Minecraft cape maker

Paint a cape texel by texel on a grid that shows where every face sits, and watch the character wear it as a cape and as elytra wings.

Outlined boxes are the faces the game reads. Dim texels are never shown.
Where each face sits in the file
  • Cape: Outside (what others see) (12, 1) 10×16
  • Cape: Inside (1, 1) 10×16
  • Cape: Right edge (0, 1) 1×16
  • Cape: Left edge (11, 1) 1×16
  • Cape: Top edge (1, 0) 10×1
  • Cape: Bottom edge (11, 0) 10×1
  • Elytra: Wing, outside (36, 2) 10×20
  • Elytra: Wing, inside (24, 2) 10×20
  • Elytra: Wing, outer edge (22, 2) 2×20
  • Elytra: Wing, inner edge (34, 2) 2×20
  • Elytra: Wing, top edge (24, 0) 10×2
  • Elytra: Wing, bottom edge (34, 0) 10×2

Use the Cape / Elytra switch under the model to see both. Wearing it on your own skin:

or64×64, or the older 64×32.

A custom cape shows only where a mod or a server renders it. See the questions below.

How it works

  • Pick a tool and a color. Paint on the grid; only the outlined faces are read by the game.
  • Watch the character on the right. Switch Cape and Elytra under it.
  • Load your own skin so the preview matches your character.
  • Download the PNG, or the blank template to paint in another program. Skins are painted in the skin editor.

Questions

Can I wear a custom cape in Minecraft?
Not on a plain account. Mojang grants capes itself (Migrator, MineCon, the Cherry Blossom cape, and so on) and there is no upload for your own. A custom cape file shows through a client mod such as OptiFine or LabyMod, or a server plugin, and only to players who use the same one. Elytra wings use the cape texture too, and a texture pack can change those for you alone.
What size is a cape file?
64×32 pixels. The cape itself is a 10×16 rectangle one pixel deep, unwrapped at the top left of the file. The elytra wing is a 10×20 box two pixels deep at (22, 0) of the same file, which is why one file dresses both.
Which face do other players see?
The one labeled Outside, at (12, 1), 10×16. The Inside face at (1, 1) shows when the cape swings. The one-pixel edges show at the sides.
How do I make a cape from my skin's colors?
Load your skin on the right so the character wears the cape, then use the color picker on the cape, or type the hex of a color from your skin. The skin editor shows a skin's colors as hex values too.
Where do I put the file for OptiFine or a mod?
It depends on the mod. OptiFine capes are uploaded on the OptiFine website with your account; other mods take the PNG from their own menu or a folder. Each mod's own page says where.