Pixelate
The Pixelate shader downsamples the canvas image into a mosaic of larger square blocks, creating a retro pixel-art or censorship effect. It uses nearest-neighbor sampling for crisp, hard-edged blocks.
Parameters
Pixel Size
| Range | Default | Step |
|---|---|---|
| 1–100 | 3 | 1 |
The size of each mosaic block in pixels.
| Value | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | No effect — original resolution |
| 2–4 | Subtle reduction, retro feel |
| 5–15 | Clearly pixelated, individual blocks visible |
| 16–50 | Heavy mosaic, abstract patterns emerge |
| 50–100 | Extreme — very few color blocks remain |
Info
The default pixel size of 3 provides a subtle retro aesthetic that complements ASCII art without overwhelming the character detail.
Keyframing
Pixel size supports numeric interpolation:
- Animate from 1 to large for a pixelate-out transition
- Animate from large to 1 for a reveal/de-pixelate effect
- Pulse between values for a glitchy digital aesthetic
Use Cases
- Retro gaming look — Pixel size 3–6 for a consistent low-res feel
- Transition effect — Keyframe pixel size from 1 to 50 to dissolve into blocks
- Censorship/redaction — Large pixel size (20+) during specific timeline sections
- Digital glitch — Rapidly keyframe between 1 and 10–20
- Abstract art — Very large pixel size (50+) turns the image into a color grid
Combining with Other Shaders
Pixelate works well in combination:
- Pixelate → Chromatic Aberration — Blocky with color fringe
- Glow → Pixelate — Bloom gets chunked into blocks
- Pixelate → Glow — Each pixel block gets a soft glow edge
Warning
Shader stacking order affects the result. Pixelate applied before other shaders produces blocky inputs to those effects. Applied after, it downsamples the final result.
Technical Notes
- Single-pass fragment shader
- Uses nearest-neighbor sampling — each pixel in a block takes the color of the block's top-left corner
- Block grid is aligned to the canvas origin for consistent tiling
- At pixel size 1, the shader is effectively a no-op (pass-through)