Drawing chat (絵チャ): what it is and how to draw together online
In Japan, drawing together online has its own word: 絵チャ (e-cha), short for drawing chat. Here's what it means, what people do in one, and how to start your own in Magma.
What is 絵チャ (e-cha)?
絵チャ (pronounced "eh-cha") is short for お絵かきチャット (oekaki chatto), "drawing chat". It's a shared canvas with a chat attached: a few people open the same page, draw on the same picture, and talk while they do it. Some people write it 絵茶, a pun on お茶 (tea), because a drawing chat is a bit like sitting down for tea with friends, pens in hand.
Drawing chats go back to the early days of Japanese web art, when they ran as Java applets in the browser alongside oekaki boards, the sites where people posted drawings made right on the page. The tools have changed, and the idea hasn't: drawing is more fun with company.
What people do in a drawing chat
- Hang out and doodle while talking about anything
- Draw each other's characters (OCs), or fan art of a shared favorite
- Relay drawings: one person sketches, the next adds color, the next adds a background
- Practice together: timed poses, studies, or one theme drawn by everyone
- Play drawing games, or draw live while someone streams
- Work on a group piece for an event or a friend's birthday
How to start a drawing chat in Magma
Create a free account
Go to magma.com and sign up with Google, Discord or email. The Magma app is available in English and Japanese, among other languages.
Start a canvas
Create a new canvas. For a big group, open a Multiboard, an infinite board with many canvases side by side, so everyone can have their own space.
Invite your friends
Share the canvas link in your group chat. Up to 30 people can draw on one canvas at once on the free plan (50 on Blaze).
Talk while you draw
Turn on voice chat to talk, or use text chat if you'd rather type. You see every brush stroke the moment it's painted.
Draw, then keep it
Everything saves as you draw. Export a PNG or JPEG to post, or a layered PSD if someone wants to finish the piece in another app.
Drawing chat manners
A good drawing chat feels like a good table at an art cafe. A few habits keep it that way:
- Don't draw over someone else's work without asking first. A quick message in chat is enough.
- Share the space: leave room for others, and use your own layer when you can.
- Say hello when you join and when you leave, especially on open canvases.
- Keep it friendly and suitable for everyone in the room. If someone ruins the canvas, the owner can step back with version history, so there's no need to argue.
- Credit everyone when you post a group piece.
- More tips in Art Jams and sharing a canvas: best practices.
Why draw your 絵チャ in Magma
Classic drawing chats are made for quick, casual doodles. Magma is for when you want the chat and the real painting tools: pen pressure, paint brushes that blend, layers with blend modes and clipping, a stabilizer, a perspective grid, and layered PSD export.
It's also a community. Join an Art Jam with artists from around the world, or find an Artspace, a bit like Discord for artists, with channels, voice and events. Magma already has a Japanese community, and the whole app is available in Japanese. Magma in Japanese
Made together in Magma
Other drawing chat sites
| Site | Price | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Magma | Free (Blaze $9.99/month) | Zero input lag (your strokes are drawn on your device instantly, even blending brushes); professional painting tools with pen pressure, 16 blend modes and layered PSD export; voice and text chat; a community with profiles, a gallery, Artspaces and Art Jams; up to 30 per canvas; account needed |
| Magical Draw (マジカルドロー) | Free | Japan's best-known drawing chat; no registration, no limit on room size, layers and pen pressure; iOS and Android apps; mostly Japanese UI |
| FlockMod | Free | Browser rooms plus a Windows app; no account needed; animation mode |
| Drawpile | Free, open source | Desktop apps and a browser version; strong for long sessions and timelapses |
| Draw.Chat | Free | A whiteboard with voice and video chat, handy for drawing on PDFs and photos; boards are deleted after 31+ days unused |
Checked on 25 September 2026 against each site's own pages. For a longer look, see the best sites to draw with friends online.
Frequently asked questions
What does 絵チャ mean?
絵チャ (e-cha) is short for お絵かきチャット, "drawing chat": an online canvas that several people draw on at the same time while they chat.
How do you pronounce e-cha?
"Eh-cha". 絵 (e) means picture and チャ (cha) is short for チャット, chat.
Is a drawing chat the same as oekaki?
Not quite. お絵かき (oekaki) just means drawing, and oekaki boards were sites where people posted drawings made in the browser. A drawing chat is live: people draw on one canvas together and talk at the same time.
Is Magma's drawing chat free?
Yes. The free plan lets up to 30 people draw on one canvas with voice and text chat. Blaze ($9.99/month) raises the limits and removes ads.
Can we talk while we draw?
Yes. Every Magma canvas has voice chat and text chat, so you can talk or type while you draw.
Can strangers join my canvas?
Only people you share the link with can find a canvas you don't make public. If you want to meet new artists, join a public Art Jam or an open canvas instead.
Does Magma work on a phone or tablet?
Yes, in the browser on iPad, Android tablets and phones. Add it to your home screen and it opens like an app. How to use Magma on your smartphone
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