diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d64112a..ce537ae 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -17,12 +17,6 @@ a library for parsing Bitsy game data.
 
 ## todo
 
-### fix pixels
-
-I made the assumption that a pixel is "0" or "1". nope. 
-it's an unsigned int and can point to whatever colour you like 
-as long as it exists in the palette.
-
 ### functions
 * position from
 * position to
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 43b2ec8..81f8722 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ struct Palette {
 
 #[derive(Eq, PartialEq)]
 struct Image {
-    pixels: Vec<bool>, // 64 for SD, 256 for HD
+    pixels: Vec<u8>, // 64 for SD, 256 for HD
 }
 
 #[derive(Eq, PartialEq)]
@@ -142,11 +142,34 @@ fn image_from_string(string: String) -> Image {
     let string = string.replace("\n", "");
     let pixels: Vec<&str> = string.split("").collect();
     // the above seems to add an extra "" at the start and end of the vec, so strip them below
-    let pixels: Vec<bool> = pixels[1..(pixels.len() - 1)].iter().map(|&char| {char == "1"}).collect();
-    
+    let pixels = &pixels[1..(pixels.len() - 1)];
+    let pixels: Vec<u8> = pixels.iter().map(|&pixel| { pixel.parse::<u8>().unwrap() }).collect();
+
     Image { pixels }
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn test_image_from_string() {
+    let output = image_from_string(
+        "11111111\n11001111\n10111111\n11111111\n11111111\n11111111\n11111111\n11111111".to_string()
+    );
+
+    let expected = Image {
+        pixels: vec![
+            1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,
+            1,1,0,0,1,1,1,1,
+            1,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,
+            1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,
+            1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,
+            1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,
+            1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,
+            1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,
+        ]
+    };
+
+    assert_eq!(output, expected)
+}
+
 fn image_to_string(image: Image) -> String {
     image_to_string_opts(image, true)
 }
@@ -167,40 +190,18 @@ fn image_to_string_opts(image: Image, hd: bool) -> String {
     string
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn test_image_from_string() {
-    let output = image_from_string(
-        "11111111\n11001111\n10111111\n11111111\n11111111\n11111111\n11111111\n11111111".to_string()
-    );
-
-    let expected = Image {
-        pixels: vec![
-            true,true,true,true,true,true,true,true,
-            true,true,false,false,true,true,true,true,
-            true,false,true,true,true,true,true,true,
-            true,true,true,true,true,true,true,true,
-            true,true,true,true,true,true,true,true,
-            true,true,true,true,true,true,true,true,
-            true,true,true,true,true,true,true,true,
-            true,true,true,true,true,true,true,true,
-        ]
-    };
-
-    assert_eq!(output, expected)
-}
-
 #[test]
 fn test_image_to_string() {
     let output = image_to_string(Image {
         pixels: vec![
-            true,false,true,false,true,false,true,false,
-            false,true,false,true,false,true,false,true,
-            true,false,true,false,true,false,true,false,
-            false,true,false,true,false,true,false,true,
-            true,false,true,false,true,false,true,false,
-            false,true,false,true,false,true,false,true,
-            true,false,true,false,true,false,true,false,
-            false,true,false,true,false,true,false,true,
+            1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,
+            0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,
+            1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,
+            0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,
+            1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,
+            0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,
+            1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,
+            0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,
         ]
     });
 
@@ -251,7 +252,7 @@ fn test_tile_from_string() {
         wall: true,
         animation_frames: vec![
             Image {
-                pixels: vec![true; 64]
+                pixels: vec![1; 64]
             }
         ],
     };
@@ -288,24 +289,24 @@ fn test_tile_to_string() {
         wall: false,
         animation_frames: vec![
             Image { pixels: vec![
-                true,false,true,false,true,false,true,false,
-                false,true,false,true,false,true,false,true,
-                true,false,true,false,true,false,true,false,
-                false,true,false,true,false,true,false,true,
-                true,false,true,false,true,false,true,false,
-                false,true,false,true,false,true,false,true,
-                true,false,true,false,true,false,true,false,
-                false,true,false,true,false,true,false,true,
+                1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,
+                0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,
+                1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,
+                0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,
+                1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,
+                0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,
+                1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,
+                0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,
             ]},
             Image { pixels: vec![
-                false,true,false,true,false,true,false,true,
-                true,false,true,false,true,false,true,false,
-                false,true,false,true,false,true,false,true,
-                true,false,true,false,true,false,true,false,
-                false,true,false,true,false,true,false,true,
-                true,false,true,false,true,false,true,false,
-                false,true,false,true,false,true,false,true,
-                true,false,true,false,true,false,true,false,
+                0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,
+                1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,
+                0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,
+                1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,
+                0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,
+                1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,
+                0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,
+                1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,
             ]},
         ]
     });