Art by: Bryant Hodson
In micro-grid pixel art, everything is abstract. The presence or absence of a single pixel completely alters shape and expression. Unexpectedly, I found this binary art form closer to sculpture than illustration. Adding or subtracting pixels reveals the image like how a sculptor adds or subtracts clay from a maquette.
Inspired by the legendary icon work of Susan Kare, I gave myself a pixel art challenge: communicate an idea or story on the most constrained canvas possible: 16x16 pixels in 1-Bit (i.e. black & white only). The impossibly limited space and the puzzle-like nature of the design exercise was both challenging and therapeutic—utilizing the recognition and closure abilities of the mind.
The Grid
Much of my pixel art is created using a 16x16 pixel grid. A total of 256 pixels may seem like a lot, but the fight for negative space is real. When you add more “ink”, you add weight to your subject but lose definition. You also can't go thinner than a 1px line, and at this size of grid, a 1px line is fat!
Nouns
Conceptual
Poison, 16x16px
Teleporter, 16x16px
X-Ray, 16x16px
Puppet, 16x16px
Tail, 16x16px
Headshot, 16x16px
Skate or Die, 32x32px
Portraits
Bob Ross and Happy Little Tree, 16x16px
Fred Rogers and Trolley, 16x16px
Hayao Miyazaki and Totoro, 16x16px
Susan Kare, 100x100px
Batman, 16x16px
Porco Rosso, 16x16px
The Prince (Katamari Damacy), 16x16px
Hellboy, 32x32px
Type
The Fut Ure Typeface by Bryant Hodson
Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash
Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash
Invisible Sans, 5x7px characters
