ASCII art

[cat bounds]

And now for something really different, boys and girls This is in response to a portrait Phil posted in the "Faces" forum in Photo Art Challenges. http://www.innographx.com/forum/viewtop ... &start=225

ASCII artwork denotes art that is created without using graphics at all and is limited to the symbols and characters available on your keyboard. It was born in the pre-graphics days of pc evolution. If you Google "ASCII art", you'll find a few million sites to familiarize yourself with the art form.

Let's leave this challenge wide open. Phil did his by saving as WBMP, which can give some awesome effects. You may choose to do it the old fashioned way, or come up with a totally new twist on an old theme. However you approach this one, it should be fun. (Tye says she has a whole collection of it.)

[Blacknight]

for those who might be considering copy/paste...

it doesn't seem to work. leading spaces (required for proper symbol placement) seem to be stripped. it DOES look good until you do a preview or actually post it. This was quite the lovely parrot, for instance...

, .-;
, |\ / / __,
|\ '.`-.| |.'.-'
\`'-: `; : /
`-._'. \'|
,_.-=` ` ` ~,_
'--,. .-. ,=".
/ { 0 )`;-.}
| '-' /__ |
/ \_,\|
| (
__ / ' \
/\_ /,'`| ' .-~"~~-.
|`.\_ | / ' , / \
_/ `, \| ; , . | , ' . |
\ `, | | , , | : ; : |
_\ `, \ |. , | | | | |
\` `. \ | ' |\_|-'|_,'\|
_\ `, `\ ' . ' | | | | | __
\ `, | , ' |_/'-|_\_/ __ ,-;` /
\ `, \ . , ' .| | | | | _/' ` _=`|
`\ `, \ , | | | | |_/' .=" /
\` `, `\ \ | | ;/' .=" |
\ `, `\' , | ; /' =" _/
`\ `, .-""-. ': /' =" /
jgs _`\ ;_{ ' ; /' =" /
_\`-/__.~ `.8.'."`~-. =" _,/
__\ { '-.|.'.--~'`}" _/
\ .="` }.-~"'u'-. '-..' __/
_/ ." { -'.~('-._,.'\_,/
/ ." _/'`--; ; `. ;
.=" _/' `-..__,-'
__/'

A screenshot from your text editor of choice seems to be the only way I've found (see below) that works. NOTE: this is NOT mine, but an example from the web for demonstration purposes.

[twinbnj]

bummer would love to see how it came out - what about a screen shot then paste in PS ? would not be very clear - but heck you'd know it was a parrot! lol

[Blacknight]

Pictures can be converted with SPLAT! (Alien Skin Software)


http://www.pbase.com/image/58167158/original

[Blacknight]

I still like WBMP blended over the original photo best.


http://www.pbase.com/image/58167761/original

[Tyeise]

Ok - I know I did this at least once - let's see if I can figure it out, and then tell you how to post ASCII art.

Code: Select all

                           
                  ******************
               ************************ 
           ***********Ó********************
       ********Ó*******************************
   ********************************Ó***************
  *******************Ó*******//*********************
**********Ó******************************* Ó*********
*****************\\**********Ó**************************
****Ó*******************************Ó*****************
**************Ó************************//***********
  ********************\\\\\/////********************
     ***************   ||||||||   *********Ó*****
        *************  ||||||||  *************
           **********  ||||||||  **********
                       ||||||||
                       ||||||||
                       ||||||||
                       ||||||>|                       V
                   __//////\\\\\_            @      \ | /\
  ^^^^^^^^^^^^____//     \\      \\___      \|/      \|/
                                     \\__^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

.... ok, post your ascii art, then highlight it, then click on Code.

[Blacknight]

Code: Select all

(o) (o)
   \
   ``
\____/

OO! Colors! Bet you could make the apples red...

[Tyeise]

Just an extra thought - if we post someone else's ascii art - we need to give credit.

[Blacknight]

Just an extra thought - if we post someone else's ascii art - we need to give credit.

In my example above the only credits available were the initials beside the bird...

[cat bounds]

Tye, that's a lovely apple tree landscape. Phil, I think I prefer your black & white.

[Patricia]

I have quite a large collection of this stuff, too. Snoopy on top of his doghouse was always my favorite. The paper copies have long since died, but somewhere in the attic? . . . basement? . . garage? . . . are the punch cards. Also the punch cards to play Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on a printer. Wonder if they're any use now at all? If a system that would read them even exists?

[Tyeise]

Blacknight - I've forgotten her name, but I have quite a lot of stuff by her.

For example:

Code: Select all

-=[ hot air balloons and clouds ]=-  2/01
                                 _ .--.
                                ( `    )
                             .-'      `--,
                  _..----.. (             )`-.
                .'_|` _|` _|(  .__,           )
               /_|  _|  _|  _(        (_,  .-'
              ;|  _|  _|  _|  '-'__,--'`--'
              | _|  _|  _|  _| |
          _   ||  _|  _|  _|  _|
        _( `--.\_|  _|  _|  _|/
     .-'       )--,|  _|  _|.`
    (__, (_      ) )_|  _| /
   jgs`-.__.\ _,--'\|__|__/
                    ;____;
                     \YT/
                      ||
                     |""|
                     '=='

I don't know how to change the color inside the "code".

