or name; click to set the brush color.
3Undo/redo steps through edit history.

5. Reference Image

Load a separate reference image for side-by-side comparison while editing.

Loading & Display

1Upload a reference image in the Reference panel on the right side.
2Show/Hide toggle (shortcut R) controls reference visibility.
3Overlay mode (shortcut O) places the reference on top of the pattern for comparison.
4Opacity slider (shortcut [ / ]) adjusts reference transparency, 0–100%.

Position & Scale

1Shift + Drag to reposition the reference image.
2Shift + Scroll wheel to scale the reference image.
3The panel provides nudge buttons (←↑↓→) and +/− scale buttons.
4Match to Grid auto-fits the reference to the pattern dimensions.
5Snap to Grid aligns the reference to cell boundaries.

Lock & Management

1Lock prevents accidental repositioning of the reference.
2Replace or remove the reference at any time.
3Hold Alt and click the canvas to pick a color directly from the reference area.

6. Immersion Mode

Focused checking for large canvases.

Enter Immersion

1Use the top button or press M to enter/exit immersion mode.
2Immersion hides extra UI to focus on the canvas.
3Press Esc to exit quickly.

Section & Color Navigation

1Left/Right arrows move between sections and highlight the active area.
2Up/Down arrows switch colors for inspection.
3Mobile can expand the immersion panel for more info.

7. Keyboard Shortcuts

Master shortcuts to speed up your editing workflow (Edit Mode must be on).

Tool Switching

1B / 1 — Brush
2E / 2 — Eraser
3F / 6 — Fill connected region
4I / 3 — Picker
55 — Reference brush
6H — Hand tool (pan)
7Space (hold) — Temporary pan

Edit Actions

1M — Toggle immersion
2Esc — Exit immersion
3Ctrl + Z — Undo
4Ctrl + Y — Redo
5Ctrl + S — Save draft

Panels & View

1P — Expand/collapse edit panel
2C / Shift + P — Expand/collapse palette
3Scroll wheel — Zoom canvas

Reference Shortcuts

1R — Show/hide reference
2O — Toggle overlay mode
3[ / ] — Adjust reference opacity
44 / Alt + Click — Pick color from reference
5Shift + Drag — Move reference
6Shift + Scroll — Scale reference

8. Export & Build Prep

Before building, verify the pattern and material list.

Pattern Export

1Download/Print outputs the current pattern (affected by grid/labels/legend toggles).
2Fullscreen and immersion are great for detail checks.
3After replacing the image, re-check parameters and color IDs.

Color & Quantity List

1Color stats provide codes and counts.
2Export CSV for material prep and further sorting.
3Verify color codes against your actual palette before building.

9. Physical Build Workflow

Key steps from bead selection to display.

Bead selection

15mm is best for beginners/family; 2.6mm suits advanced, high‑detail builds.
272 colors for starter sets; 168 colors for gradients, portraits, and complex scenes.

Brand & size mixing

1Avoid mixing brands; color codes and materials can differ.
25mm and 2.6mm use different pegboards and can’t be mixed.

Print & layout

1Confirm scale before printing; 300 DPI recommended. If A4 is too small, print in tiles.
2Place large color blocks first, then details; check section by section and keep a digital backup.

Ironing & cooling

1Use medium heat and keep moving; use parchment paper or ironing film, never wax paper.
2Advanced: tape method for flipping; press flat to cool for 10–20 minutes.

Framing & display

1Choose a deep shadow‑box frame to avoid pressure.
2Fix with removable adhesive dots; dark backing boosts contrast.

10. Plaza & Publishing

Browse public artworks, interact, remix, and publish via My Works review.

Browse & Interact

1The plaza supports search, categories, and sorting (Latest / Recommended / Most liked / Most saved).
2Sign in to like and save works; browsing is available without an account.
3Open an artwork to see details, tags, author, and pattern specs.

Remix

1For works with remix enabled, click "Create from this".
2The workbench loads that pattern as the source so you can keep editing.
3To start a fresh blank pattern, click "New whiteboard" in the top bar.

Publish & Review

1Submit a cloud draft for review from My Works; approved works appear in the plaza.
2Review status: submitted → approved / rejected; track progress anytime.
3Published works can be edited and updated with a new version, or withdrawn and deleted.

Pattern Download

1The mini program allows pattern downloads by default.
2On the web, click "Download pattern" to generate a mini program code; scan it to download inside the mini program.

11. Account & Login

Web accounts work with the WeChat mini program.

Sign-in Options

1Email verification code registration/login and password login are supported.
2Use QR login on the login page: scan with the WeChat mini program and confirm.
3Bind an email in the mini program before using QR login.

Cross-platform Account

1The same email shares login state and work data between the web and mini program.
2If My Works asks you to bind when publishing, finish the binding in the mini program first.

Security Tips

1Reset a forgotten password with the email verification code.
2Local session and cache are cleared after sign-out.