Guide · Canvas size
Pixel art canvas size: what resolution to use
Two sizes matter: the size of each sprite (16 × 16, 32 × 32…) and the size of the whole screen your game is drawn at before it is scaled up. Pick them well and your art stays crisp on every monitor.
On this page 6 sections
Short answer
What is the best canvas size for pixel art?
For a single character or item, start with 32 × 32 (LibreSprite’s default for new sprites): enough room for a face and a walk cycle, small enough to finish. Use 16 × 16 for tiny icons and tiles, 64 × 64 for detailed characters. For a game screen, choose a base resolution that multiplies exactly into common screens, such as 320 × 180 or 480 × 270 for 1080p. The calculator below lists them for any screen.
Sprite sizes compared
| Size | Good for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8 × 8 | Bullets, tiny icons, fonts | Very hard to show detail; great practice in reading shapes. |
| 16 × 16 | Tiles, items, small characters | The classic NES / Game Boy tile size. A whole character fits, faces are 2–4 pixels. |
| 32 × 32 | Characters, enemies, larger tiles | Room for clear expressions and smooth animation. Our demo sprite is 32 × 32. |
| 48 × 48 / 64 × 64 | Detailed characters, portraits | Animation takes much longer: every frame has 4× the pixels of 32 × 32. |
| 128 × 128+ | Illustrations, splash art | More painting than pixel placing; consider whether you still want a pixel look. |
Sizes do not have to be powers of two or square: a 24 × 32 character is fine. What matters is staying consistent within one game, so every sprite shares the same pixel size on screen.
Game resolution calculator
1920 × 1080, 2560 × 1440 and 3840 × 2160 share the base sizes 320 × 180 and 640 × 360, which is why those two are popular: they scale to all three exactly (6×/8×/12× and 3×/4×/6×).
Classic consoles for reference
| System | Screen | Typical sprite |
|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | 160 × 144 | 8 × 8 or 8 × 16 hardware sprites, combined into 16 × 16 characters |
| NES | 256 × 240 | 8 × 8 / 8 × 16 hardware sprites, characters often 16 × 16 to 16 × 32 |
| SNES | 256 × 224 (most games) | 16 × 16 to 32 × 32 characters |
| Game Boy Advance | 240 × 160 | 16 × 16 to 32 × 32 characters |
| PICO-8 | 128 × 128 | 8 × 8 sprites |
Want the look of a system? Use its screen size and the matching palette from our palette browser.
Set it up in LibreSprite
New sprite
File → New (Ctrl+N), type the width and height (default 32 × 32), choose RGBA or Indexed, and a Transparent background for sprites.
Zoom to a whole number
Press 4 (800 %) or 5 (1600 %) so screen pixels map evenly. The Preview window (F7) shows it at real size while you work.
Turn on a grid
View → Grid → Grid Settings: set it to your tile size (16 or 32) and show it with Shift+G; Alt+Shift+G adds a line between every pixel.
Change your mind later
Sprite → Canvas Size (C) adds room without scaling; Sprite Size scales. See canvas and selection.
Showing it bigger
Never draw large and then shrink, and never scale by fractions. Export at 1× for engines (they scale it), or upscale by a whole number for sharing: LibreSprite’s Export → Resize, or our upscaler.
FAQ
How do I make 16×16 pixel art in LibreSprite?
File → New, width 16, height 16, OK. Zoom in with 5 or 6, pick the Pencil (B) and draw; export with Resize 1000 % to share a visible version.
Should I use 16×16 or 32×32?
32 × 32 if you are starting out: easier to read and animate. 16 × 16 forces simpler shapes and is quicker to fill a whole game with.
What resolution should my pixel art game be?
A base that divides your target screen exactly: 320 × 180, 384 × 216, 480 × 270 or 640 × 360 for 1080p. Use the calculator above for others.
Does pixel art have to be a power of two?
No. Old hardware liked powers of two; modern engines don’t care. Keep sizes consistent instead.
Keep going
Found something wrong or out of date? Tell us: hello@libresprite.dev. We fix mistakes within a day.