Pixel Art uses tiny, square-shaped components known as pixels that are used to produce images in computer graphic design. Artists evoke retro aesthetics with constrained colour palettes and deliberate pixel arrangement.
The limitations of low-resolution graphics in the 1970s led to the emergence of pixel art in the first video games. Pixel art gained popularity as a medium for expression thanks in large part to the demoscene movement of the late 1980s, especially in Europe, where artists created and disseminated their works across multiple platforms.
Games like Super Nintendo and Atari ST witnessed enhanced colour depth and improved graphics in the ensuing decade. Pixel art reached a turning point in the 2000s and became a universally recognised art genre.
Social media sites like Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, and DeviantArt were essential in growing the pixel art groups. The demoscene had a comeback, as pixel art made its way into popular culture.
Retro pixel art is still in vogue in the 2020s, defying forecasts that it would fade. The COVID-19 epidemic and the emergence of NFTs were significant factors since artists discovered NFTs as a new source of revenue.