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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Tutorial: How to create a custom palette and convert images + examples

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Amnesie
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Joined: 30/06/2020
Location: Germany
Posts: 763

Posted: 09:01pm 21 Aug 2025

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Hi all,

since Peter convinced me, that the HDMI version is far superior, I am playing with it a lot and made a tutorial and created some example images for custom palette.

You find here:

1. a basic program with a new custom palette which switches between custom and default

2. some example images (all in zip-file)

3. a quick "how to" for Photoshop users, but I am sure this applies to all other image tools!

First of all, this custom palette is NOT my own idea, but from this User from the Pixeljoint forum.

I simply love this palette, it is the perfect sweetspot for me. But you can choose others. Examples are all with this custom palette.

How can one convert any image to this custom palette? Follow this steps:

Quote
1. Create New Image (resolution 720x400, RGB)

2. Load an image of interest

3. Click Image -> Mode -> Indexed Color

4. Load (first customPalette)

5. Click OK

6. This time load originalPalette

7. Click OK

8. Change Image Mode to RGB-Color

9. Save as 24-bit bmp image

How does it look?

I am really suprised how good this looks. Maybe the time has come for a Point & Click Adventure game?

In my zip- file you can find:

- Example Images seen here
- The basic program with the custom palette
- RGB color values
- and the Photoshop Color Palettes (Pico original / custom)

custom palette example.zip

have fun!

Greetings
Daniel

lizby
Guru

Joined: 17/05/2016
Location: United States
Posts: 3872

Posted: 11:13pm 21 Aug 2025

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Nice work. Congratulations. Looking very good.

PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on FOTS

Grogster

Admin Group

Joined: 31/12/2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 10030

Posted: 06:52am 22 Aug 2025

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Excellent.

Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!

Martin H.

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Joined: 04/06/2022
Location: Germany
Posts: 1522

Posted: 02:43pm 22 Aug 2025

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awsome Daniel

'no comment

Peter63
Senior Member

Joined: 28/07/2017
Location: Sweden
Posts: 205

Posted: 05:46am 23 Aug 2025

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jepp

AlbertR
Senior Member

Joined: 29/05/2025
Location: Germany
Posts: 110

Posted: 02:59pm 28 Aug 2026

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Hi Daniel,

since my lemmings were always scattering among the rocks, I wanted to take a closer look at the color palettes.

As you suspected, other programs work in a similar way.

Quote
3. a quick "how to" for Photoshop users, but I am sure this applies to all other image tools!

I recreated it using GIMP.

I also tried “generate optimum palette”, and it worked really well. Before I applied the Pico palette, I saved the palette using IrfanView. I found the IrfanView format the easiest to import in the basic-program.

But I've never needed to save the files in 24-bit format—I only use 4-bit. That way, the files are smaller and load faster. Has anything changed in MMBasic since then?
If the image is rendered in a single color tone, the images look pretty good even with just 16 colors.

also a zip- file with

- Example Images and there Pal-files
- a slideshow-program for the directory
- and the Gimp Palettes DawnB16.gpl(Daniel org),PicoPal.gpl(Pico org)

Mode3SlideShow4bit.zip

for inspiration.

Regards
Albert

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