What is pixel sorting?

Pixel sorting is a glitch art technique where the pixels in each row or column of an image are rearranged in order — by brightness, hue, saturation or another property. The result is striking flowing streaks that drift from light to dark or red to blue. Originally popularised by artist Kim Asendorf around 2010, it's now used widely in album covers, editorial illustration, music video aesthetics and Y2K-revival graphic design.

How pixel sorting works

The algorithm walks through each row (or column) of an image, identifies segments of pixels that match a threshold criterion — often "all pixels brighter than X" — and reorders them by a sort key. Pixels outside the threshold range stay in place, which is what produces the characteristic "leaking" effect where some areas stay intact and others stream.

Sort keys

Brightness is the classic glitch streak — pixels flow from dark to light. Hue creates rainbow bands. Saturation emphasises grayscale-to-color transitions. The individual R, G, B channels give surreal color shifts. Pair the right sort key with the right threshold mode for very different aesthetics.

Apply pixel sort to video

All STUDIO·ITY tools accept video upload. Drop an MP4, MOV or WebM onto the canvas, pick a still frame to tweak settings, then render the full clip with the pixel sort effect applied frame-by-frame. Output is a standard H.264 MP4 — plays in QuickTime, VLC, social platforms. HEVC (iPhone) and ProRes are auto-converted in-browser. Free tier: 5 seconds at 480p; Pro: 30 seconds at source resolution.

Try more analog & digital effects

Halftone Generator — print dot patterns Dither Effect — retro pixel art Risograph Effect — multi-color riso
Frequently asked questions
What is pixel sorting?

Pixel sorting reorders pixels in each row (or column) of an image based on a property like brightness or hue, producing distinctive flowing streaks. The technique was popularised by Kim Asendorf and is widely used in album art, editorial illustration and Y2K-revival design.

What sort keys are available?

Seven keys: brightness, hue, saturation, lightness, red channel, green channel, blue channel. Brightness gives the classic glitch look; hue creates rainbow bands; channel sorts give surreal color shifts.

How does the threshold work?

Only pixels with a brightness, hue or saturation between the low and high threshold get sorted. The rest stay in place. This is what creates the "only the bright streaks flow" or "only the dark parts streak" looks.

Can I sort vertically?

Yes — pick horizontal or vertical direction. Vertical sort creates upward/downward streaks instead of left-right flows.

What's "segment max length"?

By default the tool sorts entire continuous segments — so a bright streak might span hundreds of pixels. Setting a max length breaks streaks into chunks for a chunkier, more digital glitch aesthetic.

What's the RGB shift?

RGB shift adds chromatic aberration — offsetting the red and blue channels slightly. Combined with pixel sort it gives a heavier "VHS / corrupted" feel.

Is the output free for commercial use?

Yes. Output is free for personal and commercial use. No attribution required.

Can I apply pixel sort to video?

Yes. Upload an MP4, MOV or WebM, pick a still frame to dial in your settings, then render the full clip with the pixel sort effect applied frame-by-frame. Output is a standard MP4 (H.264). HEVC and ProRes are auto-converted in-browser via FFmpeg.wasm. Free tier renders up to 5 seconds at 480p; Pro: up to 30 seconds at source resolution.