How the converter works
Four quick steps happen each time you move a slider.
- Crop. The photo is cropped to a square from the center, so put the dog, the doll, or the flower in the middle.
- Shrink. The square is scaled down to your grid size, from 24 × 24 up to 96 × 96. Each square becomes the average color of the patch of photo it covers.
- Pick a palette. A method called median cut finds the colors. It sorts all the squares along the color channel with the widest spread, splits them in half at the middle, and repeats until it has as many groups as you asked for. Each group's average becomes one color.
- Number it. Every square takes the closest palette color. Colors are numbered by how much of the picture they cover, so color 1 is the biggest job.
The color-by-number view swaps the colors for numbers and grid lines and adds a numbered color key, ready to print. Fewer colors and a smaller grid make an easier page. Faces and busy backgrounds need more of both.
Tips for a good picture
- Pick one clear subject with a plain background. A pet on a rug works better than a pet in a crowded room.
- Bright, even light gives cleaner colors than a dim room.
- For a first try, start at 24 to 32 squares and 6 to 8 colors. Kids 6 to 8 can finish that in one sitting.
Questions
Is it free?
Yes. The converter is free to use, with no sign-up and no watermark on the picture.
Do you see my photo?
No. The photo is opened by your browser and drawn on this page. It never leaves your device, and this site has no analytics.
Can I print it?
Yes. Switch to Color by number, tap Download PNG, and print the file. For a full guide, see how to turn a photo into color by number.