About allRGB
A gallery of digital artworks containing every one of the 16,777,216 colors in the 24-bit RGB color space exactly once.
The concept
An RGB color is defined by its red, green and blue channels. At eight bits per channel, there are 256 possible values for each: 256 × 256 × 256 = 16,777,216 different colors.
allRGB asks creators to use each of those colors exactly once in a single image. Every finished artwork has the same palette, yet the results can look completely different. The restriction is technical; the interpretation is creative.
Using the website
Browse the archive to discover artworks, or use First, Random and Latest in the header to jump into the collection. On an artwork page, Previous and Next move through the published entries.
The full-resolution viewer can be scrolled to explore the image at its native size. Its interactive thumbnail helps you navigate large artworks. Some entries have additional features, including animation, an alpha-channel preview or audio interpreted from the image data.
Contributing
Artists, designers and programmers are welcome to create original work using code, image-editing tools, generative methods or any combination of techniques.
Submit your finished artwork through the website’s submission process. After submission, simply wait for it to be reviewed. Each submission will either be published or denied; there is no need to contact the curator about routine submissions.
Please check the rules before uploading. Submission does not guarantee publication.
The rules
Each submitted image must contain every one of the 16,777,216 possible 24-bit RGB colors exactly once: no missing colors, no repeated colors. Every pixel must contain actual RGB color information, including pixels with transparency; an alpha channel does not replace the RGB values.
The work must be original, distinctive and interesting. You must have created it yourself, own the submitted work, and have all rights needed to publish it. Do not upload material that infringes anyone else’s copyright or other rights.
Keep the content suitable for a PG-13 audience. Hate speech and content promoting hatred or discrimination are not allowed.
New submissions must not use Lena/Lenna-style test portraits or images derived from them. Already-published entries featuring that portrait are grandfathered in and may remain online.
Image files must contain pixel data and, if needed, ordinary image metadata—not unrelated embedded payloads, concealed files, executable content or other exotic data.
Do not submit files intended or likely to compromise, crash, overwhelm or otherwise cause problems for the website’s infrastructure or its visitors’ software or hardware.
These standards apply to animated images and images with alpha channels too. The curator may deny submissions that do not comply or are not suitable for the collection.
In the press
Over the years, allRGB has attracted attention from technology publications, design blogs and online communities. A selection of documented articles and discussions follows.
- Gizmodo · September 2013 All 16 Million Colors of the RGB Spectrum Are in These Pictures
- Kottke.org · September 2013 All the colors, once each
- Graphic Design Stack Exchange · 2018 How are the images at AllRGB.com created?
- Un_Ordnungen allRGB — digital visual culture archive
Other appearances reported by the project include Slashdot, WIRED, Reddit, Vsauce. Original links are still being collected.
Frequently asked questions
Can you convert my image into an allRGB image?
No. allRGB is a gallery, not an image conversion service. We expect submissions to already meet our requirements, and we check every submission.
If you'd like someone to create an allRGB image for you, de idee can discuss a commissioned project.
Can I use an allRGB image in my own project?
That depends on the image and its creator. The artworks on allRGB are made by different artists, using different methods and for different purposes.
Some artworks have an explicit license in their descriptions, but most do not. Unless a license or other permission covers your intended use, you should contact the creator and request permission for that particular image.
How are allRGB images made?
In many different ways. Most allRGB images are generated using custom scripts written in programming languages such as Python, Java or C++. Others have been created using image-editing software such as Adobe Photoshop, or even a text editor.
There is no single prescribed method. What matters is the result: every one of the 16,777,216 RGB colors must appear exactly once.
What's the purpose of allRGB?
allRGB started as a technical experiment, exploring what could be created under the constraint of using every RGB color exactly once.
Over time, it has evolved into a platform for artistic expression, experimentation and creative challenges. The same technical constraint can produce remarkably different results.
Why do some artworks feature Lena (Lenna)?
The Lena image was historically part of a widely used collection of image-processing test images. Some allRGB artworks were created using it before their creators became aware that the person depicted had asked for its use to stop.
We no longer accept new submissions featuring Lena. Previously published artworks are grandfathered under our existing-content policy.
Why are some allRGB images transparent? Isn't that cheating?
Not necessarily. Transparency is stored separately from the RGB color values. An image can contain all 16,777,216 required RGB colors exactly once while also having an alpha channel.
It's true that transparency affects the appearance of the artwork: the background behind it becomes part of what you see. Whether that makes the result more interesting or less satisfying is ultimately a matter of taste.
Our requirement concerns the RGB color data, not whether every pixel is fully opaque.