What is the difference between ASCII art and text art?

ASCII art uses only the 128 characters in the original ASCII standard (letters, numbers, and basic symbols like /, \, |, _, and #). Text art is a broader term that includes ASCII art plus art made with Unicode characters — such as box-drawing characters, block elements, Braille patterns, and decorative symbols. Unicode art can be more detailed because it has access to thousands more characters.

How do I make text art look correct when I share it?

Text art depends on a monospaced (fixed-width) font to align correctly. When sharing text art, ensure the recipient views it in a monospaced font. Platforms that work well include Discord (code blocks), Reddit (code formatting), and any plain text editor. Social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter often use proportional fonts, which will break the alignment.

Can I create text art on my phone?

Yes, but it is much easier on a computer due to the larger screen and keyboard. On a phone, the simplest approach is to use a text art generator website like GYPU's Text Art page, find a design you like, copy it, and paste it where you need it. Creating original text art on a phone's small screen is possible but tedious.

How to Create Text Art: A Complete Guide to ASCII Art and Unicode Art

Text art is the practice of creating images and designs using only text characters. It is one of the oldest forms of computer art, predating graphical displays by decades. Today, text art thrives in online communities — from Discord servers and Reddit threads to social media bios and chat messages. Whether you want to create a simple emoticon or a detailed character portrait, this guide covers everything you need to get started.

A Brief History of Text Art

The roots of text art go back further than computers themselves. In the 1890s, typewriter artists created images by carefully positioning typed characters on paper. Flora Stacey's butterfly, typed in 1898, is one of the earliest known examples of typewriter art.

When computers emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, text art found a natural home. Early computer terminals could only display text, so programmers and hobbyists began creating images using the available ASCII character set — giving rise to the term "ASCII art". Bulletin board systems (BBSes) in the 1980s and early internet newsgroups in the 1990s became hotbeds of ASCII art creativity, with dedicated artist groups producing elaborate works.

With the adoption of Unicode, text artists gained access to thousands of additional characters — block elements, box-drawing characters, Braille patterns, and decorative symbols — enabling far more detailed and nuanced artwork than ASCII alone could produce.

Types of Text Art

Text art comes in several distinct styles, each with its own techniques and use cases:

Line Art

Uses characters to draw outlines and shapes. Common characters include / \ | _ - ( ) and box-drawing characters like ┌ ─ ┐ │ └ ┘. Best for simple diagrams, borders, and decorative frames.

  /\_/\
 ( o.o )
  > ^ <

Solid / Shaded Art

Uses characters of varying visual density to create shading effects. Characters are chosen based on how much of their space they fill: . is light, : is medium-light, o is medium, # is dark, and @ is very dark. Unicode block elements (░ ▒ ▓ █) offer even smoother gradients.

One-Line Art (Kaomoji)

Japanese-style emoticons that convey emotions using a single line of text. Unlike Western emoticons (which are read sideways), kaomoji are read face-on and use a wide range of Unicode characters for expression.

(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ (づ￣ ³￣)づ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Large Text / FIGlet

Creates large banner-style text by assembling smaller characters into letter shapes. Originally produced by the FIGlet program (Frank, Ian, and Glenn's Letters), this style is commonly seen in terminal welcome messages and code comments.

 _   _ ___
| | | |_ _|
| |_| || |
|  _  || |
|_| |_|___|

Techniques for Creating Text Art

If you want to create your own text art from scratch, here are the fundamental techniques:

Use a monospaced font. Text art relies on every character taking up exactly the same width. Use a monospaced editor like Notepad++, VS Code, or any plain text editor. Never compose text art in a word processor — proportional fonts will destroy the alignment.
Start with an outline. Sketch the basic shape of your design using simple characters like dashes, pipes, and slashes. Get the proportions right before adding detail.
Build a shading palette. Arrange characters from lightest to darkest visual weight. A common palette is: . : - = + * # % @. Use lighter characters for highlights and darker ones for shadows.
Work at the right scale. Characters are taller than they are wide (roughly 2:1 ratio). Account for this when drawing circles or other shapes — you will need roughly twice as many characters horizontally as vertically to get proportional shapes.
Use reference images. Place a reference image beside your text editor and recreate it character by character. Start with simple, high-contrast images for best results.

Where to Use Text Art

Text art works best on platforms that support monospaced text rendering:

Discord — wrap your art in a code block (triple backticks) for perfect monospaced rendering
Reddit — use code formatting (indent each line with 4 spaces) to preserve spacing
Terminal / command line — text art displays perfectly in any terminal emulator
Code comments — developers often use text art in source code headers and ASCII diagrams
Email signatures — small text art works in plain text emails
Chat messages — simple one-line art and kaomoji work in most messaging apps

For a ready-made collection of text art designs you can copy and paste instantly, visit our Text Art collection — organised by category with hundreds of designs.

Tools and Generators

You do not have to create text art from scratch. Several tools can convert images or text into text art automatically:

Image-to-ASCII converters — upload a photo and get a text art version. These analyse the brightness of each pixel and map it to a character of matching visual density
FIGlet generators — type text and see it rendered as large ASCII banner letters in various styles
Pre-made collections — browse curated libraries of text art ready to copy and paste, like GYPU's text art page
Big text generators — convert your text into large, blocky letter art using our big text generator