How to convert graphical images to ASCII art?

I want a custom image in my terminal made of characters, is there a program I can use?

Specifically, the gear within my school's robotics logo.

2 Answers

One app you can try jp2a for jpg to ascii for terminal windows.

sudo apt update sudo apt install jp2a 

Then just run jp2a filename.jpg

~$ jp2a 1Fy7Yz2.jpg .dKKKKKl.....dKK000000OOOOkkkxxxxddoooooolloddxxxkO00k.................... '0KKKK0..'...oKKK000000OOOOOkkxxxdddooooollodxxxxkO00O.................... dKKKK0,....'.:KKKKK0000000OOOOkkxxxddddoooooxxxxkOO00O'................... 0KXK0. ........'',,,,,;;;;;;;;;;;,,,'''''.''''....'';;................... O0O0o............ ...'l................... 0K0kkkxxxdol:. .,:;;..... . ... . ....................... d000kkOKKKKKKk. .dO000klooc;... . .':::ccood;... c,..................... ..oOkdx0KKK0KKx. ,,od.l'xdl. ':ldkkkkxxdxO0KXo. cc..................... . :kxodk00O;0K0k, 'l,,.;;cok00OOkxxxkkxxxk0Kkkk:,,k..................... ..lxdookkOl.'OKKOd;,;coxO0000OkdoodkOOOkxddk0KkodOxdk..................... loldccdxkk....oKKK00KK0OkxdolodkOO000OOkxddk00koddxkl..................... dd,;coddxx'.....oxxddollodxkkOOOOOOOOOkkxddk000loO0d...................... ::ldxxooodd,...;kxxxkkkkkkkkkkkOOOOOOOko:'...'oloxKo...................... olcldOOxolloo;,kkOOOkkkkkkkkkkkkOOko;. .. ,cdkx;..................... l:ccl:odOkdccloxkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkxc. ..'',;.''odOd:.................... dxl::::;clkkxlccodxxkkkkxxxxd:. .':ldxkxdddxkOl.;dxld,................... odddl:;;;;:cxkkdlcloddddol:,';coxxxkkkkxxdddxkOdllxkoll................... clooddc;;;;;;okkkxdllloodddddxxxxxxkkkkxxdodxkkkllkOkk:................... :cclloddc:,oxxxxdddoodddddddddxxxxxkkkxxxdoodxkOooxxkk:................... ;;:cclloodoollllloodddddoodddddddxxxxxxxdooldxkOoOxddxxc.................. .',;::ccccccccllloooddddddoooooodddxxxxo:,'',;:ddkdooodd:................. .',;;::cccllllllooooooodddoooooodddo;.. ...'okollllod................. .,':::ccclllllllloooooooodollooooo;. . ....cxlcclllo;................ 

Or you can use --background=light if you have a light background in your terminal:

~$ jp2a 1Fy7Yz2.jpg --background=light K:.....l0000K:........'''',,,;;;;::ccccccllc::;;;,'..,0000000KKKKKKKKKKKKK O......00O00Kc.........''''',,;;;:::cccccllc:;;;;,'..'0000000KKKKKKKKKKKKK :.....kK000O0d............'''',,;;;::::ccccc;;;;,''..'O000000KKKKKKKKKKKKK .....KMNXXXXXX00OOkkkkkxxxxxxxxxxxkkkOOOOO0OOOO0000OOxxKKKK0KKKKKKKKKKKKKK '.'.cKK0KKXXXXXXXNNNWWWWWWWWWMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMWNNNNNXXKOl0KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK ...,,,;;;:cld0MMWW0kdxxKKXKXNNWWWWMMMMMXNNWK0XWXNNNKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK :...,,'......,KMW0:'...,lccox00XNKWNKOdddoocc:x0X0NokKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK 0Xc',:;.......;XWNkkc:0lO;:lKWNOdl:,,,,;;:;'...cXNNooKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK KNd,;c:,..'x...,kWNNOlkkKxxoc,..'',;;;,,;;;,..,,,dkk,0KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK 0Xl;:cc,,'lXO'..':xkxoc;'....',:cc:,''',;::,..,c:';:,0KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK lcl:oo:;,,0KX0c........',;:clc:,''...'',;::,..,c::;,lKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK ::kxoc::;;OKXXK0c;;::cllc:;,,''''''''',,;::,...lc'.:KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK ddl:;;ccc::kKKXx,;;;,,,,,,,,,,,''''''',cdOKKKOclc;.cKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKXXXXXX clol:'';cllccxk,,''',,,,,,,,,,,,'',cx0NWMWNNX0Wko:,;xKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK ldooldc:',:oolc;,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,;o0WNNNNNX0OOkxKOOc:':dKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK :;lddddxol,,;looc:;;,,,,;;;;:d0NNKOdl:;,;:::;,'lKx:;l:kKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK c:::ldxxxxdo;,,:lolc::::cldkOxoc;;;,,,,;;:::;,':ll;,cll00KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK olcc::oxxxxxxc,,,;:lllcc:::::;;;;;;,,,,;;:c:;,,,ll,',,d00KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK doollc::odkc;;;;:::cc:::::::::;;;;;,,,;;;:cc:;,'cc;;,,dKKKKKKKXXXXXKKKKKKK xxdoollcc:cclllllcc:::::cc:::::::;;;;;;;:ccl:;,'c';::;;oKKKXXXXXXXXXKKKKKK 0Okxddoooooooolllccc::::::cccccc:::;;;;cdkOOkxd::,:ccc::dXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX WW0Okxxddooollllllccccccc:::cccccc:::cxXXNNNXK0Oc,cllllc:0XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX NWWKkOdddooollllllllcccccccc:cllcccccxKWNWKWX0K0o;loolllcxXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

Here's what it would look like in a terminal window:

Hope this helps!

Shameless plug here, but you can use my cli tool ascii-image-converter. It's available on snap:

sudo snap install ascii-image-converter 

Or you can visit the repo if you directly want the binaries or something:

Unlike jp2a, this tool supports jpeg, png, webp, bmp and tiff image formats so it'll work on most images you encounter. You can customize the output with a bunch of flags. There's also an option to directly save the ascii art as a png, to save you the hassle of taking screenshots. More documentation is available on the repo link above.

It's still relatively immature as command-line tools go and doesn't have a sea of flags and options, but I'm working on improving it and integrating new features. Give it a try! :)