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+# 📸 Rubymagick — Simple Ruby Image Converter & Pixelation Tool
+
+**Rubymagick** is a tiny Ruby/Sinatra web app for converting images (like PNGs) into **JPEGs**, shrinking file sizes, or applying **fun retro effects** such as CRT scanlines and adjustable pixelation.
+
+It’s designed to be lightweight, easy to run locally, and perfect for:
+
+* Compressing PNGs into small JPGs
+* Preparing images for websites or blog posts
+* Pixelating art or photos (SNES / PS1 / Game Boy style)
+* Adding fake CRT scanlines for retro aesthetics
+* Quickly batch-converting images through a browser
+
+No account, no cloud upload — just run it on your own machine.
+
+---
+
+## ✨ Features
+
+### ✔️ JPEG Conversion
+
+Upload any image (PNG, JPG, WebP, HEIC, etc.) and convert it into a JPEG with adjustable quality.
+
+### ✔️ Adjustable JPEG Quality Slider
+
+Choose any value from **10–100**. Lower quality = smaller file size.
+
+### ✔️ Pixelation Effect (with slider)
+
+A fully adjustable pixelation slider:
+
+* Factor **2** → subtle pixelation
+* Factor **8** → chunky SNES/GBA style
+* Factor **12–25** → extreme blocky PS1 / Minecraft look
+
+### ✔️ CRT / Scanline Effect
+
+Simulates a low-resolution CRT display:
+
+* Downscales to fake 480p
+* Adds contrast + noise
+* Optionally overlays scanlines if `public/scanlines.png` exists
+
+### ✔️ Local, Private, Simple
+
+Everything runs on your machine.
+Nothing leaves your computer.
+
+---
+
+## 🛠 Requirements
+
+You need the following gems:
+
+```
+sinatra
+sinatra-contrib
+mini_magick
+rackup
+puma
+```
+
+Install them with:
+
+```bash
+gem install sinatra sinatra-contrib mini_magick rackup puma
+```
+
+And you must have ImageMagick installed:
+
+### Debian/Ubuntu
+
+```bash
+sudo apt install imagemagick
+```
+
+### Fedora/Rocky/RHEL
+
+```bash
+sudo dnf install imagemagick
+```
+
+### Arch
+
+```bash
+sudo pacman -S imagemagick
+```
+
+---
+
+## 🚀 Running the App
+
+Save the project as `app.rb`, then run:
+
+```bash
+bundle exec ruby app.rb
+```
+
+Or if you're not using Bundler:
+
+```bash
+ruby app.rb
+```
+
+A provided `start-server.sh` Bash script is also available
+
+Then visit:
+
+```
+http://localhost:4567/
+```
+
+---
+
+## 🖼 How to Use
+
+1. Open the web UI.
+2. Upload an image (PNG, JPG, WEBP, etc.)
+3. Choose your desired JPEG output quality.
+4. Select an effect (None, CRT, or Pixelated).
+5. If you choose Pixelated → adjust the intensity slider.
+6. Click **Convert to .jpg**.
+7. Download your JPEG file.
+
+Converted files are stored in:
+
+```
+public/output/
+```
+
+---
+
+## 🎛 Effects Explained
+
+### 🔸 CRT / Scanline Mode
+
+This effect simulates an old-school CRT monitor:
+
+* Resizes image down to low resolution
+* Boosts contrast
+* Adds light noise for texture
+* If `public/scanlines.png` exists, overlays it
+
+Good for:
+
+* Retro edits
+* Vaporwave / synthwave style
+* Terminal-style effects
+
+---
+
+### 🔸 Pixelation Mode (Adjustable)
+
+Uses nearest-neighbor downscale → upscale trick.
+
+Formula:
+
+```
+small_w = width / factor
+small_h = height / factor
+```
+
+Then scales back up with no filtering.
+
+Great for:
+
+* Pixel art effects
+* Lo-fi game textures
+* Retro aesthetic
+* Meme-style blur blocks
+
+---
+
+## 📁 Optional: Add Custom Scanlines
+
+Place a PNG named:
+
+```
+public/scanlines.png
+```
+
+It will be automatically applied when CRT mode is selected.
+
+---
+
+## 🧩 Project Structure
+
+Typical layout:
+
+```
+rubymagick/
+ ├─ app.rb
+ ├─ Gemfile
+ ├─ public/
+ │    ├─ output/
+ │    └─ scanlines.png (optional)
+```
+
+Output files go into `public/output/`.
+
+---
+
+## 📝 About This App
+
+Rubymagick is intentionally small and hackable.
+It’s perfect as:
+
+* A personal utility
+* A learning project for Sinatra
+* A way to explore ImageMagick through Ruby
+* A lightweight image-prep tool for websites
+
+You can expand it easily with:
+
+* WebP/AVIF export
+* Batch uploads
+* Color palette reduction (NES/Game Boy)
+* VHS distortion effects
+* CLI wrapper mode
+
+Just modify the helper functions or add more UI elements.
+
+---
+