Finds the real pixel grid
Sprites saved at 4×, 8× or 10× are measured and read back to one block per original pixel.
Pixel Art to STL: turn sprites into 3D pixel art
Drop a sprite and every pixel becomes a block sized in millimeters. Export a watertight STL, or a multi-color 3MF with one part per color. Nothing is uploaded.
Samples
Colors0 in palette
8
Loading 3D preview
Drag to rotate
4 mm
2 mm
1.2 mm
Base shape
Single extruder? Change filament at 1.2 mm to print the blocks in a second color over the base. For an AMS or MMU, download the 3MF.
2 credits per model. STL and 3MF of the same model count once.
Runs in your browser. Your image is never uploaded.
Print it or make another
Check the multi-color 3MF before you slice, or turn a logo or photo into a print the same way.
Pixel art to STL in three steps
- 1
Add your sprite
Upload a PNG, GIF or WebP, or try a sample. Transparent pixels stay empty, and an upscaled sprite is read back to its real pixel grid.
- 2
Set blocks and colors
Pick the size of one pixel, the block height and a base plate. Height by color raises each color one step for relief and filament swaps.
- 3
Download and print
Save an STL for one color, or a 3MF with one part per color for an AMS or MMU. Both are closed meshes that slice without repair.
From sprite to 3D pixel art
The heart sample and the blocks this tool builds from it.
Why use this 3D pixel art maker
Built for sprites, so every pixel stays a clean square block.
Background removal
Clears a solid background color from the edges inward, while the same color inside the sprite stays.
Palette of up to 8 colors
Near-identical shades are merged, and the Max colors slider cuts the palette down to the filaments you have.
Multi-color 3MF
Each color is its own named part for an AMS, MMU or tool changer. An STL is there for one color.
Base plate and keychain loop
Add a base that follows the outline or a square one, up to 5 mm thick, plus a loop for a key ring.
Warnings before you print
The tool counts pixels that would print as loose pieces and flags blocks narrower than 0.8 mm.
Settings for crisp blocks
Four choices that keep every pixel square and every color on its own layer.
Pixels of 2 mm or more
A 0.4 mm nozzle needs about 0.8 mm to draw one pixel. From 2 mm up, the corners stay crisp.
Steps on whole layers
Keep block heights and the color step in multiples of your layer height, such as 0.6 mm for three 0.2 mm layers.
A slow first layer
Print the first layer at 20 to 30 mm/s and keep the base plate on for thin or diagonal sprites.
Ironing on top
0.2 mm layers, 3 walls and 15 to 20% infill, with ironing on the top layer for smooth pixel faces.
What to make with 3D pixel art
Small sprites print fast and read clearly from across a room. These are the four most common uses.
Keychains
A 16 × 16 sprite at 2.5 to 3 mm per pixel, a 1.2 mm base and the keychain loop. Keep it 3 mm thick or more so it survives a pocket.
Fridge magnets
The flat back takes a glued 10 mm round magnet. A 1.6 mm base keeps the magnet from showing through light colors.
Coasters
A 32 × 32 sprite at 3 mm per pixel makes a 96 mm coaster. Use a 2 mm Square base and Flat top blocks about 1 mm high so a cup stands level.
Wall sprites
Larger sprites at 4 to 6 mm per pixel make wall art. Height by color adds depth, and the 3MF lets an AMS print every color in one go.
Pixel art to STL guide
How the blocks are built, print sizes and multi-color printing in detail.
How pixel art becomes blocks
Every opaque pixel turns into a square column. Pixel size sets the width of each column in millimeters, and block height sets how tall it stands. Transparent pixels, and any pixel under half opacity, stay empty, so a sprite on a clear background prints as its own outline.
Sprites shared online are often scaled up 4×, 8× or 10× so they look sharp on screen. The converter measures where the color edges fall, finds the block size and reads the image back to its real grid, so a 32 × 32 sprite saved at 320 × 320 still gives 32 × 32 blocks. If the sprite sits on a solid color, Remove background color clears that color from the edges inward and keeps the same color inside the sprite, such as the white of an eye.
Colors are merged into a palette of up to 8. Shades that differ only by anti-aliasing or JPEG noise become one color, and the Max colors slider merges the closest pairs when you want to load fewer filaments.
