Pixel art sizes
Which canvas to start on, what the classics used, and how to pick a game resolution that scales to every screen without blurry, uneven pixels.
Canvas size by what you’re drawing
| Subject | Typical size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Icons, UI, inventory items | 8×8 – 16×16 | Silhouette first; 3–5 colours. |
| Tiles (terrain, walls) | 16×16 (also 8, 32) | Must tile seamlessly; pick one size for the whole game. |
| Small characters | 16×16 – 24×24 | Classic NES/Game Boy scale; big heads read best. |
| Detailed characters | 32×32 – 64×64 | Room for faces and hand-drawn animation. |
| Portraits, bosses | 64×64 – 128×128 | Needs careful clustering to avoid noise. |
| Scenes, wallpapers | 160×144 – 480×270 | Pick a screen resolution (below) so it scales cleanly. |
Classic hardware resolutions
| System | Screen | Sprites |
|---|---|---|
| NES | 256×240 | 8×8 or 8×16 hardware sprites, combined into 16×16+ characters |
| Game Boy | 160×144 | 8×8 or 8×16 |
| SNES | 256×224 | 8×8 up to 64×64 |
| Commodore 64 | 320×200 | 24×21 (12×21 in multicolour) |
| PICO-8 | 128×128 | 8×8 |
| Game Boy Advance | 240×160 | 8×8 up to 64×64 |
Pixel-perfect scaling calculator
Pixel art only stays crisp at whole-number scales. Enter your game’s base resolution to see the largest clean scale on a target screen, and how much border is left over.
6× largest whole-number scale
Perfect fit: no black bars.
20 × 11.25 tiles of 16 px visible.
The pattern to notice: resolutions that divide 1080 and 1920 exactly (such as 320×180, 384×216, 480×270 and 640×360) fill a Full HD screen with no bars, and 320×180 and 640×360 also scale perfectly to 720p and 4K.
Choosing your size
- Learning? 16×16 in the editor. You’ll finish more pieces and learn faster.
- Making a game? Pick the screen resolution first, then size characters to take roughly 1/6 to 1/10 of the screen height.
- Converting a photo? 48–96 px wide keeps a face recognisable in the image converter.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best canvas size for pixel art?
For a single sprite, 16×16 or 32×32. Icons and items work at 16×16 or smaller; characters at 16×16 to 64×64; full scenes and illustrations at 128×128 up to about 320×180. Choose the smallest size that can show the detail you need.
What resolution should a pixel art game use?
Pick a base resolution that scales by a whole number to common screens. 320×180 and 640×360 scale perfectly to 1280×720, 1920×1080 and 3840×2160, which is why many modern pixel art games use them. 384×216 and 480×270 also divide 1920×1080 exactly.
How do I scale pixel art without blurring it?
Scale by whole numbers only (2×, 3×, 4×) with nearest-neighbour interpolation. Non-integer scales such as 2.5× make some pixels wider than others. PixelMint exports at whole-number scales for this reason.
What size were classic console sprites?
NES sprites were built from 8×8 tiles, and most characters were 16×16 or 16×32 (Mario is 16×16 small, 16×32 big). SNES characters commonly used 16×16 to 32×32. Game Boy screens were 160×144 with 8×8 or 8×16 sprites.