pixelsort

What is Pixel Sorting?

Have a look at this post or /r/pixelsorting

Dependencies

Should work in both Python 2 and 3, but Python 3 is recommended.

Usage

From the command line:

pip install pixelsort
python3 -m pixelsort %PathToImage% [options]

Tip: To replicate Kim Asendorf's original processing script, first sort vertically and then horizontally in threshold (default) mode:

python3 -m pixelsort %PathToImage% -a 90
python3 -m pixelsort %PathToSortedImage%

As a package:

>>> from pixelsort import pixelsort
>>> from PIL import Image
>>> a = Image.open("examples/image.jpg")
>>> a
<PIL.JpegImagePlugin.JpegImageFile image mode=RGB size=576x324 at 0x7F8F6A2AC208>
>>> pixelsort(a)
<PIL.Image.Image image mode=RGBA size=576x324 at 0x7F8F66AA57B8>

Parameters:

Parameter	Flag	Description
Interval function	`-i`	Controls how the intervals used for sorting are defined. See below for more details and examples. Threshold by default.
Output path	`-o`	Path of output file. Uses the current time for the file name by default.
Randomness	`-r`	What percentage of intervals not to sort. 0 by default.
Threshold (lower)	`-t`	How dark must a pixel be to be considered as a 'border' for sorting? Takes values from 0-1. 0.25 by default. Used in `edges` and `threshold` modes.
Threshold (upper)	`-u`	How bright must a pixel be to be considered as a 'border' for sorting? Takes values from 0-1. 0.8 by default. Used in `threshold` mode.
Char. length	`-c`	Characteristic length for the random width generator. Used in mode `random` and `waves`.
Angle	`-a`	Angle at which you're pixel sorting in degrees. `0` (horizontal) by default.
External interval file	`-f`	Image used to define intervals. Must be black and white.
Sorting function	`-s`	Sorting function to use for sorting the pixels. Lightness by default.
Mask	`-m`	Image used for masking parts of the image.
Logging level	`-l`	Level of logging statements made visible. Choices include `DEBUG`, `INFO`, `WARNING`, `ERROR`, and `CRITICAL`. `WARNING` by default.

Interval Functions

Interval function	Description
`random`	Randomly generate intervals. Distribution of widths is linear by default. Interval widths can be scaled using `char_length`.
`edges`	Performs an edge detection, which is used to define intervals. Tweak threshold with `threshold`.
`threshold`	Intervals defined by lightness thresholds; only pixels with a lightness between the upper and lower thresholds are sorted.
`waves`	Intervals are waves of nearly uniform widths. Control width of waves with `char_length`.
`file`	Intervals taken from another specified input image. Must be black and white, and the same size as the input image.
`file-edges`	Intevals defined by performing edge detection on the file specified by `-f`. Must be the same size as the input image.
`none`	Sort whole rows, only stopping at image borders.

Sorting Functions

Sorting function	Description
`lightness`	Sort by the lightness of a pixel according to a HSL representation.
`hue`	Sort by the hue of a pixel according to a HSL representation.
`saturation`	Sort by the saturation of a pixel according to a HSL representation.
`intensity`	Sort by the intensity of a pixel, i.e. the sum of all the RGB values.
`minimum`	Sort on the minimum RGB value of a pixel (either the R, G or B).