This tutorial is written by Allen Mullen
Styles |
Methods |
Questions |
This style uses characters such as |/\)(_,-'` to outline the edges of an image.
Here's an example by Valkyrie http://www.earthlight.co.nz/users/valkyrie/.
/| |\
`__\\ //__'
|| ||
\__`\ |'__/
`_\\ //_'
_.,:---;,._
\_: :_/
|@. .@|
| |
,\.-./ \
;;`-' `---__________-----.-.
;;; \_\
';;; |
; | ;
\ \ \ | /
\_, \ / \ |\
|';| |,,,,,,,,/ \ \ \_
| | | \ / |
\ \ | | / \ |
| || | | | | |
| || | | | | |
| || | | | | |
|_||_| |_| |_|
/_//_/ /_/ /_/
This style uses uniform fill characters such as $#@8H or M
surrounded by shaped characters on the edges such as dbYP.
.,,ccc$$hcccccc,.
.zd$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$c,.
.zd$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$c,
,c$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$c,
z$$$$$$$$???"""""'.,,.`"?$$$$$$$$$$$
d$$$$$$??,zcd$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$h
,$$$$$$F,z$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$c,`""?$$$$$h
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$h.`"$$$$h .
zF,$$$$$$$$$$?????$$$$$$$$$$$$$?????$$r ;?$$$ $.
,$P'd"$$$$$$P" .,c,,.J$$$$$$$$$"',cc,_`?h.`$$$$ $L
,$$". $ $$$$P",c$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$',$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$ $$c,
d$',$ $.`$$P c$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$,$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$ $$$$C
d$ ,$P $$ ?$',$$$$???$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$??"""?$$$ <$$$ $$$$$
z$F,$$ `$$ $ ?$" "$$$.?$$$ $$$P c??c, ?$.<$$',$$$$$h
,$" $F ,F ?$ $ F ,="?$$c,`$$F $$"z$$',$' ,$$P $h.`$ ?$$$$$F
d$ $P J$ $$F L ",,J$$$F <$hc$$ "$L,`??????,J$$$.` z$$$$$
?F,$',$F $$ c$c,,,,,c,,J$$$$$$$ ?$$$c,,,c$$$$$$F. $$$$$$
`$$',$$ $$$$$$$$F"',$$$$$$$$$$h ?$$$L;;$$$??$$$$ $$$$$$
$$$$$$ `F"$$$$$$$$$$$$""""?"""h $$$$$$$"$,d$$$$ $$$$$'
$$$$$$. h `$$$$$$$$$$$cccc$$c,zJ$$$$$P' $$$$$P',$$$$P
$$$$$$$ "$c "?$$$$$$$$$$$$??$$$$$$$$" ,d$$$P",d$$$$P
?$$$$$$h ?$$c.`?$$$$$$$$$' <$$$$$' ,$$$" ,$$$$$"
`$$$$$$$h "$$$c,"$$$$$$$' `$$$P ,$$$' ,c$$$$$'
`$$$$$$$c "$$$c`?$$$$$ $$$ ,$$P' z$$$$$$'
`$$$$$$$. ?$$c ?$$$$ $$$ $$F ,d$$$$$$'
`$$$$$$$ "$$h`$$$$ $$$ ,$$ ,d$$$$$$'
`$$$$$$L $$$ $$$F d$$P J$F d$$$$$P
?$$."$$ `$$ ?$$' z$$$F $P $$$$$$'
`$$$c`? ?$.`$$hc, cd$$F ,$' $$$$$$
$$$$c `$$c$$$$$$$$$",c$' $$$$$$
$$$$$ `?$$$$$$$$$$$$P' $$$$$$>
$$$$$ `"?$$$$$$$P" $$$$$$L
;$$$$$ `"""' ?$$$$$$.
This style uses character light density to create a pattern.
.
. `!! `~ ~-
. -~ .
