How to Choose Max Colors (Without Guessing)
A color-budget guide for pixel conversion: pick maxColors based on output purpose, not trial-and-error alone.
Color budget by use case
Treat maxColors as a production constraint, similar to file size or readability targets.
- Favicon/icon: 4-12 colors
- Avatar/PFP: 16-32 colors
- Photo-style poster: 32-64 colors
- Sprite animation: 8-24 colors
How to diagnose wrong color budgets
Visual symptoms tell you whether to increase or decrease maxColors.
- Flat and lifeless gradients: increase maxColors
- Muddy noisy regions: decrease maxColors
- Brand colors drift: use fixed palette before increasing color count
Decision process in two passes
Pass 1 sets shape readability; pass 2 restores enough detail. This avoids endless random tweaking.
- Pass 1: choose pixel size first, then set low color count
- Pass 2: raise maxColors in small steps (+4 or +8) until details recover
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