Pixxel

A simple Pixel Art conversion tool that allows you to convert normal images to Pixel Art style.

Use Cases

• Game Development: Create retro-style sprites and textures for 2D games
• Pixel Art Creation: Convert photographs or digital art into pixel art without manual pixel-by-pixel editing
• Social Media: Create unique, retro-styled profile pictures or post images
• Web Design: Generate pixel art assets for retro-themed websites or UI elements
• Educational: Learn about pixel art principles and color reduction techniques
• Artistic Projects: Create unique artistic effects by experimenting with different pixel sizes and color counts

Features

• Convert images to Pixel Art style
• Adjust pixel size
• Reduce color count
• Save converted images in various formats (PNG, JPEG)
• User-friendly interface with modern theme
• Error handling and validation
• Advanced Features:
  • Dithering options (None, Floyd-Steinberg)
  • Predefined color palettes (Grayscale, Gameboy, CGA, NES)
  • Image filters (Grayscale, Sepia, Invert)
  • Batch processing for multiple images

Project Structure

pixxel/
├── src/                    # Source code
│   ├── image_processor/    # Image processing functionality
│   │   └── processor.py    # Core image processing logic
│   ├── ui/                 # User interface components
│   │   └── app_window.py   # Main application window
│   ├── utils/              # Utility scripts
│   │   └── generate_examples.py # Script to generate example images
│   └── main.py             # Application entry point
├── assets/                 # Example images and resources
│   └── examples/           # Example images with different settings
├── tests/                  # Unit tests
│   └── test_processor.py   # Tests for the image processor
├── requirements.txt        # Python dependencies
├── run.py                  # Launcher script
└── README.md               # This file

Installation

1. Python 3.8 or higher is required.
2. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/zeybek/pixxel.git
   cd pixxel

3. Install required packages:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

Usage

There are two ways to run the application:

Option 1: Using the launcher script (recommended)

python run.py

Option 2: Running directly from the source directory

python src/main.py

Using the Application

Basic Features

1. Click "Select Image" button to choose an image
2. Adjust Pixel Size and Color Count
3. Click "Convert" button
4. If you like the result, save it using the "Save" button

Advanced Features

1. Switch to the "Advanced" tab to access additional options
2. Choose a dithering method to create different pixel patterns
3. Select a predefined color palette for retro styles
4. Apply filters to the converted image
5. Use batch processing to convert multiple images at once

Settings

Basic Settings

• Pixel Size: Larger values create larger pixels (Default: 8)
• Color Count: Lower values provide a more retro look (Default: 32)

Advanced Settings

• Dithering: Technique to create the illusion of more colors
  • None: No dithering
  • Floyd-Steinberg: Creates a pattern of dots to simulate more colors
• Color Palettes: Predefined color sets for specific retro looks
  • Grayscale: Black and white with gray tones
  • Gameboy: Classic 4-color Gameboy palette
  • CGA: 16-color Computer Graphics Adapter palette
  • NES: Nintendo Entertainment System palette
• Filters: Post-processing effects
  • Grayscale: Converts the image to black and white
  • Sepia: Adds a vintage brownish tone
  • Invert: Inverts all colors

Tips for Best Results

• For classic 8-bit style art, try using 16-32 colors
• For more detailed pixel art, start with a larger Color Count (64-128) and gradually reduce
• Experiment with different Pixel Sizes:
  • Small (4-8): Good for detailed pixel art
  • Medium (12-16): Suitable for icons and small sprites
  • Large (24-32): Creates a more dramatic pixelation effect
• Try different dithering methods with low color counts to create interesting textures
• Use the Gameboy palette with a Pixel Size of 8 for authentic Gameboy-style graphics

Testing

Run the unit tests to verify the functionality:

python -m unittest discover tests

Generating Example Images

To generate example images with different settings:

python src/utils/generate_examples.py

This will create sample images in the assets/examples directory.

Troubleshooting

• ImportError: Make sure you're running the application from the correct directory
• ModuleNotFoundError: Ensure all dependencies are installed correctly
• Image Loading Issues: The application supports PNG, JPEG, GIF, and BMP formats
• Performance Issues: Processing very large images may take time, especially with dithering enabled

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.