Tool 02 · Canvas + brush reference

Tomodachi Life grid size, fully explained

The Palette House canvas is always 256×256 game pixels. Four brush sizes (4·8·16·32 px) snap to 64×64, 32×32, 16×16, or 8×8 effective grids. The in-game Grid view setting only adds reference lines — it never changes pixel size.

📐 See the reference table Use the calculator

Grid Maker

Paint-by-numbers blueprint with a recipe card.

Pixel Art Maker

Image → pixel art with 4 dithering algorithms.

Island Maker

Drag-and-drop layout creator — plan your island before you build.

Personality Matcher

Score any two Miis on the four-axis compatibility system.

Designs Gallery

Curated Palette House art with one-click recipes.
At a glance

Tomodachi Life canvas & grid — direct answers

How many pixels is the Tomodachi Life canvas?

256 × 256 = 65,536 game pixels for all square Palette House categories (clothes, food, pets, decals).

How big is the grid in Tomodachi Life?

The canvas is fixed at 256 × 256 game pixels. The effective grid you paint on depends on the brush you pick: 64×64, 32×32, 16×16, or 8×8 cells.

How many brush sizes are there?

4 pixel-perfect brush sizes: 4 px, 8 px, 16 px, and 32 px. Smooth mode adds 6 more sizes that don't snap to the grid.

How big is the Tomodachi Life island?

The outdoor island grid is a fixed map that expands as you progress. Our Island Maker uses a 12×8 planning grid (96 cells) — enough to sketch any reasonable layout.

Quick reference

Tomodachi Life canvas & brush sizes

The numbers below apply to all square Palette House categories: clothes, food, pets, decals. TVs and book covers use rectangular variants.

Brush size Mode Effective grid Total cells Game px per cell
4 pxPixel-perfect64 × 644,0964 × 4
8 pxPixel-perfect32 × 321,0248 × 8
16 pxPixel-perfect16 × 1625616 × 16
32 pxPixel-perfect8 × 86432 × 32

Live grid size calculator

Pick a brush and see the math instantly.

Pixel-perfect vs smooth mode

The Palette House brush picker has two modes. Pixel-perfect mode (rightmost stroke icon) is what you want for any pixel-art reference work — every stroke snaps to a single grid cell, no anti-aliasing, no colour bleeding. Smooth mode produces softer anti-aliased lines that don't respect the grid, useful only for organic illustration.

Our Grid Maker assumes pixel-perfect mode by default. If you find the recipe doesn't match what you see in-game, the most common cause is being in smooth mode instead.

What the in-game Grid view setting does (and doesn't do)

The Palette House brush menu has a "Grid view" toggle with four density options. This setting only overlays reference lines on top of the canvas — it does not change your art. Pick whichever density is easiest to count against. The densest setting (8×8) lines up exactly with our 4-px-brush grid.

Rule of thumb: pixel size = brush. Reference lines = Grid view. Two different controls.

TVs, book covers and other rectangular canvases

The 256×256 figure applies to all square categories. TVs, book covers, and a handful of other items use rectangular canvases — usually wider than tall. The exact pixel count varies per item. Open the in-game preview to confirm before designing.

Switch 2 differences

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is a Switch 1 title that also plays on Switch 2 with sharper rendering. The canvas size, palette, and brush behaviour are identical across both consoles. Switch 2's mouse mode makes painting more precise but doesn't change the underlying grid.

Related Tomodachi Life topics

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Grid size · FAQ

Common questions about canvas size, brushes, and what the in-game settings really do.

What is the Tomodachi Life grid size?
The Palette House canvas is 256×256 game pixels for square categories (clothes, food, pets, decals). TVs and book covers are rectangular variations. The Grid view setting in-game only changes how many reference lines are drawn — it does not change the actual pixel size of your art.
What are the Tomodachi Life brush sizes?
In pixel-perfect mode, there are 4 Tomodachi Life brush sizes: 4 px, 8 px, 16 px, and 32 px. On a 256×256 canvas they give you effective grids of 64×64, 32×32, 16×16, and 8×8 cells respectively. In smooth mode, there are 6 additional brush sizes for non-pixel art. The pixel-perfect 4-size set is what every paint-by-numbers tool (including ours) is calibrated against.
How many pixels are in Tomodachi Life?
Each square Palette House canvas is 256 × 256 = 65,536 game pixels. How many of those you actually paint depends on brush size: a 32 px brush gives you 64 cells to paint; a 4 px brush gives you 4,096. The pixel count never changes — just how many cells the brush groups them into.
What is the difference between pixel-perfect and smooth mode?
Pixel-perfect mode snaps every stroke to the grid — one cell, one colour, no anti-aliasing. Smooth mode produces softer, anti-aliased lines that blur across cells. Use pixel-perfect for any pixel-art reference work; use smooth for organic illustration.
Does the in-game Grid view setting change my pixels?
No. Grid view is purely a visual overlay — reference lines layered on top of the canvas. Your art stays exactly the same regardless of which Grid view density you pick. To change actual pixel size, change the brush.
What canvas size do TVs and book covers use?
TVs and book covers use rectangular canvases instead of the standard 256×256 square. Their exact dimensions vary by item — check the in-game preview when you open the design category.