Graphic design and art trends come and go. It’s always fun trying to discover what’s next down the trendline but it seems like all signs point to pixel art becoming the next big thing. Before we talk about the pixel art renaissance, let’s first talk about what pixel art is first.
Defining Pixel Art
People define pixel art as a form of digital art where the images are created and edited at the pixel level. This can be done using graphics editing software but there are artists who are skilled enough to create pixel art using solely their hands. It’s a unique and colorful form of art that’s taking the world by storm, pixel by pixel.
The idea of pixel art originated from the stylings of video games during the 70s-90s. Games like Galaga, The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros., and many others were presented in pixels. Despite being outdated, pixel art can’t seem to die out. Now, it continues to become a great source of design and inspiration for many.
Why Is It Becoming More Popular Today?
The pixel art renaissance isn’t just rising on its own. Its emergence is likely caused by the popularity of nostalgic media. Over the last couple of years, media like Stranger Things, retro-style games, legacy movies, Cobra Kai, and many others have elicited a feeling of nostalgia in the general populous.
Among those included in this feeling of nostalgia is pixel art of course. The emergence of these has made pixel art more trending. This is why you often see them in marketing materials, TV, movies, and so much more.
Even some modern video games are being created with this art style in mind.
Perhaps another reason why pixel art is becoming popular is that it’s an art form that’s easy to make using today’s tools and software. There are even some online tools that will allow you to turn images and regular art into pixelized masterpieces in just a few clicks.
What Does This Mean For Marketers?
To put it simply, this renaissance of pixel art means that there’s a prime opportunity for marketing using these types of design. There are some businesses that already rely on nostalgic marketing media to get more attention from their audience.
Pixel art could get bigger within the next couple of months or years. As long as people have a yearning for the days gone by, it’s impossible to see this trend change so instantly.
