ASCII Art Guide: How to Create Text-Based Art

What Is ASCII Art?

ASCII art is a graphic design technique that creates images using text characters from the ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) character set. Instead of pixels, these images are composed of letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and symbols arranged to form pictures, patterns, or decorative text.

ASCII art has been around since the 1960s and remains popular in programming culture, online forums, email signatures, code comments, and social media bios.

A Brief History

Before graphical displays existed, early computer users created artwork using the only visual elements available: text characters. Typewriter art predates computers entirely — artists in the 1890s created elaborate pictures using typewriter keys.

In the 1980s and 1990s, ASCII art thrived in bulletin board systems (BBS), Usenet newsgroups, and email. It was the only way to share "images" in text-only environments. Today, it is both a nostalgic art form and a practical tool for adding visual flair to plain-text contexts.

Types of ASCII Art

Line Art

Uses characters like / \ | _ - + = to draw outlines and shapes. This is the simplest form:

  /\
 /  \
/____\

Solid Art

Uses characters of varying visual "density" to create shading. Characters like @ and # are "heavy" (dark), while . and : are "light." By arranging them strategically, you can create grayscale-like images.

FIGlet / Banner Text

Large decorative text created from smaller characters. This is what you see in terminal banners and code headers:

 _   _      _ _
| | | | ___| | | ___
| |_| |/ _ \ | |/ _ \
|  _  |  __/ | | (_) |
|_| |_|\___|_|_|\___/

Kaomoji and Emoticons

Japanese-style text faces like (^_^), (T_T), and \(^o^)/ are a form of single-line ASCII art that conveys emotions.

How to Create ASCII Art

Method 1: Use a Generator

The easiest approach: type your text into an ASCII art generator, choose a font style, and copy the result. Our tool offers multiple FIGlet fonts and instant preview.

Method 2: Manual Creation

For custom artwork, use a monospace text editor (where every character has the same width) and "draw" character by character. Start with simple shapes and work up to complex images. Key tips:

• Use a monospace font (Courier, Consolas) so characters align in a grid.
• Plan your dimensions — decide the width and height in characters.
• Start with an outline, then fill in details.
• Use varying character density for "shading": @#%+=:-. (dark to light).

Method 3: Image to ASCII Converter

Software tools can analyze a photograph and replace each pixel (or block of pixels) with an ASCII character of matching brightness. This creates recognizable portraits and scenes in text form.

Where to Use ASCII Art

• Code comments and README files — project banners and section dividers.
• Terminal and CLI tools — splash screens and startup messages.
• Social media and forums — bios, comments, and creative posts.
• Email signatures — a subtle personal touch.
• Chat messages — fun conversation starters in Discord, Slack, or IRC.

Conclusion

ASCII art is a timeless blend of creativity and constraints. Whether you want a quick text banner for your terminal or an elaborate text-based portrait, it is a fun skill to explore. Generate your first piece instantly with our Text Art Generator.