A converter that respects your colors
Most photo-to-bead tools blend image pixels in screen space, which quietly darkens skin tones and can spray olive-green noise across skies and shadows. This converter does the two steps that matter the way open-source bead tools such as pindo and Zippland's perler-beads do them. First, every grid cell is averaged in linear light, the physically correct way to mix light, so a 50/50 black-and-white edge becomes a clean mid-grey instead of mud. Second, each cell is matched to the nearest real bead color with the CIEDE2000 perceptual formula over physically measured palettes — the same color-science standard used in print and textile matching.
The result is a chart that looks like your photo when you step back, and a shopping list of beads that actually exist in the brand you are buying.
How to convert a photo to a bead pattern
The whole flow is upload, convert, download — no account, no watermark, no upload of your file to any server.
- Drop a JPG, PNG or WebP onto the board, or click to browse.
- Choose a board width between 8 and 200 beads — the height follows your photo's shape. A single square pegboard is 29 beads wide; 58 spans four boards.
- Keep Photo mode for pictures, or switch to Pixel art mode for sprites and logos with hard edges.
- Pick your palette: Perler 80-xxxxx codes, Mard's A/B/C/D color-card system, Hama or Artkal. The pattern re-maps instantly.
- Download the PNG chart with bead codes and board-count guides, or the CSV list sorted by bead count for the store.
Bead palettes with real codes
The Perler palette carries 103 solid shades with their official open-stock numbers (80-15179 Evergreen, 80-19001 White, and so on), so you can order replacements by code. The Mard palette covers all 291 shades of the A/B/C/D color-card sheets that come with Mard kits. Hama and Artkal round out the European and mid-East brands. On-screen colors are measured from physical beads, but screens vary — treat the chart codes, not the display swatch, as the ground truth when you shop.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn a photo into a Perler bead pattern?
Drop your photo on the board, pick a board width, and the converter maps every pegboard cell to the closest real bead color. Download the chart as a PNG with bead codes, or take the CSV shopping list to the store. Everything runs in your browser — your photo never leaves your device.
Why do the converted colors look true to my photo?
The converter averages each grid cell in linear light — the same gamma-correct method open-source bead tools use — instead of blending screen values, which is what makes photo conversions look muddy or cast odd green and grey. It then matches every cell to the nearest physical bead color using the CIEDE2000 perceptual formula, so the bead you buy is the color you saw.
Which bead brands and color codes are supported?
Four palettes with real, physically measured colors: Perler (103 shades with official 80-xxxxx open-stock codes), Mard (291 shades in the A/B/C/D color-card system), Hama (45) and Artkal (46). Switching brands re-maps your finished pattern automatically.
What is the difference between photo mode and pixel-art mode?
Photo mode averages all the pixels inside every grid cell, which keeps skin tones, skies and fur smooth. Pixel-art mode takes the dominant color of each cell, which keeps hard edges crisp in sprites and logos. If a conversion ever looks noisy, switch modes before changing anything else.
How large can the pattern be?
Any width from 8 to 200 beads; the height follows your photo's shape automatically. A standard square pegboard is 29×29, so a 58-wide pattern spans four boards. The bead list tells you the exact count per color before you buy — a good habit is to add about ten percent for spills and mistakes.
