Pixelated image abstraction with integrated user constraints

We present an automatic method that can be used to abstract high resolution images into very low resolution outputs with reduced color palettes in the style of pixel art. Our method simultaneously solves for a mapping of features and a reduced palette needed to construct the output image. The results are an approximation to the results generated by pixel artists. We compare our method against the results of two naive methods common to image manipulation programs, as well as the hand-crafted work of pixel artists. Through a formal user study and interviews with expert pixel artists we show that our results offer an improvement over the naive methods. By integrating a set of manual controls into our algorithm, we give users the ability to add constraints and incorporate their own choices into the iterative process. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.