Pixelicious

Pixelicious is an online tool that converts quick doodles into clean, ready-to-use pixel icons.

How to use Pixelicious

1. Open Pixelicious in your browser.
2. Create an account or sign in with Google.
3. Drag a sketch file onto the upload area or click to pick a PNG, JPG, or GIF.
4. Select a colour palette, pick the final icon size, and toggle the transparency option.
5. Hit “Generate” and wait a few seconds while the artwork appears.
6. Adjust individual pixels with the mini editor, change hues, or mirror the design if needed.
7. Press “Download” to save a PNG, or send the icon straight to Figma through the plug-in.

Two weeks living with Pixelicious

I’ve run nearly fifty sketches through the service, ranging from simple arrows to detailed game sprites, and the results have been consistently sharp. Below I’ve broken down what worked well and what still feels rough around the edges.

Advantages

• Speedy generation: The average wait time has been under five seconds, which keeps the creative flow moving.
• Clean output: Edges are crisp, and stray pixels are rare, even on complex shapes.
• Palette suggestions: After upload, the tool recommends matching colour sets that often look better than my original picks.
• No install needed: Everything runs inside the browser, so I can switch computers without setting anything up.
• Batch mode: Uploading a folder of sketches creates a ready-made icon sheet, great for game jams.
• Transparent pricing: One flat subscription tier with unlimited downloads; no credit system to juggle.

Drawbacks

• Editor lag on large canvases: Anything above 128×128 slows the brush tool, making precise tweaks frustrating.
• No vector export: The absence of SVG means I still fire up Illustrator when an asset needs scaling later.
• Solo focus: Shared workspaces or commenting would help teams iterate together; right now it’s single-user only.
• Accessibility gap: A colour-blind preview mode would improve palette selection for wider audiences.
• Session time-outs: Staying idle for ten minutes kicks me back to the login screen, interrupting longer edits.

Even with those shortcomings, Pixelicious has already replaced three separate programs in my daily workflow and cut asset prep time in half. If you create pixel art regularly and want quicker iteration without heavyweight software, this service earns a solid spot in the browser bookmark bar.