Learning a new skill online: Pixel art
Technology + artistic ability = amazing pixel art.
Until recently, if you wanted to learn a new skill, you would have had to do at least one of these things:
- Get lessons from a professional
- Self teach through trial and error
- Study from books and other offline resources
Most of these options have not always been available or accessible to those wanting to up-skill.
And often, were not the most entertaining, engaging or inspiring ways to learn something new.
Now, with many digital devices and apps aimed at helping learn new skills or refining existing skills, the art of entertaining while educating has been a big focus for developers.
What is even better is that the fun isn’t limited for children. There are many games and apps for adults, which are designed to teach, educate and entertain at the same time.
Tools like Pixel Art allow you to create on the go.
Pixel Art Academy
Pixel Art Academy is a great example of this new approach to ‘edutainment’. It’s a new adventure game that has been designed to teach people how to create pixel art, within a point-and-click adventure game.
This game helps teach people of any level.
Just like in real life, your character in the game is a student trying to learn about pixel art. The game will allow you to:
- Complete tutorials, which play like video games
- Complete daily and weekly quests
- Share art that you have created
- See what art other players have created
Pixel Art Academy is currently a kick-starter and is expected to be available early 2016.
Other ways to create pixel art
While Pixel Art Academy is a fun way to get started learning pixel art, it is not the only way to let your creative streak shine.
Programs like Paint and Photoshop are great design tools for creating pixel art. They give users the ability to control an image to the level of a single pixel.
Numerous tutorials are available on the web, on YouTube or on blogs with step-by-step instructions on how to create your very own piece of pixel art.
Create art in the most obscure places
Even spreadsheet programs - usually reserved for creating lists and maths - can be used to create stunning pixel art.
Excel, open office or other spreadsheet programs utilise the cells as isolated pixels, enabling artists to create amazing pixel art.
You can even make use of Google spreadsheets or Microsoft excel online to share a canvas with a fellow artist online.
You can also find numerous apps for your mobile devices. Examples include Dots and Pixel Art Editor that allow you to create your art on the go.
Combining gaming with art
Minecraft, which was recently bought by Microsoft for $2.5 billion, is one of the world's most-played video games, with children and adults alike using it on laptop, desktop and mobiles devices around the world.
Minecraft is a game where players are able to build constructions out of textured cubes in a 3D world. As the game is made of single blocks, the ability to turn these blocks into a work of pixel art has inspired many people to create their own tutorials on YouTube or webpages designed to help you start out in the world of pixel art.
The nbn™ network is designed so all Australians, regardless of how remote they are, will be able to access ‘edutainment’ using games and learning tools like these, ensuring no one is left behind.