Looking for MsPaint alternative with alpha support

Question

In our codebase I write many things that, for testing, depends on the image Im loading have alpha. Usually, I make all my own testimages/programmers-art in MsPaint. But every time I need an image with alpha, I have to go and disturb one of our artists. (Or start the loading of GIMP and go for a coffee break.)

So Im looking for alternatives, as quick and simple as MsPaint but which has alpha support. I tried GIMP but the time it takes to load that behemoth makes it not an option.

Is there no software in the middle grounds between mspaint and gimp? From the looks of my googling and searching through wikipedia, most raster graphics editors aim to be a Photoshop alternative.

Answer 1

Paint.NET

It's basically exactly what you're asking for. Not hardcore as Photoshop, more advanced than Paint.

Built on the .NET Framework so may only run on Windows (might work with Mono, I don't know), but as you've said you use Paint I'm assuming you're on Windows anyway.

Answer 2

Paint.Net is a simple and easy alternative that gives you a little more features than MSPaint, without having to load big heavy monsters (or read 500-page manuals).

As far as I can tell, it supports Alpha quite nicely, as well as many other features a non-artist might need for their graphics work.

http://www.paint.net/