` ::WWX!tWu. '~~` ~
.: :MM$R$8$N$$$Wi. < ` .
~`! @R$MR$R$$$$$$@@RMHHX~~- ~
' ` . .XHQSMM$RB$8$$$$$88D99`#i .X:
!~ .XM?X!XMMBMt$M$$$M$$%RMRMe.`.??!!:
.X$$9?MS5RX@RB$$$$$$HHH5RMM!MM!!!!X ~~~
!M$$M8R$M$$M$Q@$$$$$$B$?$5MMMX@$M!!:
:. `!!#RRH$$5$M!< """"XH$MQ9MM*M"@< :~
X` '"R! '!!X?#H@N%!~ '!$! : >-
:<!X::!!. :!8M! .:!" : :.::$$b .-
. '$BMM .XH> !RMXM$$$N$$$$R!!$$$$$$$~@#!!~
'$8B:@$W@H! 4X99$@XMM$RBSU@$$$$$$$$$~!~!`<!
.` ?$$$W@!! `~~!!!X!H76MMBR$$$$$$$M&~!!!X~
!: #$$$$@"! <!!!!7MM?X`xM$B$RMR#! ~!!
~.. `"` !~.'~!:!!!/!X! d@ix.. """".:
.~!!!:!!!X!~.uM#MM$$$$!!,. ~!
`<~!!~X!!H!?"`ueesuuu,";;"` !:
! !!tH!!n@BRX ``"``` .~'<
~<X: `MM!!""#MStW$MHMWXxx:<
~ ~MX~ !!!<(~!!.X~X!MM!HR!! '
f !X$b. ! !. ! `
: $R$$$W<
.=" #?M$$$8Nx. :!< `
-` `@!!!?!**"#$$X!W$$$MXW! `
' "" `"`WH! ^"*> `
`.
. ' ~- -
. ` ` .
*.: :XWX:
"UXUu:$RMWWU$$$$$X
#$R$$$M$$$$$$$$$W
many pictures use a mixture of these styles.
Sit at your keyboard and punch away. With a little bit of work you should be able to get some kind of image. Just keep working at it and you can improve it. Most artists develop their own particular way of doing things. Several artists have described their methods of creating their work:
A problem with using only the keyboard is that proportions are difficult. If your work in progress is too short or too long in the middle, you may have to redraw most of it to fix the problem. Placing a see through drawing on your monitor can help you get the basic shape and you can work from there. Joan Stark briefly mentions using this method:
Normand Veilleux has had good results and has described his method:
There are many programs that will convert files such as .gif and .bmp to ascii. Results vary. Many conversions look like blurry blobs but editing conversions by hand can improve their appearance. Conversions typically start out as grayscale but can be hand edited to solid or line style. Shawn Quinn has given directions for using gifscii, the most popular program:
Give it a try!Please try to create your own ascii art and post it to the ascii art newsgroup listed in the first question below. Even if it doesn't turn out very well, other newsgroup readers will enjoy seeing your work. We all get better with practice and recognize some pictures don't turn out as well as others. The best way to improve is by trying again and again. It may appear difficult at first, but you can get ideas by watching other people's work as they post it. When you are working on a piece, try starting a discussion to find out what other people think about your work or ask them for suggestions. Please be reassured that thousands of newsgroup readers appreciate your effort even though you probably won't hear anything after you post your work. |
The best places are the ascii art newsgroup and the web.
If you can't find what you want on the web, the best thing to do is make a request to the ascii art newsgroup. Please add the prefix, "[Request]", to your subject line as in the following example:
Here are a couple of locations:
A program called Figlet will create large text composed of ascii characters. You can learn more at the FIGlet home page:
You need to use a fixed width font such as courier. Light colored text on a dark background has been the traditional standard. Now that graphical interfaces are more common, many pictures are designed to be viewed with dark text on a light background. If a picture you are viewing appears to be a negative image, you may have to adjust your browser or newsreader color settings.
Here are more detailed discussions: