Viewing pixels - possible to label each with a number like "color by number" style?

[raeanana]

So I do perler art and I have found this program is perfect for me but that it's hard for me to place beads down without grids and color labels since some are really similar.

The attached photos are two projects I want to do that don't work like I want them to with another program I use. Each pixel is 1 bead.

 

Is it possible to maybe upscale and label colors while still having a grid? Or something else that may help?

Edited May 6, 2017 by raeanana
meant to say "perler art" not "pixel art" in the beginning

[Pixey]

Hi @raeanana.  I am not really sure what you are asking, but hope my 2cents worth may be of help.

 

There are a few Grid-maker Plugins and one can be found here.

 

I guess you could always make yourself a color palette and here is a great color picker tool.

 

I've done some pixel art myself and realize how time-consuming it can be.  (I once made a simple tutorial - very simple one actually here. )

 

Forgive me if I've misunderstood your question .

 

 

[MJW]

I have a feeling there are some techniques and plugins that would be useful to you, but I don't really understand what you're trying to do. It would help greatly if you'd explain it in more detail. For instance, you say it's difficult because some of the colors are very similar, but I have no idea what set of colors you're referring to. In the finished product, are the beads the same as pixels? If so, why call them beads, not pixels? Is there a significant distinction? Are the images you show the finished versions, or the starting points? If they're the final versions, what was done to produce them? If they're the starting points, what will be done to produce the final versions, and what would the final versions look like?

[ReMake]

@raeanana, I think Gradient Mapping and Presets for Gradient Mapping (Pop_Art, for example) can help you. See also Portrait in HOPE manner as an example of the use of Gradient Mapping.

[raeanana]

@Pixey Maybe that gridline will help a bit. I will check that out, thanks!

 

@MJW Hmm let me try to explain. So the images I posted are what I want to use to create a piece of wall art with colored beads (perlers) with each pixel being 1 bead. The image is 96x131 which means there will be 12,576 beads used. I made the image with paint.net by reducing the pixels and using TR's Custom Pallete Matcher. I think I have 45 or 48 colors of perlers so I used that for my palette. The finished product will be 17.1in x 25in roughly.

Most patterns for perlers you get online have a grid like this. So that helps. I have also produced larger project patterns with another program that labels each square with a number that corresponds to numbers I have set for my perler colors. (example here) 

So I would like to find something that can do something similar. The program I used is just caller Perler, here is the link.

Maybe that helped..?

 

@ReMake That doesn't look like it labels each section. I am working with pixels and small beads, I don't think it will help much. :c

Thank you though! I was always interested in how to get that look with photos. I will have to try it with my photography.

[Eli]

This type of art work reminds me of LiteBrite effect. Member @toe_head2001 was working on a version of his own.

[MJW]

Thanks raeanana, that was a very clear explanation. I was going to suggest TR's Custom Palette Matcher, but I see you already know about it.

 

I'm not aware of any plugin that does what you want, but I don't think it would be too difficult to write one. Maybe someone will do that, or if no one volunteers, maybe I will.

 

For plugin writers: TR has a link to his code. I suggest the plugin could be based on TR's code to avoid having to re-invent the palette loading stuff. By using the original palette, the numbering would be in the same order. (The interpolation option should probably be omitted.) The image might be taken from the clipboard, and the grid and numbers rendered to the canvas using GDI+. Another approach might be to produce a file-type plugin that would produce an CSV file from the image in the canvas. That's something I know little about. I would guess two digit numbers would be sufficient.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Pre-processing is going to be necessary. There isn't going to be space for the labels in an image that is the same size as the source image.

 

Here's my quick attempt to upscale the droid image.

 

1. Copy & paste the image into a new image. Pixel size is 58px × 83px

2. Image > Resize type in 1600% in the percentage box as I'm upscaling one pixel to 16px x 16px. Rescaled image size is 928px x 1328px.

3. Effects > Distort > Pixelate at (you guessed it) 16px size. This cleans up the blurred edges of the rescaled image.

4. Over lay a 16px x 16px grid to show the boundaries.

 

Even at 1600%, there is little room for text. I've put "P20" in one cell. It required a text size of 6, so I'd recommend upscaling to something like 3200% (one pixel = 32px x 32px)

 

Original is in the top left corner for reference.

 

 

^^ that is something a plugin can work with. Sample top left pixel from each cell, lookup the perier code and use GDI+ to render the code to the same location. Repeat for all cells. Done!

 

 

 

 

 

[MJW]

11 minutes ago, Ego Eram Reputo said:

Pre-processing is going to be necessary. There isn't going to be space for the labels in an image that is the same size as the source image.

 

That's why I think it might be better to have the image in the clipboard and the result in the canvas. That way they could be somewhat independent without requiring preprocessing.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Plugins can't change the image size, so I figured it would be simpler to set the size manually first.

[Eli]

My idea: You can do it in Paint.net

1. Create a canvas 17.1 in x 21 in.

2. Import your image to this canvas.

3. Use TR's Color Reducer effect to about 47 colors

4. Use Red's Cuboids effect. Change the number of cuboids to 12,576. You will end with little squares separated by a transparent grid.

5. Use Pixel Set Replacer: You will need to select one square (one color) and replace it with a square containing a number/code for that color. You will need to do this step 47 times or maybe less as the Cuboid effect may have further reduced the number of colors. 

Edited May 7, 2017 by Eli

[raeanana]

@Ego Eram Reputo that would be a good idea, looks like upscaling it diffuses the colors a bit. Might make it difficult to tell the colors apart still.

[raeanana]

@Eli That may work! I will have to try that... Might still be difficult though. I will have to try. Thanks!!

[BoltBait]

19 minutes ago, raeanana said:

looks like upscaling it diffuses the colors a bit.

 

It won't if you use "nearest neighbor" sampling.