Code: Select all

 

My daffodils and crocus are in bloom.


|               /\   
|              /  \   _
|         _   |    | / |
  \       |  \ |    |/ / /^\
   |      \_  \  /¯¯¯¯¯¯/   \
   |        \   |       |   |
   |      /¯¯¯¯  \______\   /
   \\    |     //  \\ \  \./
    ||    \___/ |   \\_|
    ||      /   |   |
     \\    |     \_/
      \\   |
       \\  |
         \ |



Mind tended to be on the simple side, I'd often try to whip them up to go with the conversation on the forum, sometimes even when we were doing chats.

For example, one of our "parties" got so wild, we were all hanging from the chandliers.

Code: Select all

                     |
                     |
              ^ ^ ^ /|\ ^ ^ ^
              | | |/| | | | |
               \_\_\_V_/_/_/
                  |     |
              _Ô_/       \_Ô_
            \/ |           | \/
              /_\          |
               ||         ||
              //           \\

[Tyeise]

For a wonderful site on ASCII art, you might want to visit http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/7373/ She even has some in color!

[cat bounds]

Thanks for the link, Tye. Very cool how she has the art set up as a slide show, and there's even an ASCII art tutorial. I've never tried doing this, but I just might give it a whirl

[Tyeise]

Here's another that I did for a friend:

Code: Select all

                                                       /~
                   ___            ___       /~       o/        /~
                  /   \          /==/     o/                 o/
              ___/   ô >       o/ o/               
             /        /        Happy            /~   to   you!
            /   )    |                        o/ 
           (   )     /        /        Birthday
            ( )   __/     /==/
      _/===/()___/=^=====/
=====/     / /
          / /
         ///



[cat bounds]

I like that a lot, Tye

[Phyllis Stewart]

Tye, that's terrific!

[Tyeise]

Thank you! I always enjoyed doing these, but they take a little different technique - it takes a while to get used to the fact that even a space or two changes everything!

Code: Select all

             ___         ___
            /   \_______/   \
           |   _/       \_   |
            \ /           \ /
             |             |
         _   |   @    @    |
        / \  |             |
       |   | \      V      /
        \_/ \ \  \_/ \_/  /
         \   \/\_________/\__
          \  /     :      /  \
           \/     :      |    |
            |     :      |    |
            |     :     /     |
            |     :    /    _/
            |     :   |    /
           / \    :    \__/\
     __   /    \___:____/   \   __
    /  \_/     _/     \_     \_/  \
    |   \    _/         \_    /    |
     \   \ _/             \_ /    /
      \___/                 \____/

[PamSav]

Tye these are great - brings back memories of my old Amstrad CPC464 - so old it only had a tape deck as storage !

[lylejk]

Unfortunately ASCIIGen requires .NET now (the version I have is older and doesn't require it, even though I have it installed anyway).

Clicking on the link below will launch a high quality PDF file version.

[Phyllis Stewart]

Lyle, that's amazing! Suppose the program makes that much like those mosaics from hundreds of photos are created, choosing the best match for each spot.

[cat bounds]

Lyle, you're always surprising me, and I really like this image.

Unfortunately ASCIIGen requires .NET now

But I'm not sure what this part means.

[Janet Petty]

Sorry Phyl, I ran the program at a high resolution. The characters won't show up even at 24 inches wide. So I'll just remove it.

Janet

[Phyllis Stewart]

Jan, can't see the characters in this small image, but it turned out great. What program did you use to make it?

[lylejk]

Lyle, that's amazing! Suppose the program makes that much like those mosaics from hundreds of photos are created, choosing the best match for each spot.

There exist a few free Photo-mosaic software programs out there too. I haven't played with them though (not my groove should I say). Again, maybe with bootcamp, some of you MAC aficionados will be able to play with some of them.

To Catherine:

.NET is Uncle Bill's answer to JAVA (believe uses the C# programming language). Apparently Uncle Bill's giving the language away for free to programmers, that's why a lot of programs are starting to use it. I thought .NET should be translated for MACs too, but I guess I might be wrong.

[cat bounds]

Darlin' Janet, what am I going to do with you? We want to see your painting, large or small! Don't make me come up there............

So, Lyle, we non-programmers can't use the ASCIIGen software?

[lylejk]

Need to download .NET 2.0. I did and installed the latest last night. Man, the interface is lightyears better then the old version I have. It even allows TTF to be used (spacing the font for effect). Cool. For PC owners, just go to Microsoft's Update site (in IE, under Tools menu) and do a Custom Update. Look for the .NET 2.0 install (pretty big, so be aware of that) and then download ASCII from the link I posted above. Enjoy.

Also, to do figlets (as show below), click here.

