After exploring with ASCIIPic, I found another bitmap-to-ASCII converter that do the coloring process that I tried before using HTML coding a lot faster, since it directly converts the ASCII file to an HTML one. Thus, there's no need to code by hand. It's called HTML Picture Painter.

Figure 2: HTML Picture Painter main window.

In order to produce an acceptable-size ASCII file with ASCIIPic or HTML Picture Painter, the image must not be larger than 100x100 pixels. Otherwise, the resulting ASCII image will span several 640x480 resolution screens. Don't worry about the image's appearance: the ASCII image will never reach the original image's resolution or complexity. Also, if you want to see the ASCII nature of the picture, the characters, by default, should not be made smaller than 6 points or so.

What's more important is to care for the image's aspect ratio. ASCIIPic, as well as other similar programs I have tried, can hardly keep the image's original proportions. So in order to maintain them, you'll have to alter the image's proportions in a graphics editor before applying ASCIIPic. Of course, it's a matter of trial-and-error until you're satisfied with the results.

Let's put what we have said into practice. The process requires a few seconds, and a few simple steps. Begin by selecting your fractal picture, and immediately, reduce its size to 100x100 using any graphics editor. Be sure to deactivate the MAINTAIN ASPECT RATIO option for non-square images. Although it's not a requirement, sometimes it could be of some help. Be sure that none of the image's dimensions exceed 100 pixels.

For this exercise, we're going to use ASCIIPic, so be sure to save the miniature as a BMP file because ASCIIPic only reads BMP files. ASCIIPic opens up with the interface you saw in figure 1 (previous page). Use the INPUT button to load your image into ASCIIPic, then give a name to the output text file by clicking on the OUTPUT button and selecting a folder where to store the *.txt file.

ASCIIPic have several options you can change to alter the results. Actually, you can bypass the image reduction step given above if you select a lower zoom percentage under the OPTIONS tab. By default, it is set to 100% zoom.

Figure 3: ASCIIPic's OPTIONS tab.

The BRIGHTNESS control will change the characters used to render the picture. Going to the brighter side will change to less bulky characters (with sufficient white space around them) as to produce a ASCII file that gives the impression of lightness. The contrary will happen, of course, when moving the slider control to the darker side.