Use Four by Four to explore all possible 4x4 pixel black and white images. Please read the below instructions:

1) Click and drag your mouse over the grid to create a unique 4x4 image.


2) When you've finished step 1, hit any key.

3) Four by Four will animate for a moment and eventually stop when it highlights your 4x4 image.



4) Repeat steps 1-3.

Binary numbers can be used to represent black and white images. For instance, the binary number 1100 can be represented as two black pixels followed by two white pixels: This means that by counting in binary and rendering each number with pixels, all possible black and white images can be generated at a given image size. Including zero, Four by Four contains 65,536 images. If that sounds strange, think of this: A 4x4 black pixel square is represented in binary as 16 bits : 1111111111111111, or 65,535.

Using the same approach for 5x5 pixels will create 33,554,431 images. A 10x10 pixel version will create well over one nonillian images (1267650600228229401496703205376 to be exact).

It is possible to create a program that renders NxN pixel images by treating the images as a procedural texure. Here is a still from an early test for such a program: