____  _       ____    _         _
| __ )(_)_ __ |___ \  / \   _ __| |_
|  _ \| | '_ \  __) |/ _ \ | '__| __|
| |_) | | | | |/ __// ___ \| |  | |_
|____/|_|_| |_|_____/_/   \_\_|   \__|

Bin2Art transforms binary files into abstract artwork. It reads ROMs, disk images, executables, and other binary data, interpreting the bytes as RGB colour values to create unique visual patterns.

Examples

Spectrum + Horizontal	Spectrum + Blocks	CPC + Horizontal

C64 + Blocks	Neon + Radial	Neon + Radial

Key Features

The tool offers several visualisation options:

• Colour Modes: Normal RGB mapping, amplified contrast, neon, plus retro palettes (Game Boy, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum)
• Pattern Effects: Linear, mosaic, Hilbert curve, radial/mandala, horizontal bands, diagonal stripes, chunky blocks
• Retro Effects: CRT-style scanlines (--scanlines) and pixel art antialiasing (--antialias), or both (--retro)
• Post-Processing: Blur, colour enhancement, contrast boost, posterisation, or all at once (--all-effects)
• Output Options: Configurable size (default 1024px), format (PNG/JPEG/BMP), and output directory

Installation

git clone https://github.com/DarrenBenson/Bin2Art.git
cd Bin2Art

# Optional: create virtual environment
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

pip install -r requirements.txt

Requires Python 3.8+ and pip.

Usage

Place supported files in the directory and run:

# Process all supported files with defaults
python bin2art.py

# Apply colour mode and effect
python bin2art.py --color spectrum --effect horizontal

# Add retro CRT effects
python bin2art.py --color spectrum --effect blocks --retro

# Combine multiple options
python bin2art.py --color c64 --effect blocks --scanlines --posterize

# Custom output settings
python bin2art.py --format JPEG --size 3840 --output-dir ./output

Supported formats: .dsk, .tap, .a26, .cdt, .rom, .mp3

Output defaults to 1024x1024 PNG with NEAREST resampling for crisp pixels.

Running Tests

python run_tests.py

Support & Structure

Run python bin2art.py --help for full command reference.

The project uses MIT licensing and welcomes community contributions. See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.