/STYLE · BLOCK

Block Characters, Unicode Block Art

Turn any photo into Unicode block characters, half, quarter and full blocks render dense, pixel-art-like detail, perfect for terminal aesthetics. Real-time, export at up to 4×. No signup, runs entirely in your browser.

Open the editor →

/SEE IT

From photo to block characters in one click

Drop any photo into the editor and pick the Block Characters style. Each cell is filled with a Unicode block glyph (half, quarter or full block) chosen to match the tone, dense, blocky, terminal-style art from your image.

Original colour photograph, before the block characters effect is applied — Original

The same photograph rendered in the Block style — Block output

/MORE EXAMPLES

Block characters from any photo

Six photos rebuilt as Unicode block characters, dense, pixel-art-like terminal art from the source.

Photo rendered in the Block style, Full blocks — Full blocks

Photo rendered in the Block style, Half blocks — Half blocks

Photo rendered in the Block style, Quarter blocks — Quarter blocks

Photo rendered in the Block style, Dense blocks — Dense blocks

Photo rendered in the Block style, Fine blocks — Fine blocks

Photo rendered in the Block style, Terminal art — Terminal art

Every image is a real ASCII Magic export, drop your own photo to get the same look, then tune and export up to 4×.

/HOW IT WORKS

Make block characters in four steps

Drop your image
Drag any JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF or MP4 into the editor. No upload, your file stays in the browser.
Pick the Block style
Switch the render mode to Block, your photo is instantly redrawn in the block characters look.
Tune the look
Adjust cell size, contrast and colour in real time, from chunky blocks to fine, dense block detail.
Export
Save as PNG, JPG, animated GIF or MP4, at up to 4× source resolution. No watermark.

/WHY ASCII MAGIC

Built for block characters

Unicode block glyphs

Half, quarter and full blocks pack more detail per cell than printable ASCII.

Pixel-art-like

Dense blocks read almost like pixel art, ideal for terminal and retro looks. For the real thing, use the pixel art generator to pixelate a photo directly.

Size & palette

Tune block size and recolour in real time.

Video + 4× exports

Render every frame of a clip and export a looping MP4 or GIF; stills export up to 4× source resolution.

/UNICODE BLOCKS

Block characters, ASCII art's higher-resolution cousin

Block Characters extends classic ASCII art with the Unicode Block Elements set (U+2580 to U+259F): full block ▉, upper half ▀, lower half ▄, quadrants ▘▝▖▗, shaded blocks ░ ▒ ▓. Because each cell carries roughly twice the vertical resolution of a single ASCII glyph (two pixels per character), block-character art reads as much more detailed than equivalent-size ASCII, while still being pasteable as plain text wherever monospaced fonts render. It's the format of choice for serious terminal art, retro BBS banners, Discord server pixel art, and ANSI-style demoscene work.

When to pick Block Characters over Characters

Higher resolution at the same character size. Block cells encode 2 pixels each; ASCII glyphs encode 1.
Solid blocky aesthetic. Better for pixel-art screenshots, retro game logos and ANSI demoscene work.
Discord server avatars and banners. Block art pastes cleanly into Discord code blocks.
GitHub README headers when you want denser, more graphic banners than ASCII characters give.
Terminal MOTDs / login banners where character density makes the image actually read at small sizes.

Stick with Characters when you want the classic typewriter-art look or when readability of individual glyphs matters.

/FAQS

Common questions about block characters

What are block characters?

Block characters are Unicode glyphs, full block █, half blocks ▀▄, quarter blocks ▖▗▘▝, that fill a cell. Mapping them to image tones gives a dense, pixel-art-like render, richer than printable ASCII.

How do I make block-character art from a photo?

Open ASCII Magic, drop your photo in, and pick the Block Characters style. Adjust cell size and colour, then export as PNG, JPG, GIF or MP4. No signup.

Can I use it on a video?

Yes. Drop an MP4, MOV or WebM into ASCII Magic, pick the style, and every frame renders with the same settings. Export as an MP4 (H.264) or animated GIF.

Does ASCII Magic upload my photos to a server?

No. Every conversion runs locally in your browser using HTML5 Canvas. Your image or video never leaves your device, no upload, no cloud processing.

Is it really free?

Yes, completely free. No signup, no watermark, no export limit, no ads. Export stills up to 4x source resolution.

Can I use the output commercially?

Yes. The output is yours, use it in client work, social posts, prints, music videos, commercial sites, anything. You only need rights to the source image you uploaded.

What are Unicode block characters?

Block Elements (U+2580 to U+259F) are Unicode characters that fill all or part of their cell. They include full block (▉), half blocks (▀ ▄), quadrants (▘▝▖▗), and shaded blocks (░ ▒ ▓). Each cell encodes 2+ pixels of vertical detail, much denser than ASCII glyphs.

Block Characters vs ASCII Characters, when to use which?

Block Characters for higher resolution at the same cell size, solid blocky aesthetic, retro pixel-art and BBS banners. Classic Characters for typewriter-art look, code comments and contexts where individual glyph shapes matter.

/RELATED STYLES

Or try a different art style

Each opens the editor with that style ready. Explore the full styles index.