Install the Elysium Designer¶
The Designer ships as a signed standalone executable for macOS, Windows, and Linux. There is no Python install required to run it; the app bundles its own interpreter and native dependencies.
Pick your platform¶
| Platform | Format | Page |
|---|---|---|
| macOS 13+ (Apple Silicon or Intel) | Signed and notarized .app inside a .dmg |
macOS install |
| Windows 10/11 (x64) | Signed .exe installer (Inno Setup) |
Windows install |
| Linux (most modern distros, x86_64) | AppImage primary; .deb, .rpm, tarball alternates |
Linux install |
After installing¶
Once the app launches successfully:
- Walk through first run for theme selection, permissions, and the initial project location.
- If something looks off (no GPU, missing fonts), the troubleshooting page has the most common fixes.
Other paths¶
- Build from source: for contributors and anyone who wants to run the Designer from a checkout.
- Uninstall and reset: wipe preferences, caches, and bundled Python state cleanly.
What you get¶
| Component | Bundled | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Designer GUI | Yes | The authoring app itself |
| Python 3.12 interpreter | Yes | Runs the Designer's Python modules |
| Elysium framework | Yes | Same package as pip install elysium-ui, version-pinned |
| Aether agent | Yes | In-app AI agent with 123 tools |
| Native renderer (Skia + wgpu) | Yes | GPU-accelerated canvas |
| Brush engine packs | Yes | 6 engines, 30 presets |
| Example assets | Yes | examples/butterfly/ and friends |
| AI provider keys | No | Configure in Preferences > AI (Anthropic, OpenAI, or local Ollama) |
The Designer does not need network access to launch or to run the butterfly tutorial. AI workflows (Generate Skin, Magic Polish, Aether chat) need either an API key or a running local Ollama.
Hardware notes¶
| Capability | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB |
| Disk | 1.5 GB free | 5 GB free |
| GPU | Anything with modern OpenGL or Metal or DX12 | Discrete GPU or Apple Silicon |
| Display | 1280x800 | 1920x1080+ |
| Input | Mouse + keyboard | Pen tablet (Wacom, Huion, Apple Pencil) for sculpting and painting |
The Designer falls back to a CPU rasterizer if no compatible GPU is found, but Render Final at 256 spp is significantly slower in that mode. See Render and GPU troubleshooting.