Free Pixel Art Converter — Turn Any Image into Pixel Art
Transform any photograph into clean, retro-style pixel art. MakeBead is a free pixel art converter and generator — drop in a photo or picture and it pixelizes your image to your chosen grid resolution while limiting the color palette for that classic pixel look. Great for game assets, profile pictures, social media, or printing — export as PNG with transparent background or PDF with grid lines. Want to draw pixel art from scratch instead? Use the Pixel Art Maker & Editor.
Drop image or click to upload
JPEG, PNG, or WebP
32 × 32 pixels · 1×1 canvas
Templates
Click a template to load it into the tool above
How It Works
Upload Your Image
Drag and drop or click to upload any JPEG, PNG, or WebP photo.
Choose Grid Size
Select the pixel resolution — from 15 (chunky retro) to 87 (high detail). The image updates in real time.
Limit the Color Palette
Use the Max Colors slider to reduce the palette for a cleaner pixel art look.
Export Your Pixel Art
Download as PNG (with optional transparency) or PDF (with grid lines and color codes).
Features
Instant Photo to Pixel Art
Upload any image and see it transformed into pixel art in real time. The conversion runs entirely in your browser — fast and private.
Adjustable Grid Resolution
Choose from 15×15 to 87×87 pixels. Lower resolution gives a chunkier retro look; higher resolution preserves more detail.
Color Palette Limiting
Reduce to 5-50 colors for a cleaner, more stylized pixel art look. Fewer colors means a more iconic, NES/SNES-era aesthetic.
Dithering — 5 Algorithms
Floyd–Steinberg, Atkinson, Sierra, Stucki and Burkes. Dithering scatters colors to suggest shades the palette does not contain, so gradients and skin tones survive a low color count instead of banding into flat blocks.
Pixel Art Grid Generator
Toggle visible grid lines to see individual pixel boundaries, then export the grid with row and column rulers — perfect for recreating the art in Minecraft, on graph paper, or with beads.
PNG Export with Transparency
Save as a high-resolution PNG with optional transparent background. Each pixel is rendered as a clean, crisp square.
PDF Export with Guide
Download a printable PDF with grid pages and color codes — useful for crafting projects or classroom activities.
What Is Pixel Art?
Pixel art is a form of digital art where images are created and edited at the pixel level. It originated in early video games when hardware limitations forced artists to work with small grids and limited color palettes — think Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Pokémon.
Today, pixel art is a popular aesthetic choice for indie games, social media avatars, NFT art, and physical crafts like Perler beads and cross stitch. The deliberately low-resolution style gives artwork a nostalgic, charming look.
A pixel art converter automates the process of turning high-resolution photos into pixel art by downsampling the image to a small grid and reducing the color palette. MakeBead goes further by adding a visible grid overlay and supporting exports suitable for both digital use (PNG) and physical crafting (PDF with grid).
More Pattern Tools
MakeBead works for more than just Perler beads. Try our other free pattern makers:
Cross Stitch Pattern Maker
Turn any photo into a counted cross stitch pattern with DMC color matching
Minecraft Pixel Art Generator
Convert images to Minecraft block pixel art
LEGO Mosaic Maker
Turn any photo into a LEGO mosaic with accurate brick colors
Kandi & Pony Bead Pattern Maker
Turn any image into custom pony bead patterns for kandi cuffs, bracelets, and panels
Bead Loom Pattern Maker
Turn any image into a bead loom pattern with Miyuki Delica (DB) color matching
Custom Diamond Painting Pattern Maker
Turn any photo into a custom diamond painting pattern with DMC color matching
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert a photo to pixel art? ▾
Upload any image to MakeBead. Choose a grid size (lower = chunkier pixels) and set the max colors. The tool instantly generates pixel art that you can export as PNG or PDF.
Does this pixel art converter support dithering? ▾
Yes — five algorithms: Floyd–Steinberg, Atkinson, Sierra, Stucki and Burkes. Open Advanced options to switch between them. Dithering mixes the colors you do have into patterns that read as colors you do not, which is how a gradient or a photographic face still looks right at 16 colors instead of breaking into flat bands.
Which dithering algorithm should I use? ▾
Floyd–Steinberg is the smooth default and the right first choice. Atkinson keeps more contrast and leaves flat areas clean, which suits sprites and logos. Sierra, Stucki and Burkes trade smoothness for a grainier, more visibly textured result. Turn dithering off entirely when you want hard, flat color blocks.
