Each of us has almost certainly experienced a form of pixel art at least once in our lifetime. From the doodles in the notebook to the real pixel art, however, there is a big difference. For those unfamiliar with it, it is a particular drawing technique that uses single pixels , filled one at a time, to compose figures of all kinds. Nostalgics will immediately think of the very first versions of Super Mario Bros and 8-bit games in general. In this guide, we see some of the best smartphone applications and the best PC software to use to create pixel art images .
Content index
- Create pixel art images on the PC
1.1. Paint
1.2. Gimp
1.3. Photopea (Online)
- Make pixel art images with your smartphone
2.1. Pixel Art: Coloring book by numbers
2.2. Pixel Art Camera
2.3. 8bit Photo Lab
- Convert images to pixel art images
Create pixel art images on the PC
To create pixel art images on your PC you don’t need expensive paid software, after all you just need to fill pixels with a color. Let’s see some of the best programs currently available.
Paint
For those who have a computer with Windows, the solution is practically integrated into the operating system. Paint is one of the most common drawing apps and also marks the first approach of the little ones to the PC. Using it is very simple. To resize the worksheet just click on the corners and drag until you reach the desired size. To zoom and see the individual pixels just push Ctrl and at the same time rotate the mouse wheel or drag your fingers on the touchpad. Once this is done, just select a color from the top bar and start drawing!
Gimp
Overcoming the limitations and the unpleasant and professional interface of Paint is possible with a more advanced and equally free software. Let’s talk about Gimp which is somewhat reminiscent of the most professional and beloved Photoshop. It is available for Linux, macOS and Windows. Once downloaded from the official website, just open the app and create a New Project . On the size selection screen, make sure that the specified unit of measurement is pixels and not cm or inches. It is clearly necessary to insert dimensions that are not excessive, which, according to the needs, range from tens to hundreds of pixels. Once the dimensions have been selected, from the panel on the left it is necessary to choose the tool that best suits the job and characterize its hardness, strength and size.
Photopea (Online)
If you don’t have much memory available on your PC, Photopea is the solution . It is one of the best free Photoshop alternatives that do not require installation or registration. By accessing the site it only takes a few steps to start drawing:
- create a new project
- specify the size and make sure the unit of measurement is pixels
- run a zoom until it appears the grid
- select the brush and change its size to the desired size
Making pixel art images with your smartphone
Making pixel art images with your smartphone can be an interesting and challenging pastime. There are many applications that allow you not only to color preset drawings, but also to transform images into pixel art by importing them from the gallery or to take photos.
Pixel Art: Coloring book by numbers
It is undoubtedly one of the most famous of its kind. It is available for both iOS and Android . Once downloaded, you can color many images made available by the app and import from the gallery to give a unique effect to your memories. Unfortunately, you need to upgrade to the paid plan to access all the content. It offers a 7-day trial period beyond which the cost will be € 9.99 / month or € 46.99 / year.
Pixel Art Camera
Only and exclusively for iPhone we report Pixel Art Camera instead . It allows you to apply effects to the photos in the gallery and to take them directly from the app with the pixel art effect applied in real time. Unfortunately, there are very few free effects available .
8bit Photo Lab
Only and exclusively for Android we recommend 8bit Photo Lab. This app does not allow you to color images, but only to transform them by applying pixel art effects. Not only can you apply effects to the images in the gallery, but also take new photos and edit them directly from the app.
Convert images to pixel art images
Converting images to pixel art images is super easy if you use Pixel It . Just go to the site, upload your image and have fun with the settings. You can adjust the block size and vary the colors using the Greyscale and Palette buttons .
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