1. A visual editing tool for editing an on-screen image displayed on an electronic display, comprising: a processor executing tangibly embodied program instructions implementing a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface comprising a workspace for rendering an edit document, the edit document responsive to editing modules for modification according to an edit function performed by each of the editing modules; each of the editing modules rendered as an editing icon displayed in an overlay in front of the workspace; a rendering area defined by a physical visual display surface including the on-screen image, the rendering area displaying at least a portion of the edit document; a buffer region adjacent to the edit document on the workspace, the buffer region allowing unimpeded viewing of the edit document by occupying a background area behind the editing icons, the overlay such that none of the editing icons overlay the edit document on the workspace; and a dock, the dock grouping the editing icons in the buffer region when the rendering area extends beyond the edit document and wherein the dock includes a retraction slot, the retraction slot retracting at least a portion of the editing icons, the retracted portion not visible in the rendering area such that an area occupied by the editing icons is available for rendering the edit document.
1. A visual editing tool for editing an on-screen image displayed on an electronic display, comprising: a processor executing tangibly embodied program instructions implementing a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface comprising a workspace for rendering an edit document, the edit document responsive to editing modules for modification according to an edit function performed by each of the editing modules; each of the editing modules rendered as an editing icon displayed in an overlay in front of the workspace; a rendering area defined by a physical visual display surface including the on-screen image, the rendering area displaying at least a portion of the edit document; a buffer region adjacent to the edit document on the workspace, the buffer region allowing unimpeded viewing of the edit document by occupying a background area behind the editing icons, the overlay such that none of the editing icons overlay the edit document on the workspace; and a dock, the dock grouping the editing icons in the buffer region when the rendering area extends beyond the edit document and wherein the dock includes a retraction slot, the retraction slot retracting at least a portion of the editing icons, the retracted portion not visible in the rendering area such that an area occupied by the editing icons is available for rendering the edit document. 8. The method of claim 1 further comprising invoking the editing modules in response to a webpage design tool, the workspace further comprising a webpage under development adapted for a graphical user interface (GUI) responsive to a browser.