Is this a pixel art grid generator? ▾
Yes. Every conversion produces a numbered pixel grid, and the grid overlay draws the cell boundaries on top of your art. Export the grid as a PNG, or as a PDF with row/column rulers and color codes — which is what you want if you are copying the art onto graph paper, into Minecraft, or onto a pegboard.
Can I use it as a pixel art generator from an image? ▾
That is exactly what it does — it is an image-to-pixel-art generator, not an AI that invents art from a text prompt. Upload a photo, sprite, logo, or drawing and it is quantized to the grid resolution and color count you pick. Nothing is uploaded to a server; the conversion runs in your browser.
Can I make 16x16 or 32x32 pixel art? ▾
Yes. Set the width slider to 16 or 32 for classic sprite sizes — 16×16 suits icons and simple sprites, 32×32 gives room for a recognizable character. Both export cleanly at any resolution because each pixel is drawn as a crisp square, not a scaled-up blur.
Can I use this for Minecraft pixel art? ▾
Yes! Choose a grid size that matches your Minecraft build area, limit colors to those available in Minecraft blocks, and use the grid overlay to plan block placement. Or try our dedicated Minecraft Pixel Art Generator, which also exports .litematic and .schem files you can load straight into your world.
What grid size should I use for pixel art? ▾
For a retro 8-bit look, use 15-29. For more detail, use 40-58. For photo-realistic pixel art, use 75-87. Experiment with the slider to find the right balance.
Can I get pixel art with a transparent background? ▾
Yes. Upload a PNG with transparency and export as PNG — transparent areas are preserved. This is great for game sprites and stickers.
Is there a grid overlay on the pixel art? ▾
Yes. Toggle the grid lines on to see individual pixel boundaries. This is helpful for counting pixels when recreating the art by hand.
What makes good source images for pixel art? ▾
Simple, high-contrast images with clear subjects work best. Logos, cartoon characters, and icons produce cleaner results than complex photographs. For photos, try limiting to 10-20 colors.
Can I convert words to pixel art? ▾
Yes — create your text as an image in any graphics or text app, then upload it to MakeBead. The converter pixelizes the text into a grid you can export as PNG or PDF. Great for pixel-style banners, game titles, and bead crafts.
Can I convert pixel art to a spreadsheet? ▾
Export as PDF with grid and color codes, then use it as a reference to fill in spreadsheet cells. The grid layout maps directly to spreadsheet rows and columns — a popular technique for spreadsheet pixel art projects.
Is this pixel art converter free? ▾
Yes, completely free with no sign-up. Upload, convert, and export unlimited images.
How do I turn a picture into pixel art? ▾
Upload your picture to MakeBead, choose a grid size, and limit the color palette. The tool instantly converts your picture to pixel art and shows the result in real time. Export as PNG or PDF when you are happy with the look.
Is this a pixel art generator, maker, or editor? ▾
MakeBead is a pixel art converter and generator — drop in a photo and it produces pixel art automatically. If you want to draw pixel by pixel from a blank canvas, use our Pixel Art Maker & Editor instead, which gives you a paint-style canvas with the same export options.
Can I use this as a photo to pixel art converter online? ▾
Yes — MakeBead is an online photo to pixel art converter. Nothing to install. Upload any JPEG, PNG, or WebP photo, adjust the grid and color count, and download the pixel art result.
How do I convert, turn, or change an image into pixel art? ▾
All three describe the same workflow. Upload an image (photo, picture, drawing, logo) to MakeBead, set the grid resolution, and the tool converts the image into pixel art instantly. Works as an image-to-pixel-art converter, picture-to-pixel-art tool, photo-to-pixel-art generator — same one-click flow regardless of the source name.
What grid size matches 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit pixel art? ▾
Classic NES-era 8-bit sprites are 8×8 to 16×16. SNES / Mega Drive 16-bit characters are 16×16 to 32×32. Detailed 32-bit-era sprites are 32×32 to 64×64. Use 50×60 or larger if you want pixel-art portraits that capture facial features. MakeBead supports all of these — match the grid slider to the era you want.
Can I make spreadsheet pixel art (Google Sheets / Excel)? ▾
Yes. Export your design as a PDF with grid and color codes, then fill in matching cells in Google Sheets or Excel using cell background color. The grid in the PDF maps directly to spreadsheet rows and columns. For a faster workflow, use the PNG export and a sheet add-on like Pixel Art for Google Sheets to import the colors automatically.