How to Use Pixel Art Converter - Complete Tutorial

Pixel Width Settings

The pixel width determines the resolution of your final pixel art. Lower values create more pixelated, retro-style images, while higher values preserve more detail. This is the most important setting for achieving your desired pixel art style.

Low Resolution (16-64px)

Perfect for retro game sprites, icons, and highly stylized pixel art. Recommended: 32px for character sprites

Medium Resolution (64-128px)

Great balance for detailed pixel art that maintains retro feel. Recommended: 96px for portraits and scenes

High Resolution (128-256px)

Preserves more detail while adding pixel art styling. Recommended: 192px for detailed backgrounds

Very High Resolution (256px+)

Subtle pixelation effect for modern games or detailed artwork. Recommended: 384px for HD pixel art

Pro Tip

Use the Auto Detect button to automatically set the optimal pixel width based on your image size. This works great for most images and saves time!

Dithering Algorithms

Dithering is a technique that simulates colors and gradients using limited color palettes. Different algorithms produce different visual effects, from smooth gradients to distinctive patterns.

None

No dithering applied. Colors are directly mapped to the nearest palette color. Best for: Clean, flat pixel art with minimal color blending.

Floyd-Steinberg

Most popular algorithm. Creates smooth, organic-looking gradients. Best for: Portraits, natural scenes, and detailed artwork.

Atkinson

Creates distinctive, high-contrast patterns. Popular in classic Mac graphics. Best for: Vintage computer aesthetics and artistic effects.

Ordered (8x8, 4x4, 2x2)

Creates regular patterns. 8x8 is subtle, 2x2 is very visible. Best for: Consistent textures and uniform gradients.

Bayer Matrix

Similar to ordered but with different pattern distribution. Best for: Technical artwork and geometric designs.

Clustered 4x4

Creates clustered dot patterns, similar to newspaper printing. Best for: Retro printing effects and artistic styling.

Dithering Strength

Controls how strong the dithering effect appears:

0% - No dithering effect
25% - Subtle effect (recommended for most images)
50% - Moderate effect
75-100% - Strong effect for artistic purposes

Important Note

Dithering only works when using a custom color palette. Without a palette, colors are not limited, so dithering has no effect.

Color Palettes

Color palettes limit your pixel art to specific colors, creating authentic retro aesthetics. You can use built-in palettes, create custom ones, or import from Lospec.

Built-in Palettes

PICO-8 (16 colors)

Popular indie game palette with vibrant, well-balanced colors. Perfect for: Indie games and modern pixel art

Sweetie 16

Carefully crafted 16-color palette with excellent contrast. Perfect for: Character sprites and UI elements

Game Boy (4 colors)

Classic green monochrome palette from the original Game Boy. Perfect for: Retro handheld aesthetics

NES (54 colors)

Authentic NES color palette for classic console feel. Perfect for: 8-bit console-style games

Custom Palettes

Create your own palettes by:

Click "Add Color" to add new colors
Click on any color swatch to edit with the color picker
Enter a name and click "Save" to store your palette
Use "Upload" and "Download" to share palettes

Lospec Integration

Access thousands of community-created palettes from Lospec.com:

Enable "Lospec Palette" toggle
Enter the palette slug (e.g., "pico-8", "sweetie-16")
The palette will be automatically imported and applied

Palette Tips

Start with fewer colors (8-16) for authentic pixel art feel. You can always add more colors later if needed. Remember: limitations often lead to more creative and visually appealing results!

Output & Download

Once you've created your perfect pixel art, you can download it in different formats depending on your needs.

Download Pixel Art

Downloads at the exact pixel resolution you set. Perfect for game sprites, where each pixel needs to be preserved exactly as created.

Download HD Version

Downloads at original image resolution with pixel art styling. Great for social media, prints, or when you need larger dimensions.

Zoom Controls

Use the zoom controls to inspect your pixel art:

Fit - Scales to fit your screen perfectly
100% - Shows actual pixel size (recommended for accuracy)
200% - 2x zoom for detailed inspection
50% - Smaller view for overview

Quality Tips

Always check your pixel art at 100% zoom before downloading to ensure pixels look exactly as intended. For web use, consider the HD version for better compatibility across devices.

Advanced Tips

Master these advanced techniques to create professional-quality pixel art.

Image Preparation

• Use high-contrast images for better results
• Crop to remove unnecessary background
• Adjust brightness/contrast before converting

Resolution Strategy

• Start high, then reduce gradually
• Use multiples of 8 or 16 for pixel-perfect scaling
• Consider your final use case

Palette Selection

• Match palette to your image colors
• Use complementary colors for contrast
• Test with similar images first

Workflow Optimization

• Save custom palettes for consistency
• Use real-time preview to iterate quickly
• Take notes on successful settings

Troubleshooting

Common issues and how to solve them.

Image Too Blurry

Solution: Increase pixel width or reduce dithering strength. Very low resolutions can lose important details.

Colors Look Wrong

Solution: Try a different palette or adjust the original image brightness/contrast before converting.

Dithering Not Visible

Solution: Enable a color palette first. Dithering only works with limited color palettes.

File Won't Upload

Solution: Check file size (max 20MB) and format (JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF supported).

Need More Help?

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