gistfile1.matlab

%% Read image and convert to grayscale
img = imread('pic.jpg');
img = rgb2gray(img);

%% Define grayscale representations of 0-255
chars = fliplr([' ', '.', ',', ':', '-', '=', '+', '*', '#', '%', '@']);
step = 256 / 11;

%% Cut image so its size is 8*w times 13*h
imgSize = size(img);
height = floor(imgSize(1) / 13);
width = floor(imgSize(2) / 8);

%% Create new "image" and translate the old one
ascii = char(zeros(height, width)) ;

for y = 1:height
    for x = 1:width
        % cut part of image
        cut = img(1 + (y-1)*13 : y*13, 1 + (x-1)*8 : x*8);
        % get mean
        m = mean(mean(cut));
        ascii(y, x) = chars(min(11, max(1, round(m / step))));
    end
end


%% Write image
dlmwrite('out.txt',ascii,'delimiter','');