How to convert every pixel of raster picture to square objects in Illustrator?

Question

For example I have 10×10px icon. I want to produce 100 squares with correspondent color and location each. Actually, the question is how to make exact pixel mosaic out of raster image.

I tried Live Trace but it added some distortions to squares.

Answer 1

This is actually really easy. Take a selected copied or placed (unlinked) raster image, then:

• Object > Create Object Mosaic
  • Or, in older versions of Illustrator, it was Filter > Create > Mosaic
• Input the exact width and height of the pixel image under "Number of tiles".
• That's it!

Your vector pixel squares will be wrapped in two groups, so ungroup twice or double-click into isolation mode twice to get at the individual squares (or rectangles if your ratio is off...).

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Two examples:

Quick example using a Yahoo emoticon borrowed from this question:

Detailed example, with polar bears:

http://garmahis.com/tutorials/how-to-create-mosaic-in-illustrator/

Answer 2

While not converting, here's a quick way to recreate. I don't believe any tracing will give adequate results.

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Draw a rectangle the size of the entire image.

Choose Object > Path > Split into Grid...

Grab the Live Paint Bucket Tool (Under the Shape Builder tool in Illustrator CS6)

Start Clicking sections to fill....

(editing note: this response was moved to the question and deleted from the original question. it simply fits better here.)

Answer 3

If you have acces to Photoshop, there is a rather easy way:

• reduce your image to your desired 'resolution' (say 30x30) with Image size;
• re-enlarge it again (to, say, 600x600), with the 'resample image' setting on 'nearest neighbour';
• copy the result to Illustrator;
• LiveTrace;

If you use enough colours for the trace, this should yield squares.

Answer 4

This tool should provide what you're looking for: http://florian-berger.de/en/software/pixel2svg/