How to Pixelate Any Image
Turn a photo, illustration or smooth sprite into pixel art: snap it to 32, 64 or 128 px with Pixelate for 1 credit, or redraw it as pixel art with an edit.
Sometimes the quickest route to pixel art is to start from a detailed image and convert it. Voidless has two ways to do that, and they suit different jobs.
Option 1: Pixelate (1 credit)
Pixelate shrinks an image onto a pixel grid with a limited palette.
- Click Add Image and choose a PNG or JPG.
- Set Size to 32, 64 or 128. Match your game's sprite size so the result drops in without rescaling.
- Set Colours (6 to 12). Fewer colours give a cleaner, more retro look; more colours stay closer to the original.
- Press Pixelate. The result is saved to your library.
Use Pixelate when you need an exact small size, such as 32 px icons, or when the source is already simple and clean.
Option 2: Redraw as pixel art (5 credits)
Open the image in the editor and type "pixel art" in Edit this image. Instead of shrinking the pixels, the image is redrawn in pixel-art style, so it reads as hand-made pixel art rather than a downscale. This works better for characters and detailed items.
Get a clean result
- Start from a plain background. A busy background turns into noise at small sizes. Remove it first (free).
- Pick the target size first. A detailed character squeezed into 32 px loses its face; try 64 or 128.
- Cut the palette. A limited palette is what makes an image read as pixel art.
Touch-ups
After converting, fix stray pixels or tidy the outline in the free Pixel Art Editor, or add an outline with the Sprite Outline Generator.
Generate then pixelate
A useful combination: generate a detailed image on any model for its composition and lighting, then pixelate it to your target size and palette. If you'd rather skip the step, generating at 32, 64 or 128 px with the Pixel Art style does this for you.