Pixel size and print size
Print size is the sprite size times the pixel size. A 0.4 mm nozzle needs about 0.8 mm to draw a single pixel cleanly, and pixels of 2 mm or more keep crisp corners. The table gives starting points; the readout under the preview shows the exact size as you drag.
8 × 8
- Pixel size
- 5 mm
- Print size
- 40 mm
- Good for
- Charms and game tokens
16 × 16
- Pixel size
- 3 mm
- Print size
- 48 mm
- Good for
- Keychains and magnets
24 × 24
- Pixel size
- 2.5 mm
- Print size
- 60 mm
- Good for
- Badges and ornaments
32 × 32
- Pixel size
- 3 mm
- Print size
- 96 mm
- Good for
- Coasters and desk sprites
64 × 64
- Pixel size
- 1.5 mm
- Print size
- 96 mm
- Good for
- Detailed wall art
128 × 128
- Pixel size
- 1 mm
- Print size
- 128 mm
- Good for
- Large wall pieces, long prints
Multi-color printing: AMS, MMU or filament swaps
Download the 3MF to print every color in one go on a Bambu Lab AMS, a Prusa MMU or any multi-material printer. Each palette color is its own part of one object, named with its hex code, and the base plate is a separate part. Open it in Bambu Studio, OrcaSlicer or PrusaSlicer and assign a filament to each part.
With a single extruder, switch to Height by color. Each color then sits one step above the color below it, so above a given height only that color is printed. Add a filament change (M600, or the color change marker in your slicer) at each height listed under the settings, and the top of every block comes out in its own color. The sides show stripes of the colors below, which is part of the 3D pixel art look.
Order matters: the lowest color prints first and also fills the base plate. Use the arrows next to each color to move it up or down, and keep the step a multiple of your layer height (0.6 mm is three 0.2 mm layers) so every change lands exactly on a layer.
Print settings for 3D pixel art
Print flat on the bed with 0.2 mm layers, 3 walls and 15 to 20% infill. Block heights in steps of 0.2 mm keep every top surface on a full layer, and ironing on the top layer gives each pixel a smooth, even face.
Small parts depend on the first layer. Slow it to 20 to 30 mm/s, clean the plate, and keep the base plate on for sprites with thin or diagonal parts so nothing lifts. For a keychain, aim for 3 mm or more in total, such as a 1.2 mm base plus 2 mm blocks. The loop wall stays about 2 mm wide or more at every pixel size.
Pixel art to STL questions
Answers about images, scaled sprites, colors, loose pieces, keychains and privacy.
What image works best for pixel art to STL?
A PNG or GIF with a transparent background, saved at 1× or scaled up with nearest neighbor so the edges stay hard. Sprites from 8 × 8 to 128 × 128 work best. Blurry JPGs and photos still convert, but they are averaged down to 128 blocks and lose the pixel look.
Can I upload a sprite that has been scaled up?
Yes. The tool finds the block size from where the colors change and reads the sprite back to its real grid, so a 16 × 16 sprite saved at 10× still becomes 16 × 16 blocks. The detected grid size shows next to the samples, so you can check it.
How do I print 3D pixel art in several colors?
With an AMS, MMU or tool changer, download the 3MF: every color is a separate part, so you assign one filament to each. With one extruder, choose Height by color and add a filament change at each listed height; the top of each block then shows its own color.
Why does the tool say my sprite prints as separate pieces?
Pixels that touch only at a corner share no surface, so the slicer treats them as separate parts that can fall apart. The file keeps a 0.02 mm gap there so the mesh stays manifold. Add a base plate, or use the Square base, to join everything into one piece.
How thick should a pixel art keychain be?
About 3 to 4 mm in total: a 1.2 mm base with 2 mm blocks works well in PLA. Turn on the keychain loop; its wall is about 2 mm wide or more at every pixel size, which is strong enough for a key ring.
Is the converter free, and is my image uploaded?
The preview is free with no sign-up. Downloading a model costs 2 credits, and its STL and 3MF count as one download. New accounts get 10 free credits. Your image is turned into a mesh in your browser and never uploaded.