5 Common Mistakes When Making Pixel Avatars (And How to Avoid Them)
Whether you're using the Square Face Generator, the Oval Face Generator, or the Square Face Cube Generator, a few simple mistakes can make your avatar look busy, unclear, or just "off." Here’s how to avoid them.
1. Using Too Many Elements
It’s tempting to add glasses, a hat, blush, freckles, and a special mouth. The result often looks cluttered, especially at 32×32 or 64×64 pixels.
Fix: Pick 2–3 standout features and leave the rest simple. Less is more.
2. Ignoring Small-Size Preview
Your avatar will usually be shown small: Discord, X, forums. If you only check it at full size, you might miss that the expression gets lost when scaled down.
Fix: Zoom out or shrink the browser window while designing. If the face doesn’t read clearly at 64px, simplify.
3. Poor Color Contrast
Pale yellow face + pale yellow hair, or dark gray on dark gray, makes features disappear. Low contrast hurts readability at small sizes.
Fix: Use the color picker to keep 2–3 main colors with clear contrast (e.g. warm face + darker hair and eyes).
4. Off-Center or Misaligned Features
Eyes or mouth that are slightly off can make the face look unbalanced. On circular crop (Discord, X), the center matters even more.
Fix: Use the position controls (up/down/left/right) to nudge elements until the face feels centered and balanced.
5. Not Trying Random First
Going straight to manual mode without ever hitting Random can leave you stuck in the same style. Random gives instant ideas and variety.
Fix: Click Random a few times on the Square Face Generator or Oval Face Generator, then customize from a base you like.
Avoiding these five mistakes will make your pixel avatars clearer and more recognizable. Start from the home page and experiment — the best avatar is often the one you refine step by step.