Code: Select all

     _                       
___/__)         /)     , /)
(, /            //  _    (/_
  /        (_/_(/__(/_ /_/(__
(_____   .-/       .-/     
        )(_/       (_/       

Code: Select all

                                              ___                      ___     
                                             /\__\        ___         /|  |   
                    ___                     /:/ _/_      /\__\       |:|  |   
                   /|  |                   /:/ /\__\    /:/__/       |:|  |   
  ___     ___     |:|  |    ___     ___   /:/ /:/ _/_  /::\  \     __|:|  |   
/\  \   /\__\    |:|  |   /\  \   /\__\ /:/_/:/ /\__\ \/\:\  \   /\ |:|__|____
\:\  \ /:/  /  __|:|__|   \:\  \ /:/  / \:\/:/ /:/  /  ~~\:\  \  \:\/:::::/__/
  \:\  /:/  /  /::::\  \    \:\  /:/  /   \::/_/:/  /      \:\__\  \::/~~/~   
   \:\/:/  /   ~~~~\:\  \    \:\/:/  /     \:\/:/  /       /:/  /   \:\~~\     
    \::/  /         \:\__\    \::/  /       \::/  /       /:/  /     \:\__\   
     \/__/           \/__/     \/__/         \/__/        \/__/       \/__/   

And for MAC owners, I found this for pay version here.

[cat bounds]

Very cool, Lyle!

[lylejk]

...art is ANSI art {remember the BBS days; bulletin board service to those who don't remember this acronym}. Well, I ran across this little gem (poster12) that converts bitmaps to ANSI. Pretty cool. Too bad HTML can't view the the ANSI tags. I also found this program that convert's ANSI to PNG to view here. Attached is the conversion of the sample GIF file that comes with poster12.

PS: poster12 can be found by scrolling down this website of cool links. Of course it's DOS based, so you VISTA guys (probably not too many of you yet) won't be able to play (as I recall, VISTA won't run DOS programs; lol).

[cat bounds]

Very cool stuff, Lyle; it makes us mindful of our roots and how far we've come. Thanks for the links.

[lylejk]

LOL

Got this link from Chris Pirillo's Lockergnome newsletter.

http://www.graffitigen.com/

Edit:

Whoops; never did say I could spell; lol

Won't redo though; you get the gist.

[cat bounds]

Well, this is fun and unexpected. By the way, I think Llyle is Greate, too!
Thanx for the link.

[lylejk]

Chris Pirillo (Mr. Lockergnome himself) had a cool link on this very subject. Here's the video linkwhere he discusses various cool info and links. He mentions one of the founders of ASCII Art here (not the same Chris).

[cat bounds]

Thanks for the links, Lyle. I was thinking about ASCII art recently because someone in a forum signs her sig with this type of image.

[lylejk]

Some of you may have remembered that I was trying to create Rope art a few weeks back. Well now that I've found the GIMP Hose (.gih brush) out, this is childs play. I will provide a link to the hoses as soon as my Hispeed works again (Charter is having technical difficulties again; on my backup Dialup right now; lol). These files are small, so I will upload them now. Hope you all like.

Edit: Here's the brushes.

Also, I just posted this on DPR's forum.

[lylejk]

Some cool ASCII bitmaps (and many other things) can be found on this site. Used this set to create the Gold thread lettering.

[Sonya]

I've enjoyed going through this thread. The cowboy is really cool Lyle, and thanks for the rope brush link.

[lylejk]

Thanks for the comments Sonya. These bitmaps are pretty cool and felt I could use them for my thread binge. lol

[cat bounds]

Hey Lyle, you've definitely been on a thread binge! Cool images as usual. I'm always interested in what you've been doing.

[lylejk]

Since I'm not willing to purchase this program(too much work to use anyway since I'm lazy), I used GIMP to export a traced path as an SVG file and using Inkscape to create the Text on path rendering of Phyllis.

[Phyllis Stewart]

Lyle, you are too clever! I must stop typng so much... I'm turning into letters!
I like that program, but though it would be fun, you'd probably get tired of it. Still, only $35 and you could use it to make bday cards with recipient's picture. They'd love that!

[lylejk]

Playing with this cool and free program. Still vetting it so I'm running it Sandboxed, but I see no issues with it so far. Used my avatar as a test. This program is extremely powerful and I did this completely in it (includes options for background paper). Pretty cool eh?

[img=http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/1200/caricaturetxtoa3.th.jpg]

Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting

[lylejk]

Ambigram

Made a little more popular of late from the new Movie, Angels and Demons. Found a site which links to a commercial site that can generate these using one of two font types. I feel a little guilty since I did a copy paste and uprezzed/cleaned some. Oh well. Not going to make a profit from this. Can you guess what the name is.



http://www.ambigram.com/

[lylejk]

Found another 100% free Ambigram generator.

http://ambigram.matic.com./ambigram.htm



Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting

[lylejk]

Just playing around with my previous effort.



Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting