ASCII art GIFs for newsletters and email

Export animated ASCII art as a GIF for newsletters and email, where scripts and video do not play.

Loading the builder…

/WHY

Email can't run scripts, but nearly every email app plays GIFs. An animated ASCII header turns a plain newsletter into something people recognise in their inbox before they read the subject.

The builder makes the GIF at email width (600 pixels, plus a 1200 pixel version for sharp screens), and writes table-based HTML that holds up in Gmail, Outlook and Apple Mail, with steps for Mailchimp, beehiiv, Substack and Kit.

/EXAMPLES

Ready-made examples to copy

Each one is complete. Copy it as it is, or change the piece name to any piece in the library.

Just the header image

The smallest change: one image at the top of your existing template.

<img src="https://example.com/email/header.gif" width="600" alt="Animated ASCII header" style="display:block;width:100%;max-width:600px;height:auto;border:0">

Seasonal issues

Swap the header with the season using the seasonal pieces.

December:  christmas-tree, snow-globe
October:   halloween-pumpkin
November:  diwali-diyas, autumn-harvest
Birthday:  birthday-cake

How to do it

Pick a divider or a wide scene.
Export a GIF.
Upload it in your email tool as an image.

Every piece page has an Export panel with these sizes: Desktop 4K, Desktop 1080p, Phone wallpaper, YouTube thumbnail, GitHub social preview, X header, LinkedIn banner, Square post and Story.

/GUIDE

Keep the GIF light

Many readers open email on mobile data. Aim for under 1 MB: 600 pixels wide, 3 seconds, 12 frames a second, which the builder uses by default. Calm pieces with large flat areas compress best.

Outlook on Windows

Desktop Outlook on Windows shows only the first frame of a GIF. Pick a moment that looks good still with the slider on the piece page, or make sure the first frame is a complete picture, which the library's pieces are.

Dark mode

Some apps invert email colours in dark mode. A dark header with a dark background in the HTML, as the builder writes, stays readable in both.

Pieces that work well for this

Open any of them to copy the code or export.

Autumn HarvestOccasions

Birthday CakeOccasions

Christmas TreeOccasions

Circuit TraceRules & Frames

Diwali DiyasOccasions

Pulsing Dot RuleRules & Frames

Double Line FrameRules & Frames

Easter EggsOccasions

/FAQS

ASCII art GIFs for newsletters and email: frequently asked questions

Q. How do I add an animated GIF to an email?

Upload the GIF to your email tool or an image host, then insert it as an image with a width of 600 pixels and alt text. Nearly every email app plays GIFs, while scripts never run and most apps will not play video. The builder exports an email GIF and writes the HTML around it.

Q. How do I make a newsletter GIF header with ASCII art?

Pick a piece, type your newsletter name, issue line, first paragraph and button, and download the 600-pixel GIF. Upload it, paste its address into the builder, and copy the email HTML. The HTML is table-based, so the header and text hold together in Gmail, Outlook and Apple Mail.

Q. What size should an email GIF be?

600 pixels wide, the standard email width, and ideally under 1 MB. The builder records 3 seconds at 12 frames a second to keep it light. For sharp results on high density screens, use the 1200-pixel retina GIF and keep the width attribute at 600 so it displays at the same size.

Q. Do animated GIFs play in Outlook?

Most versions do, but desktop Outlook on Windows shows only the first frame. If many of your readers use it, choose a piece that looks finished from its very first moment, such as a scene, rather than one that types or assembles itself, so the still header still reads well.

Q. How do I add the ASCII GIF to a Mailchimp email?

Upload the GIF in Mailchimp's Content Studio first and copy its URL into the builder. Then either choose Code your own and paste the email HTML, or drag a Code content block into any template and paste it there. The GIF plays in the inbox like any other image.

Q. Does Substack play GIFs in emails?

Yes, in both the web post and the email. Substack has no HTML blocks, so insert the downloaded GIF as an image at the top of the post. Write the issue line and intro as normal text beneath it, which keeps them readable when images are blocked.

Q. How do I add a GIF header in beehiiv or Kit?

Add an Image block at the top of the post and upload the GIF; both tools play it in the email. For the builder's full layout with text and a button, paste the email HTML into a custom HTML block where your plan allows it. The Markdown tab suits editors that accept Markdown.

Q. Where should I host the email GIF?

Upload it to your email tool's image library and use the URL it gives you, or use a public image host you control. Paste that address into the builder's hosting field so the HTML points at it. Avoid hotlinking from sites you do not control, since the image may disappear.

Q. What alt text should an animated email header have?

Describe what readers would see, such as the piece name or your newsletter name. The builder fills the alt text with the piece name automatically. Many email apps block images until the reader allows them, so the alt text and the real text under the header carry the message either way.

Q. Will an animated header hurt email deliverability?

Not by itself. Keep a sensible balance of text and images, always include alt text, and keep the GIF under about 1 MB. The builder's layout puts your issue line, intro and button in real HTML text, so the email never depends on the image alone.

Q. How do I make an email GIF look right in dark mode?

Use a dark GIF on a dark background, which is what the builder makes. Some email apps invert light colors in dark mode, which can turn a white area around an image into a glaring block. A dark header with matching dark table cells stays readable in both modes.

Q. Which pieces work for seasonal newsletter GIFs?

The holiday pieces swap in easily: Christmas Tree and Snow Globe for December, Jack O Lantern for October, Diwali Diyas and Autumn Harvest for November, and Birthday Cake for anniversaries. Keep your template the same and change only the GIF, so readers recognize the newsletter while the header follows the season.

Other ways to use it

Each one has its own builder.

README

Animated ASCII art for a GitHub README

Put an animated ASCII banner, scene or loader at the top of your GitHub README. Copy a GIF or SVG, no build step, works in GitHub's dark and light themes.

Website

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Terminal

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CLI

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Give your CLI a startup splash or an animated loader in ASCII. Copy the piece source into your Node project, or print frames from any language.

Loader

ASCII loading spinners and progress bars for websites

Lightweight animated ASCII loaders, spinners and progress bars for web pages. One tag to embed, no images to download, honours reduced motion.

Error page

Animated ASCII art for 404 and error pages

Make a 404 or 500 page people remember with animated ASCII art. Ready-made error pieces plus any scene or creature, embedded with one tag.