Hi, my name is Chris and I like 8-bit pixel art.
I grew up having to beg for an original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) from Santa Claus for two years in a row because it wasn’t in the budget the first year I asked… And when I got older I took matters into my own hands, saving up allowance and aluminum can money for six months so I could buy myself a Sega Genesis after it dropped in stores.
I have vivid memories of being obsessed with “graphics” growing up – so needless to say, 8-bit art holds a special place in my heart.
To me, one of the coolest things about pixel art is its simplicity. You’re working with individual colored pixels, or squares, on a grid. This gives you complete control over every aspect of the image, but the constraints make it a unique experience.
You have to make the most of a limited palette and a small canvas of tiny squares that contribute to the overall image.
I always had an appreciation for the artists that made the games I loved growing up – but I have gained a new appreciation for just how innovative they were in their day, now that I have worked to remix some of their iconic work for my own purposes.
MAKING 8-BIT PIXEL ART
If you are into it and want to start making your own 8-bit pixel art using Adobe Illustrator, the good news is that there are a ton of resources online to remix characters from nostalgic games into whatever you want for maximum fun.
Also, this tutorial can get you started with setting up a grid and colored boxes.
Your mileage may vary, but I find making 8-bit “art” to be super therapeutic.
For whatever reason my mind is able to completely live in the moment while I’m putting a new design together. And that translates to the physical world as well.
If you love puzzles, it could be that you can get into making physical 8-bit art using Perler Beads.
Admittedly, I have had to unlock my inner 8-year old little girl while shopping for beads at my local Hobby Lobby. Fortunately for me, I have learned to overcome any feelings of shame and awkwardness because doing so has allowed me to make things that I think are cool, like Batman refrigerator magnets.
8-BIT MANDATORY FUN
There are some stickers in the shop related to the cadet experience and I have this idea to make a series of posters of cadet milestones reimagined as NES games – that I haven’t shared with anyone yet, but plan to put up in the shop if/when I start selling posters.
So far Zoo related 8-bit art isn’t popular with the cadets and grads who know about the Mandatory Fun project as it is with me.
And that’s ok.
It could be that I am the weird one. But I also know that I’m still in the early days of promoting this project and only a couple hundred people have been to the site.
I am leaving the door open to further pursue this type of art if it finds an audience. Slide into my Instagram DMs if you have an opinion one way or the other.
