ASCII art generator and image dithering tool
Dither & ASCII Maker converts an image into ASCII art, a dithered bitmap or a screen of shapes. Upload a PNG, JPG or WebP, pick one of three modes and watch the result update as you change characters, algorithms and palettes. It runs in your browser, so you can experiment freely before using the result in a design.
How it works
Upload an image
Add a PNG, JPG or WebP up to 20 MB and keep the original ratio or crop to 1:1, 4:5, 3:2, 16:9 or 9:16.
Choose a mode
ASCII with 8 character sets including Braille, Blocks, Binary, Matrix and your own characters; Dither with 14 algorithms; or Shapes with pixels, dots, lines and diamonds.
Style and use it
Set a palette such as 1-bit, Game Boy, Terminal or CGA, add scanlines, bloom or grain, then sign in with a free UX Pilot account to use it on the canvas or export it.
What you can make
Image to ASCII art
Turn a portrait, logo or product shot into text art with control over character size and edge detail.
Dithered images
Floyd-Steinberg, Atkinson, Bayer and blue noise dithering for a retro bitmap look.
Retro screen looks
Mac Paint, Newsprint, CRT, PICO-8 and Matrix rain starting points.
Hero and article art
Preview the result in hero, article, player and mobile layouts.
FAQ
How do I convert an image to ASCII art?
Upload a PNG, JPG or WebP, switch the mode to ASCII and pick a character set. Then adjust character size, contrast and edge detail until the picture reads clearly. You can keep one ink color or use the original image colors.
What is dithering?
Dithering recreates shades with a limited set of colors by arranging pixels in patterns. This tool includes 14 methods, among them Floyd-Steinberg, Atkinson, Jarvis-Judice-Ninke, Stucki, Burkes, Sierra, Bayer matrices, blue noise and halftone screen.
Can the result be animated?
Yes. Besides a still result you can add Flicker, Ripple or Scan motion and set its speed.
Is the ASCII art generator free?
Exploring is free and runs in your browser. Using your result on the UX Pilot canvas or exporting it needs a free UX Pilot account.