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title = "About Graphite"

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css = ["/page/about.css", "/component/feature-box.css"]
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# About Graphite

Graphite is a community-built free software project. If you find it valuable, consider [donating](/donate) or [getting involved](/volunteer) to keep it sustainable.

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## Project

The idea for Graphite began with a desire to create artwork and edit photos using free software that felt user-friendly and truly modern. Over time, that dream evolved to reconsider what "modern" meant for the landscape of 2D graphics editing. By borrowing concepts popular in 3D software, what could a procedural, nondestructive design tool look like if nothing was too ambitious? Answering that question took years of design exploration, leading to a community of savvy developers volunteering to turn that formidable dream into a reality.

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## Mission

Graphite strives to unshackle the creativity of every budding artist and seasoned professional by building the best comprehensive art and design tool that's accessible to all.

Mission success will come when Graphite is an industry standard. A cohesive product vision and a focus on innovation over imitation is the strategy that will make that possible.

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## Organization

Graphite is fully funded by its community and beholden to no investors, ensuring it remains free and open source forever. The organization, *Graphite Labs, LLC*, is owned and controlled solely by the project's founder. Future nonprofit foundation status is being explored, but that administrative complexity is not yet justified. All revenue is being reinvested into the project, with aims to employ full-time developers once funding reaches sustainable levels.

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<!-- <section id="opener-message">
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## A 2D creative tool made for everyone

With great power comes great accessibility. Graphite is built on the belief that the best creative tools can be powerful and within reach of all, from students to studios.

Graphite is designed with a friendly and intuitive interface where a delightful user experience is of first-class importance. It is available for free under an open source [license](/license) and usable [instantly through a web browser](https://editor.graphite.art) or an upcoming native client on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

It's easy to learn and teach, yet Graphite's accessible design does not sacrifice versatility for simplicity. The node-based workflow opens doors to an ecosystem of powerful capabilities catering to casual and professional users alike.

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	<img src="https://static.graphite.art/content/index/brush__2.svg" alt="" />
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<section id="core-team" class="feature-box-outer">
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<h1 class="feature-box-header">Meet the core team</h1>

---

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<div class="block" id="keavon">

<img src="https://static.graphite.art/content/about/core-team-photo-keavon-chambers.avif" onerror="this.onerror = null; this.src = this.src.replace('.avif', '.png')" alt="Photo of Keavon Chambers" />

## Keavon Chambers <span class="handle">(@Keavon)</span> <img src="https://static.graphite.art/icons/flags/us.png" class="flag" title="American" />

***Founder, UI & product design, frontend, editor systems***

Keavon is a creative generalist with a love for the fusion of arts and technology. UX and graphic designer, photographer, game developer, technical artist, and everything in between— he is equal parts designer and engineer. His multidisciplinary background in the digital arts is aptly suited for concocting the unique vision needed to bring Graphite to fruition.

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<div class="block" id="dennis">

<img src="https://static.graphite.art/content/about/core-team-photo-dennis-kobert.avif" onerror="this.onerror = null; this.src = this.src.replace('.avif', '.png')" alt="Photo of Dennis Kobert" />

## Dennis Kobert <span class="handle">(@TrueDoctor)</span> <img src="https://static.graphite.art/icons/flags/de.png" class="flag" title="German" />

***Graphene node engine, research, architecture***

Dennis is a mix between a mathematician and a mad scientist. While still enjoying the art of photography and image editing (which drew him to the project early on), he thrives when challenged with designing complex systems and pushing boundaries. His method of building generalized solutions wrapped in elegant layers of abstraction led to his creation of the Graphene engine.

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<div class="block" id="timon">

<img src="https://static.graphite.art/content/about/core-team-photo-timon-schelling.avif" onerror="this.onerror = null; this.src = this.src.replace('.avif', '.png')" alt="Photo of Timon Schelling" />

## Timon Schelling <span class="handle">(@timon-schelling)</span> <img src="https://static.graphite.art/icons/flags/de.png" class="flag" title="German" />

***Desktop application engineering***

Timon believes open source tools are essential to grant digital artists freedom in access, creativity, and expression. He builds and maintains Graphite's native desktop app, ensuring its polish, reliability, and cross-platform consistency. Drawn to Graphite by its vision of procedural, nondestructive, expansive 2D art tools, he works to make that vision usable by as many people as possible.

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<div class="block" id="adam">

<img src="https://static.graphite.art/content/about/core-team-photo-adam-gerhant.avif" onerror="this.onerror = null; this.src = this.src.replace('.avif', '.png')" alt="Photo of Adam Gerhant" />

## Adam Gerhant <span class="handle">(@pendapia)</span> <img src="https://static.graphite.art/icons/flags/us.png" class="flag" title="American" />

***Editor node graph tooling***

Adam is a pragmatic problem solver with a talent for simplifying complexity. He is responsible for various architectural decisions which provide future proof integrations between the Graphene engine and editor. His work has greatly improved the performance, stability and code quality of the project, while also setting the stage for additional features.

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<div class="triptych">

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## Credits

In addition to the work of the Core Team listed above, over a hundred other contributors have written code that makes Graphite what it is today:

<a href="https://github.com/GraphiteEditor/Graphite/graphs/contributors" class="button arrow">Credits</a>

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## License

The Graphite editor source code is published under the terms of the Apache License 2.0. See below for details and exclusions:

<a href="/license" class="button arrow">License</a>

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## Logo

More information about the Graphite logo, including its community-focused usage policy and downloadable assets, is available on the logo page:

<a href="/logo" class="button arrow">Logo</a>

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