Artkal bead pattern maker

Turn a photo into an Artkal S-series pattern: each cell is one 5 mm Artkal soft bead with its S code, and the key counts beads per color. Artkal S has the largest 5 mm palette in our data, which helps photos and subtle gradients.

Updated October 26, 2026

Choose a photo

or drop or paste an image here. It stays on your device.

Craft

Colors from

Width (beads)

Max colors

Your photo starts at 29 beads wide (the sample below is 29 × 29); height follows the photo. Up to 150 wide free.

2 to 30 colors free; up to 80 with Pro.

Confetti cleanup

Dithering (smoother shading, more scattered beads) Leave the background unstitched

Sample chart: a strawberry, 29 × 29 beads (5.7 × 5.7 in on 5 mm S-series pegboard) in 14 Artkal S colors. Its background is left unstitched (542 cells of bare pegboard), so the key counts only the motif. Choose a photo to chart your own at 29 beads wide.

Grid: 29 × 29
Finished size: 5.7 × 5.7 in (14.5 × 14.5 cm)
Colors: 14 Artkal S
Beads: 299 · 1 pegboard

Color key: 14 Artkal S colors, most used first
Symbol	Artkal S	Name	Beads	Share
X	S34	Red	84	28.1 %
O	SL3	Glitter Red	41	13.7 %
+	S05	Tall Poppy	38	12.7 %
#	S57	Buccaneer	30	10.0 %
@	S87	Coral Red	29	9.7 %
%	S85	Red Wine	20	6.7 %
&	S71	Jade Green	17	5.7 %
=	S113	Khaki	12	4.0 %
S	S118	Pinetree Green	11	3.7 %
T	S95	Salmon	5	1.7 %
V	S112	Oaktree Brown	4	1.3 %
Z	S41	Copper	4	1.3 %
H	S15	Redwood	2	0.7 %
N	S19	Bubble Gun	2	0.7 %

Bead counts are exact: one bead per cell. Share is each color's part of all beads; buy a little extra of each color for losses. The design spans 1 × 1 pegboard of 29 × 29 pegs. Thread and bead colors on screen are approximations of the real material.

Free PDF up to 60 × 60 beads (vector chart with real text symbols, color key and estimates). PNG has no size limit.

Pro, $14 once: PDF at any size with a page map, 31 to 80 colors, symbol-only or color charts, a shopping-list CSV and saved projects.

What this Artkal bead pattern maker makes

Artkal S beads are 5 mm "soft" beads with S-prefixed codes (S01 White, S13 Black and so on). The wide range of shades means photos need fewer compromises than with smaller palettes, so this preset starts at 16 colors instead of 12.

S-series beads fit standard 5 mm pegboards. The tool matches against the S palette only; for 2.6 mm Artkal C-series beads use the Artkal mini bead page.

The Artkal bead preset

Grid material	5 mm S-series pegboard
Size of one bead	5 mm square
Beads per inch	5.08
Beads in 10 × 10 cm	400
Color palette	199 Artkal S colors; Artkal S-series fuse beads (5 mm, soft)
Suggested width	29 beads = 14.5 cm (5.7 in)
Suggested color limit	16 colors (free tool: up to 30)
Shopping list in the key	bead count per Artkal S color

How big a Artkal bead pattern comes out

Finished width = beads × 5 mm. The table uses the nominal grid (5 mm S-series pegboard); real pieces vary slightly with the material.

Artkal bead pattern maker: finished size by width
Width (beads)	Width (cm)	Width (in)	Square design: beads
29 Artkal S beads	14.5	5.7	841
40 Artkal S beads	20.0	7.9	1,600
60 Artkal S beads	30.0	11.8	3,600
80 Artkal S beads	40.0	15.7	6,400

Artkal S beads for a target width

At 5 mm per bead, 10 cm takes 20 beads. Use this table to pick the width for a coaster, a keyring or a framed piece.

Target width	Width in beads	Beads for a square design
5 cm wide	10 Artkal S beads	100
10 cm wide	20 Artkal S beads	400
15 cm wide	30 Artkal S beads	900
20 cm wide	40 Artkal S beads	1,600

How to read a Artkal bead pattern

Read the pattern square by square: each square is one bead, and the key gives the S code, the color name and the count.

With a large palette, neighboring colors can look alike on paper. Use the symbols rather than the swatches when two shades sit next to each other.

Materials for Artkal bead patterns

Artkal S-series 5 mm beads by the codes in the key.
Standard 5 mm pegboards; link several for wide designs.
Ironing paper and an iron without steam.
Tweezers and a sorting tray with labelled compartments.

Make a Artkal bead pattern from a photo

Choose the photo

Photos with gradients (sky, skin, fur) benefit most from the big S palette.
Set the width

Start at 29 beads for one board, or 50 to 80 beads for photo portraits.
Pick the color limit

Sixteen colors is the preset; raise it for photos, lower it for graphics.
Bead and check

Follow the symbols row by row and compare the counts in the key as you go.
Fuse

Iron through paper at medium heat in slow circles; soft beads fuse evenly and stay flat when cooled under a weight.

Tips for Artkal bead patterns

A large palette tempts you to use many colors; for a first project, keep it under 20 so sorting stays fun.
Artkal codes are easier to reorder than names; keep the key with your stock.
Check near-identical shades in daylight before buying both; on a pegboard they may read as one color.
Each Artkal color page lists the closest Perler and Hama colors if you want to mix brands.

Artkal S color pages

Each page lists the color's hex value and its nearest equivalents in other brands by CIEDE2000.

Artkal S colors, one per family

Color references

Frequently asked questions

Can you turn a photo into an Artkal bead pattern?

Yes. Upload the photo, choose the width and the number of colors, and the tool converts it to Artkal S colors with a bead count per code.

What is the difference between Artkal S and C beads?

S-series beads are 5 mm soft beads; C-series beads are 2.6 mm mini beads. They use different code lists, so this page uses S codes and the Artkal mini page uses C codes.

Can I mix Artkal with Perler or Hama beads?

They are all nominally 5 mm and fit the same pegboards, so many people mix them. They may melt at slightly different rates; fuse a small test piece first.

How big is a 60-bead Artkal bead pattern?

60 beads at 5 mm each come out 30.0 cm (11.8 in) wide. A square design that size has 60 rows and 3,600 beads.

Other pattern makers

More pattern makers

Mini Hama bead pattern maker 2.5 mm Mini pegboard; Hama Mini palette with 78 colors; 1,600 beads per 10 × 10 cm