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By Tim Mercer
Pixel art was brought to the mainstream with the release of gaming consoles in the early eighties. Those 8-bit graphics we all loved back then often evoke feelings of nostalgia and take us back in time. Nostalgia aside, pixel art is a beautiful art form on its own that many of us have come to love. With so few pixels to work with, pixel artist’s have to make each one count.
Today we present 40 Examples Of Eye Popping Pixel Art from some of the best pixel artists around. Be sure to check out their sites for more of their amazing work.
Beautiful Pixel Art
R Grillotti
Grillotti uses every pixel perfectly in this rendition of The Birth Of Venus.
Another pixel masterpiece from Grillotti’s model series.
I love these large pixel paintings. Each pixel must be place just right to get the desired results.
Snake
This piece is full of detail and has great shadowing.
Great lighting and vivid colors make this one a standout.
Autumn Pixels
This stunning beauty shows the artist’s mastery of the pixel art form. It has very smooth form and shading.
It’s almost hard to believe this is pixel art with its soft textures.
Lief
This image was created using only eight colors.
Ryan-GFX
This little scene looks like something straight out of the old 16-bit video game days.
This isometric design of Mr. Burns’ casino is complete with a parked limo.
Sven Ruthner
This one reminds me of an Andy Warhol painting with its bright colors and faces.
This piece has awesome character design and charm.
Jamon
The misty atmosphere and low angle of view make this one great.
Endigo
This one has an unusual color pallet and lots of attitude.
Paul Robertson
This one has lots of Sega characters and a cool background.
Another piece from Paul full of action.
Army of Trolls
This one’s got everything from Papa Smurf to Mario. Can you spot Link from Zelda?
Rod Hunt
Great concept and use of color.
Another solid concept for Rod. Robots controlling a larger robot from inside.
Derek Yu
This one gives a whole new meaning to gorilla warfare.
A great design of a mechanical monkey.
Flip Flop Flying
The large pixels give this piece an impressionistic feel.
Seven Heavens
This piece takes pixel art into the third dimension. Dig Dug never looked so cool.
Another trip into 3D. This time it’s Galaga.
Eboy
Eboy is well know for its pixel art and you can see why in this one below.
This awesome little pagoda is full of the Eboy charm.
This piece was for a Coca-Cola advertisement. You can spend a long time exploring all the details.
Tim
This isometric design is just awesome. I love the 3D quality it has.
Another great piece from Tim. It’s like a 16-bit Robinson Caruso.
Tomec
The Blues Brothers look awesome in pixels. The purple highlights make me imagine a nightclub just off to the right.
This fantastic Monkey Island piece has a really cool transition from night to day.
Gunstar Red
This is a mock-up of a video game. Check out the pixel patterns use to make the gradient in the background.
Another great mock-up from Gunstar Red. Great cartoon style.
Bugpixel
This isometric building has enough details to keep you looking for quite a while.
The texture and shading on this balloon are just amazing.
Tom Schieter
This piece is loaded with details. Notice the water splashes and little fish.
This wonderful visage looks great with its muted tones.
Fool
Awesome character design and excellent textures make this one a favorite.
This one by Fool is simple stunning. The atmosphere, concept, color pallet and details are truly inspiring.
Another great character full of whimsy and charm.
Further resources
Create your own pixels with the pixel toy.
Check out a pixel map of Hong Kong.
Pixel art tutorials to get you started.
Pixel art forum and galleries.