Pixel Trash

What it does

Pixel Trash gives pictures the crude, blocky look of early 1980's graphics.

How to install

To use this software, you need a paint program which accepts standard Photoshop 3.0 plugins.

Just put the plug-in filter into the folder where your paint program expects to find it. If you have Photoshop, the folder is Photoshop:Plugins:Filters or Photoshop:Plug-ins. You must restart Photoshop before it will notice the new plug-in. It will appear in the menus as Filters->Flaming Pear->Pixel Trash.

Most other paint programs follow a similar scheme.

If you have Paint Shop Pro: you have to create a new folder, put the plug-in filter into it, and then tell PSP to look there. In PSP's menus, choose File-> Preferences->General Program Preferences (PSP versions 5 and 6) or File->Preferences->File Locations (PSP version 7). Next, click the Plug-in Filters tab. Use a "Browse" button to choose the folder. The plugin will appear in the menus as Image->Plug-in Filters->Flaming Pear->Pixel Trash.

Controls

When you invoke Pixel Trash, a dialog box will appear:

Quick start
If you just want to see some effects quickly, click the dice button until you see something you like; then click OK. Using the dice is the easiest way to use Pixel Trash. If you want to hand-tune your own effects, it helps to learn the controls, which are arranged in three groups. Dithering Sharpening Glue ...and there are some other controls that affect the overall look.		dice original picture

Dithering
Dithering means mixing a limited number of pixel colors to approximate other colors. Coarseness: you can use fine or blocky pixels. Range: the pixels don't all have to be the same size. Colors: you can use black & white, eight basic colors, or five greys.		dithered more range colors

Sharpening
Sharpness: this slider makes the edges contrastier, which repairs some of the intelligibility lost to blockiness. Radius: the thickness of the sharpened edges.		less sharp

Glue
Glue controls how the dithered image is combined with the original to produce the final result. There are about forty modes and many of them produce complicated color effects.		different glue different glue again

Other controls
Dice The dice choose a random effect. Click as much as you want to see different effects. The reset button discards all settings and gives you a standard nice cloud. Plus, % and minus buttons: If the selected image area is larger than the preview are, these buttons will let you zoom in and out. You can also reposition the preview by dragging it around; your cursor will turn into a hand. Load preset Pixel Trash comes with some presets, which are files containing settings. To load one, click this button and browse for a preset file. Save preset When you make an effect you like, click this button to save the settings in a file.  Undo backs up one step. OK  Applies the effect to your image. Cancel  Dismisses the filter, and leaves the image unchanged.		dice reset load preset (top) and save preset   undo

Hints Click the dice a lot and try the glue modes called 'and,' 'or,' and 'xor.'

Version History Version 1.1 December 2003 Recordable as a Photoshop action. Version 1.0 May 2003 The first release.

Questions

Answers to common technical questions appear on the Frequently Asked Questions page.

For bug reports and technical questions about the software, please write to support@flamingpear.com .