First Steps on Pixel Art

[Moribund]

That is merely a limitation, and doesn't pixel art thrive on limitation?

[kamol]

Uh, the question what is art - I have seen other communities stumble about this before, I guess the definition of art is defined individually.

That is going to be hard to explane now: In German language I am always on about telling people to differentiate between art and and somehow nice looking pictures and objects - which is more precisely to be called illustration in my opinion. And illustration to me is not art in a deeper meaning just as design is not art to me. Its rather some pretty and/or functional handcraft to make something work better or to casually comunicate with people in a way, maybe, and it is somehow related to art of course. But real art to me is something that is meant to touch people deeply, to stimulate and to make them think, even to make them change opinions or perspectives. Doesn`t matter if this works on a large amount of people or just on the artist him- or herself though. And it doesn't matter if it is commercial or not. And again of course the bounderies whrere this would begin and that would end are not that clear... But as being a graphic designer I would never call myself an artist - my aims are just not that ambitious.

But I know that the English language is more open in the definition of art and almost anyone that is creative in a way is called an artist. Quite confusing to deal with that for me, in a way.  

In other words: you might fiercely disagree but pixel art as you define it here to me is not really art, at least not by my German definition. Its more exactly some kind of illustration first of all. Which doesn't mean it is not possible to create real art by pushing pixel I guess.

Beat me up now, if you want.

[PypeBros]

In other words: you might fiercely disagree but pixel art as you define it here to me is not really art, at least not by my German definition. Its more exactly some kind of illustration first of all. Which doesn't mean it is not possible to create real art by pushing pixel I guess.

I see what you mean, but I'm not convinced it can be applied so fast. Drawing is art -- that is, a discipline. When Leonardo da Vinci do drawing, it's an artwork -- a piece of art that tries and communicates something deep through mastering of a discipline; when I do, it's just a sketch.

When I play Legend of Zelda on the guitar, it's barely entertainment; when I practice Recuerdos del Alhambra sufficiently and put the last droplet of my soul in playing it, I'm approaching what artwork could be (merely approaching, unfortunately). I think the same can apply to pixel art.

[kamol]

I agree so far. And it cerntainly it is not that simple as I just wrote it down.

Bringing up Leonardo da Vinci's drawings and comparing it to ones sketches today - regardless of weather those are good or not - you may not want to ignore the fact that in da Vincis times anatomical studies for example were something outrageously new and, the way da Vinci learned it, something strictly illegal and dangerous, too. We all benefit from his work today. So one should always keep in mind the temporal context and the originality in art as well as the plain result.