Free tool · runs in your browser
Image to pixel art converter
Turn a picture, game character, or photo into pixel art. Choose the size in pixels, a palette such as PICO-8 or any palette from Lospec, and dithering, then download a sharp PNG. It is a converter, not an AI: every pixel comes from your image. Nothing is uploaded, and no account is needed.
Drop an image to turn into pixel art
PNG, JPEG, WebP, or GIF (first frame), processed on this device
Runs in your browser. Your file is not uploaded, and no account is needed.
Turn an image into pixel art in four steps
- 1
Drop an image
Use a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or GIF, or try the sample character. A solid background is removed and empty space is trimmed.
- 2
Choose the size
Pick a width such as 32 or 64 pixels. The height follows the shape of the image.
- 3
Pick the colours
Let the converter choose 2 to 64 colours, use PICO-8, Endesga 32, NES, or Game Boy, or import any Lospec palette. Add dithering for retro shading.
- 4
Download
Save the PNG at its real pixel size for a game engine, or scaled up 2× to 16× with sharp pixels, plus the palette as a .hex file.
What keeps the pixel art clean
- Each pixel takes the main colour of its area instead of an average, so flat areas stay flat rather than turning muddy.
- Dark lines such as outlines and eyes are kept as the image shrinks, which keeps small characters readable.
- Colours are chosen and matched in Oklab, a colour space that follows how the eye sees difference, so skin, shadow, and highlight each get their own colour.
- Stray single pixels are cleaned up, and a one-pixel outline can be added around a character on a transparent background.
- Palettes of one hue, like the Game Boy's greens, are matched by brightness, so the picture keeps its light and shade.
Image to pixel art questions
Is my file uploaded to a server?
No. The file is read and converted by JavaScript in your browser tab, and the download is created on your device. Nothing is uploaded, and you do not need an account.
Is this an AI pixel art generator?
No. It converts the pixels of your image with fixed rules, so the result follows the picture and nothing is invented. A photo becomes a pixel version of itself; it is not redrawn in a hand-made style.
What size should pixel art for a game be?
Characters are often 16, 32, or 64 pixels tall, and larger sprites 96 or 128. Pick the width here and the height follows the image. Use the 1× download in your engine and set texture filtering to nearest (point) so it stays sharp.
Can I use my own palette?
Yes. Enter a Lospec palette name or link, such as endesga-32, or paste hex colours. Imported palettes are saved in your browser for next time.
What does dithering do?
It mixes two palette colours in a pattern to suggest a shade between them. Ordered dithering gives the regular pattern of old consoles; error diffusion gives a finer, noisier blend. Leave it off for flat, clean sprites.
Can I turn a photo into pixel art?
Yes. Photos work best at 64 to 128 pixels wide with 16 to 32 colours. For a punchier look, raise contrast and saturation a little under Adjust colours.
Can I use the pixel art commercially?
AnimGen claims no rights over what you make. Whether you can use the result depends on the rights to the image you started from.
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