Pixel art is a beloved art form that utilizes a limited color palette and resolution to create nostalgic, retro-style images. From classic video games to modern indie projects, pixel art’s constraint-based approach produces visually striking results.
In this article, we’ll explore 15 example prompts for generating pixel art with Stable Diffusion, an open-source AI image generation model. We’ll cover a variety of styles and techniques to spark your creativity.
Getting Great Results
When crafting Stable Diffusion prompts for pixel art, keep these tips in mind:
- Reference retro games or eras: Explicitly call out the desired style, like SNES, PlayStation 1, etc. This helps the AI narrow down the aesthetic.
- Limit the color palette: Mention a small color palette, usually 16 colors or less. This prevents gradients and anti-aliasing.
- Lower the resolution: Values like 64×64, 128×128, or 256×256 help reinforce the pixel look.
- Request pixelation effects: Words like “pixelated”, “dithered”, “rasterized” tell the AI you want blocky pixels rather than a filtered downscale.
Character Pixel Art Prompts
Recreate your favorite retro characters or design unique personas with these prompts:
Pixel art portrait of a brave knight with blue armor and a red plume, SNES style
Pixel art sprite sheet of a cute astronaut character jumping and waving, Game Boy color palette
Pixel art wizard casting magical spells, limited animation like Golden Axe arcade game
Landscape Pixel Art Prompts
Craft rich virtual worlds and environments using landscape prompts:
Japanese zen garden with raked sand, bonsai trees, and stone lanterns, 128x128 resolution pixel art
A lush pixel art forest with a winding path, dithered colors, SNES Secret of Mana style
Futuristic cityscape with flying cars, pixel art matte painting, Blade Runner inspiration
Still Life Pixel Art Prompts
Recreate everyday objects and foods as pixel art with these still life ideas:
Pixel art bowl of ramen noodles with chopsticks, Pokemon style
Still life painting of fruit including apples, oranges, and grapes, 32 color palette, rasterized
Photorealistic pixel art latte in a glass mug with frothy milk, dithered
Conclusion
The world of AI-generated pixel art is filled with creative possibilities. With the right prompts and an experimental mindset, Stable Diffusion can produce amazing low-res landscapes, characters, foods, and more.
Reference your favorite retro games, limit colors, lower resolution, and don’t be afraid to push the AI into uncharted pixel territories!
For more pixel art inspiration, check out PromptBase and r/StableDiffusion. What unique prompts can you dream up?