Pixel Artist Makes Game Scenes Based On Popular Movies And TV Shows

The idea behind pixel art is from the old 8-bit and 16-bit video game consoles and computers.

Stephanie

• Published in Film & TV
• October 24, 2021

Pixel art emerged in all its glory back in the 80s with the popularity of classic video games like Pac-Man and Super Mario Bros. But, sadly, the art form has become far less popular in recent years.

Pixel art is a type of digital artwork created by using software to edit images on a pixel level. The idea behind this style is from the old 8-bit and 16-bit video game consoles and computers.

For artist Gustavo Viselner, from Tel Aviv, Israel, pixel art is not just a gaming graphics tool. It's an art form that can, and does, stand on its own.

Gustavo studied for four years at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design and the School of Visual Arts in NYC. He is an illustrator and art director for a social games company, but his passion lies in pixel art.

Gustavo uses popular TV shows and movies as inspiration for his artwork, "translating these fantasies into illustrated scenes," as he puts it. And the results are delightful!

From Stranger Things to Friends to Married With Children to The Handmaid's Tale, Gustavo has covered them all. He puts a crazy amount of detail into each scene, and as a result, he has gained more than 66k followers on Instagram alone!

1. Friends

2. Stranger Things

3. Bel-Air

4. Maleficent

Gustavo has an Etsy store called myPixelFriends, where he sells some of his incredible pixel art. He describes his pieces as "original parody pixel art and geek art prints."

You can purchase Gustavo's artwork from anywhere between $10USD for a small print to $60USD for a large limited edition print or poster. myPixelFriends has an excellent reputation with 5-star reviews.

5. Star Wars

6. Married With Children

7. Game Of Thrones

8. Star Wars

9. Star Trek

Pixel art has become an important benchmark in tracking how video games have progressed over time. Although pixel art was around in the 1970s, it was pretty rough back then due to the lack of technology.

Fast forward to the 80s, and pixel artists were becoming more ambitious. Technology was still relatively limited, but pixel art was more detailed, and artists were creating images based on recognizable characters.

10. Star Wars

11. The Handmaid's Tale

12. Breaking Bad

13. Doctor Who

14. Seinfeld

In the late 80s to early 90s, arcades had reached peak popularity. Video game consoles had improved in quality and were able to replicate what the arcades were offering.

Pixel art had been redefined by that point. Artists were creating works that could keep up with the newer games being released.

15. Rick And Morty

16. Léon: The Professional Movie

17. Star Wars

18. Game Of Thrones

But when 3D graphics started to become increasingly popular, pixel art sadly started to lose its popularity. But, even so, today, pixel art is popular once again for its "retro" style.

With artists like Gustavo creating interesting pieces based on pop culture, pixel art remains alive and well. However, nowadays, pixel art is more of an artistic choice than a gaming graphics tool.

19. Westworld

20. The Princess Bride

21. The Princess Bride

22. Home Alone

23. Beetle Juice

24. The Never Ending Story

25. Grease

26. Star Wars

27. Stand By Me

28. Narcos

29. Fargo

30. The Walking Dead

Pixel artists often have a background in fine arts such as painting, drawing, or photography. However, many are also self-taught.

While the art form is mainly associated with video games, many pixel artists are commissioned to work on projects like logo design and even music videos. Pixel artists such as Daniel Dociu, Tyler West, and Stephane Martiniere have gained international recognition for their respective artworks.

We think pixel art is pretty special. And Gustavo's work is absolutely worthy of all the popularity he has generated.

You can check out more of Gustavo's pixel art on his Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Etsy store. Which piece is your favorite?

Stephanie