Best for
Use this converter when you need
- choosing a pixel art palette
- photo to pixel art color control
- retro game-style image conversion
Pixel art palette guide
Best Pixel Art Palettes for Image to Pixel Art
Choose a palette before you export. This guide compares common pixel art palettes for photos, sprites, icons, landscapes, 8-bit effects, 16-bit-style artwork, and image to pixel art converter workflows.
Settings
Recommended starting point
| Photos and landscapes | Start with AAP-64, Resurrect 64, or Apollo for more color range. |
|---|---|
| Sprites and icons | Try DawnBringer 32, Endesga 32, Sweetie 16, or PICO-8 for readable limited colors. |
| Retro hardware look | Use Game Boy, NES inspired, or Commodore 64 when the hardware style matters. |
| Natural color cleanup | Use Original color first, then compare Extracted from image and a fixed palette. |
Palette comparison
Common palettes for image to pixel art conversion
Start with the palette that matches the source image and the style you want, then adjust pixel size and dithering in the converter.
| Palette | Colors | Character | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| DawnBringer 32 | 32 | Balanced classic game-art colors | Sprites, tiles, RPG scenes, general pixel art |
| Endesga 32 | 32 | Bright modern pixel-art range | Icons, character art, social graphics |
| AAP-64 | 64 | Broad color coverage for conversion | Photos, landscapes, detailed source images |
| Apollo | 46 | Cinematic 16-bit-style color ramps | Posters, landscapes, game mockups |
| Sweetie 16 | 16 | Small bright palette with clean contrast | Cute icons, tiny sprites, UI-style graphics |
| Resurrect 64 | 64 | Rich RPG and fantasy color range | Scene art, portraits, atmospheric images |
| Zughy 32 | 32 | Warm, punchy colors with strong contrast | Game assets, avatars, stylized photos |
| Commodore 64 | 16 | Classic retro computer palette | Hardware-inspired 8-bit image effects |
| PICO-8 | 16 | Recognizable fantasy console colors | Simple sprites, playful icons, lo-fi graphics |
Workflow
How to convert with Pixel Craft Studio
Open the converter
Start from the browser-based editor and load your image or one of the demo images.
Tune the look
Adjust pixel size, palette, dithering, brightness, contrast, saturation, and transparency.
Export a crisp file
Download PNG, JPEG, or WEBP at pixel size, original size, 2x, or 4x scale.
Practical tips
How to get a cleaner result
- Use larger palettes like AAP-64 or Resurrect 64 when converting detailed photos.
- Use smaller palettes like Sweetie 16, PICO-8, or Commodore 64 when you want a stronger retro constraint.
- Turn dithering off for clean icon shapes, and try ordered or Floyd-Steinberg dithering for gradients.
- If a palette makes skin, sky, or shadows look wrong, reduce saturation or try Extracted from image.
Privacy
Your image stays in the browser
The converter runs on a static site with browser Canvas processing. Your selected file is not uploaded to an application server while you tune and export the pixel art.
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FAQ
Best Pixel Art Palettes for Image to Pixel Art questions
What is the best palette for photo to pixel art?
AAP-64, Resurrect 64, and Apollo are good starting points because they keep more color range while still limiting the image.
What is the best palette for a retro 8-bit look?
PICO-8, Game Boy, NES inspired, and Commodore 64 create stronger retro constraints than larger palettes.
Should I use a fixed palette or extract colors from the image?
Use a fixed palette when you want a recognizable style. Use Extracted from image when you want the result to stay closer to the source photo.
Does palette choice affect file export?
The palette changes the rendered pixels before export. You can still download PNG, JPEG, or WEBP at pixel size, original size, 2x, or 4x scale.
Ready to convert
Open the free browser converter
Upload an image, tune the pixel art settings, and download the result without creating an account.