Thread: anyone interested in pixel art?

If you do oil painting or watercolor, why not try pixel painting. The only difference is that you are using pixels instead of oils (messy) or watercolors (wet?). The process is the same as with any medium. I am curious if any of you folks do pure art in this way?

pixelpainter

I've seen some pretty incredible things done by others, and always have it in the back of my head when dreaming up graphics for sites.
Everything from the "blending" of pixellation mosaics (like the Mona Lisa made up of Time Magazine covers) to vivid graphical computer generated images that made me think Peter Max and Andy Warhol got drunk and painted together! LOL
(Some of the things were actually available, but rather pricey)

Not sure how you do this.....I am interested.

Hi CL,
Creating pixel art is like doing any other kind of art but using a paint program with your computer. There are numerous paint programs out there. Everyone with Microsoft has "Paint." "Corel Paint" is another. I use "Aura," by NewTek. My mouse is my brush instrument. Choosing a texture brush such as Pencil, or Chalk, etc. and adjusting the size and configuration if allowed combined with how powerful it is; controlled by transparancy allows putting colors over other colors but letting the underneath colors come through. My paintings are straightforward for the most part and include naturalistic landscapes and portraits that I do from viewing sketches and photos. It is great for painting old slides that are of failing quality and interesting enough, can be greatly enlarged without resorting to the stairstep effect in most cases.

Soon I hope to have my website up and running so you may see some of my pixelpainting.

pixelpainter

Neat!
I have Corel 7 and another program I've never even opened yet, so maybe now I have a reason......

Looking forward to your site and the examples of what can be accomplished!

I have ***8 and have done many different projects! My grand mom used to use oil and the smell (which she loved and most artists do!) and the mess is what detured me, but with my programs I take a photograph and then spend many an hour tweeking!...

Originally Posted by PixelPainter

Hi CL,
Creating pixel art is like doing any other kind of art but using a paint program with your computer. There are numerous paint programs out there. Everyone with Microsoft has "Paint." "Corel Paint" is another. I use "Aura," by NewTek. My mouse is my brush instrument. Choosing a texture brush such as Pencil, or Chalk, etc. and adjusting the size and configuration if allowed combined with how powerful it is; controlled by transparancy allows putting colors over other colors but letting the underneath colors come through. My paintings are straightforward for the most part and include naturalistic landscapes and portraits that I do from viewing sketches and photos. It is great for painting old slides that are of failing quality and interesting enough, can be greatly enlarged without resorting to the stairstep effect in most cases.

Soon I hope to have my website up and running so you may see some of my pixelpainting.

pixelpainter

I do not have these programs, I have paint, I have Adobe, I played with these programs a bit......no control with the mouse, is there a trick? I understand brushes and textures but do not understand layers and this transparency you talk about. I love landscapes, I would like to see your paintings. What is stairstep effect?

Kate I love your photos. I can see you are adept at presenting your work. I visited your web site and was impressed by how well organized and attractive it is. I also do note cards but tend to favor enlargements of tabloid size on a special printer. I also enjoy atmospheric scenes and tweak them for the feeling I want to convey. Your closeups are ***** and intimate. Good stuff.

Hi CL,
The stair step effect was common when the computer only was capable of 32 colors at a time and pixels were rather large often square and if you made a diagonal line it would look jaggaed like a string of stairs. Thank God, pixels have gotten small enough that that is no longer a concern. If, however you were to enlarge a section of a photo enough you would eventually see the shape and color of each pixel.

Many of the bigger paint programs have special features that lend themselves to transparency and layers, but you can still do pixel art with Microsoft 's Paint. It does take a little practice to control the mouse but play around with it until you get the feel. It is like driving a car for the very first time. Things do not always go exactly where you want them to. By the way it is surprising just how much you can do with, "Paint."

Originally Posted by PixelPainter

Kate I love your photos. I can see you are adept at presenting your work. I visited your web site and was impressed by how well organized and attractive it is. I also do note cards but tend to favor enlargements of tabloid size on a special printer. I also enjoy atmospheric scenes and tweak them for the feeling I want to convey. Your closeups are ***** and intimate. Good stuff.

Thanks PixelPainter!...apreciate the nice words of encouragement. I do quite a bit of pixel play with my programs and enjoy it very much.

Originally Posted by PixelPainter

Hi CL,
The stair step effect was common when the computer only was capable of 32 colors at a time and pixels were rather large often square and if you made a diagonal line it would look jaggaed like a string of stairs. Thank God, pixels have gotten small enough that that is no longer a concern. If, however you were to enlarge a section of a photo enough you would eventually see the shape and color of each pixel.

Many of the bigger paint programs have special features that lend themselves to transparency and layers, but you can still do pixel art with Microsoft 's Paint. It does take a little practice to control the mouse but play around with it until you get the feel. It is like driving a car for the very first time. Things do not always go exactly where you want them to. By the way it is surprising just how much you can do with, "Paint."

Yes, I know exactly what you are talking about the "stair effect" and thanks for the info, I will give it a try.

Originally Posted by kassi59

Thanks PixelPainter!...apreciate the nice words of encouragement. I do quite a bit of pixel play with my programs and enjoy it very much.

You too Kate? That's cool

Creating pixel art is like doing any other kind of art but using a paint program with your computer. There are numerous paint programs out there. Everyone with Microsoft has "Paint." "Corel Paint" is another. I use "Aura," by NewTek. My mouse is my brush instrument. Choosing a texture brush such as Pencil, or Chalk, etc. and adjusting the size and configuration if allowed combined with how powerful it is; controlled by transparancy allows putting colors over other colors but letting the underneath colors come through. My paintings are straightforward for the most part and include naturalistic landscapes and portraits that I do from viewing sketches and photos. It is great for painting old slides that are of failing quality and interesting enough, can be greatly enlarged without resorting to the stairstep effect in most cases.

Soon I hope to have my website up and running so you may see some of my pixelpainting.

pixelpainter

Am Loking forward to seeing your work, Pixel

Will be interesting to see some of your work Pixel.

Originally Posted by C L

You too Kate? That's cool

yea, but I dont do anything with it....mostly just self absortion...lol.....I once created wallpaper for my best girlfriend and her family...using their family portrait...I seemingly LOOKED like regular wallpaper, but when you got real close you could see that it was created with all thier faces..lol...
need to get a life...lol