> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://rdsciv/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Get Started with ASCII Art Conversion

> Learn how to load an image or video, customize your ASCII style with presets and controls, and export your artwork as PNG, SVG, or GIF in a few steps.

ASCII turns any image, video, or webcam feed into ASCII art directly in your browser. This guide walks you through loading a source, adjusting the key settings, and saving the result — from start to finish in a few minutes.

<Note>
  No account or installation is needed. Open the tool in any modern browser and start converting immediately.
</Note>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the tool">
    Navigate to [https://rdsciv.github.io/ascii/](https://rdsciv.github.io/ascii/) in your browser. The tool loads instantly — there is nothing to install or sign up for.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Load an image or video">
    You have three ways to load a source:

    * **Drag and drop** — drag a file anywhere onto the browser window
    * **Paste from clipboard** — copy an image elsewhere and press `Ctrl+V` / `Cmd+V`
    * **File picker** — click the drop zone in the left panel to open a file browser

    Accepted formats: **JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, MP4, MOV**

    To use your webcam instead, click **Start webcam** below the drop zone. The ASCII output will update in real time from the live camera feed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Adjust cell size">
    The **Cell size** slider controls how large each character cell is, which directly determines the level of detail in the output.

    * The slider ranges from **1 to 500** in steps of 0.5
    * The numeric field accepts values up to **2000** for extremely large characters
    * **Smaller values** produce finer detail (more characters, smaller cells)
    * **Larger values** produce a bolder, more abstract look

    You can also press `[` to decrease cell size by 1 and `]` to increase it by 1 at any time.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick a color mode">
    Open the **Color** dropdown to choose how colors are applied to the ASCII characters. The default is **Source — full color**, which maps the original image colors directly onto each character.

    Other options include:

    | Mode           | Description                                                           |
    | -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | Source boosted | Saturated version of the source colors                                |
    | White on black | Classic monochrome terminal style                                     |
    | Black on white | Inverted monochrome                                                   |
    | Green terminal | Green phosphor monitor look                                           |
    | Amber terminal | Amber phosphor monitor look                                           |
    | Cyber blue     | Blue-tinted output                                                    |
    | Gradient ramp  | Color shifts from dark to light across the image                      |
    | Palette        | Restricts colors to a retro palette (CGA, EGA, C64, Game Boy, PICO-8) |
  </Step>

  <Step title="Apply a preset for a quick look">
    Presets apply a curated combination of settings in one click. Open the **Preset** dropdown, select one, and click **Apply**.

    Available presets:

    * **Classic** — white-on-black, light character set, clean look
    * **Matrix** — green terminal with Katakana characters, bloom, and scanlines
    * **Newspaper** — high-contrast inverse output with Atkinson dithering
    * **CRT Terminal** — amber terminal with bloom, heavy scanlines, and chromatic aberration
    * **Neon** — oversaturated source colors with bloom on a dark background
    * **Game Boy** — four-color Game Boy palette with Bayer dithering
    * **Blueprint** — hatching characters in cyber blue on dark navy
    * **Xerox** — binary characters (0 and 1) with Floyd-Steinberg dithering, high contrast

    You can save your own presets by typing a name into the preset name field and clicking **Save**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Export your artwork">
    When you are satisfied with the result, save it using one of the export options in the left panel:

    * **Save PNG** — exports the canvas at 1×, 2×, or 4× scale; check **Transparent** to remove the background color
    * **Save SVG** — exports a vector SVG with individual `<text>` elements
    * **Export GIF** — generates an animated GIF by sweeping a parameter (cell size, contrast, hue, etc.) across a range of frames
    * **Copy as text** — copies plain ASCII characters to your clipboard
    * **Save ANSI (.ans)** — exports with ANSI escape codes for terminal use
    * **Download TXT** — saves the plain character grid as a `.txt` file
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Keyboard shortcuts speed up your workflow:

  * `F` — toggle fullscreen
  * `S` — save PNG
  * `G` — export GIF
  * `[` / `]` — decrease / increase cell size by 1
  * `Space` — preview or stop the animation

  Your settings are auto-saved in your browser and restored the next time you open the tool. To reset everything, click **Reset to defaults** in the preset section.
</Tip>