Video game and retro pixel art has been popular with geek home decorators for a while now, but there has never been anything like PIXEL: LED ART, currently being funded on Kickstarter.
PIXEL is an interactive electronic display that shows pixel art animations while hanging on your wall or sitting on your desk. Pixel art is a form of art that became popular in the late 90s that emulates the look of early computers and video games.
PIXEL allows artists to create and animate their pixel art on it’s display of 1024 multi-color LEDs. It also has an optional sensor that will allow the art to interact with people as they approach it. Another optional add on is an alcohol sensor, allowing it to turn into a novelty breathalyzer. Beyond just displaying art, it comes with a few apps allowing you to use PIXEL to check the weather or as a scrolling message board.
Diffraction glasses can be used to turn the animation into a kaleidoscope-like image, and “Mixed media” panels allow you to combine LED art with traditional print.
Apps for PIXEL are available for Android, Windows, Mac OSX and Raspberry Pi. The software behind PIXEL is completely open source and can connect to your device or PC through Bluetooth and USB. It comes with 150 works of animated pixel art that was commissioned from 10 pixel artists around the world. And of course, you can create your own pixel art too.
You can currently get PIXEL: LED ART for $260 under the early bird special on Kickstarter or for $300 after the early birds are gone.
