Choose the right size for pixel art.
Pixel-art size is a design constraint, not a quality slider. The best grid is the smallest one that still communicates what matters.
Separate the canvas, detail, and export
For converted projects, Pixel Detail is the number of cells along the source image’s longest edge. The shorter edge is calculated from the source aspect ratio. A square image at 32 cells becomes a 32 × 32 grid, while a wide image at the same Pixel Detail may become 32 × 18.
Canvas Size is the actual number of editable cells and can crop or expand the document without resampling. Scale Artwork resamples all layers to a new canvas. Export Scale only enlarges the finished file. Editor zoom changes none of them. Blank projects use Canvas Size and Scale Artwork directly; they do not have Pixel Detail.
Start from the artwork’s job
These ranges are starting points. A high-contrast logo may work at 16 pixels while a face with a subtle expression may need 48. The target platform and viewing distance matter more than the source photo’s original resolution.
Test the silhouette before the details
Temporarily ignore internal colors and look at the outer shape. If the subject is not recognizable, increasing the palette will not solve the problem. Crop the source, raise Pixel Detail slightly, or choose a clearer angle.
Spend the available cells deliberately
Every extra cell can describe a curve, expression, material, or light change—but it can also introduce noise. Prioritize the details that identify the subject, then merge less important regions into larger clusters.
- Icons need a strong contour and one defining interior mark.
- Faces need eye placement, hair shape, and light direction before skin texture.
- Game props need readable interaction points and consistent outline weight.
- Scenes need separation between foreground, subject, and background.
Compare a few purposeful sizes
Start lower than you think, inspect the result at its intended size, and increase Pixel Detail in clear steps. Compare 32, 48, and 64 rather than moving one cell at a time. Stop when another increase adds noise more often than useful structure.
Pixel Art Tool remembers edited grids at their detail settings during the session, so you can compare sizes without repeatedly degrading the same conversion.