diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..254751a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# Smeargle
+
+A tool for rendering text using bitmap images in PNG format, C version.
+
+# Build Requirements
+
+To build this project, you will need:
+
+- libtoml (tomlc99); an embedded copy is available as a fallback if a system version isn't.
+- libgd
+- meson
+- ninja
+
+Building `smeargle`:
+
+```sh
+meson setup . output
+meson compile
+```
+
+# License
+
+This program is released under the MIT license; a copy of this license is provided in `LICENSE.md`.
+