We're having some email issues right now so there might be a few server errors here and there. Hopefully they'll be resolved by tomorrow.

The Ze Isomobile pixel art challenge is complete and we have three new champions. This week's challenge awards go to the following pieces:

Thanks so much to all who took the time to vote and participate in the challenge! Check out the Ze Isomobile forum thread for more information.

Depending on where you live, it's the start of winter this week. So for this challenge you are asked to create an icy or snow-covered scene. You may include characters and/or creatures too if you so wish.

Optional Bonus Challenge: Can you do it without using any white?

Canvas Size - Exactly 160 (width) x 90 (height).
Colours - Max 25.
Transparency - No.
Animation - No.

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

Go through six levels of gem thievery in this Flash game by Defynsoft. Try to steal the gem and get to the exit as quickly as you can and in the fewest moves possible. Check out the game here.

Alex Varanese has made a short video that's essentially stop-motion pixel art! If you like shooters such as R-Type (one of the games Varanese said inspired this), then you'll totally dig this.

Check it out here.

Check out this short documentary about pixel art by animator Simon Cottee; in his own words it explores "the merits and impact of pixel art, animation and chiptune music". It contains a few interviews as well as showcasing snippets of several pixel art games and videos.

You asked, and PJ has responded: Here's a list of things the Pixel Joint site is going to correct and update, in the first incremental update.

Click the news article for exact details, folks!

Pick two words that start with consecutive letters of the English alphabet (D&E, K&J, Z&A etc...) and use those words to form the title of your challenge piece. Your image should correspond to the title; so for example, you could pick "B" & "C" as your consecutive letters and then create a "Big Crocodile" or "T" & "S" and draw "The Sun". Keep in mind that we're talking about real English words here.

Make sure to set the title of your piece to your two chosen words.

Optional Bonus Challenge: Can you do it without picking words that start with the most common starting letters - A, B, F, H, I, M, O, S, T, W?

Canvas Size - Max 67 x 89. Either horizontal or vertical.
Colors - Max 12.
Transparency - Optional.
Animation - Optional.

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

The Why? pixel art challenge is complete and we have three new champions. This week's challenge awards go to the following pieces:

Thanks so much to all who took the time to vote and participate in the challenge! Check out the Why? forum thread for more information.

Onward Kashiyama Co., an apparel maker, recreated last Tuesday one of Vincent van Gogh's self-portraits, using 2070 of the conpany's polo shirts. It comes in 24 colors, including van Gogh's favorite bluish hue. 20 staffers worked about three and a half hours long to arrange the portrait at the Marunouchi Building in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, and was removed Sunday. All this in honor of the new range of polo shirts with the colors of van Gogh's painting. Anyway, it recalls Pixelart, but also its derivatives like Rubiks-cube Art, or Post-it Art. Images can be found here:

Link 1  Link 2

Google's logo is a currently a playable Pac-Man game, in the shape of the word Google.
Friday May 21, 2010

http://www.google.com
i48.tinypic.com/c027q.png

And PJ member antymattar contributed this interview with the creator:
Iwatani Interview

Wired has a great collection of pixelart-style music videos to enjoy. Some of the vids are a few years old, but definitely worth revisiting.

Pixeljoint is looking to update the Weekly Challenge Icons. We'd love to see your suggestion.

See the Forum Thread for details.
 

Mistress-Jaeden (PJ gallery) has recently posted a message stating she will step down from being Pixel Art Gallery Moderator at deviantArt, as a result there is a new position available. If you are at all interested in representing pixel art over at dA, then why not have a look over here for further information on how to apply.

Keep in mind that you must be at least 18.

So our massive PJ v3 approach was kind of a bust so we've decided to just go ahead and roll out updates incrementally. We've got quite a few nice improvements coming in the next couple of weeks and I'd like to pre-thank a few of the major design contributors ahead of time...

• pixelblink - for the PJ v3 designs that will have elements trickling in.
• [thUg] - for the awesome rank icons based on the icons Ensellitis first made.
• dumbo - for the perfect smiley set (61!) based on iSTVAN's PJ mascot.

Create a vehicle in isometric perspective. Any vehicle is fine - even fictional ones!

Edit: Please make sure that you just show the vehicle without the inclusion of a background.

Canvas Size - Max 128 x 128.
Colours - Unrestricted.
Transparency - Required.
Animation - Optional. Max 4 frames.

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

The following pixel artists produced Pixel Joint's top rated pixel art for April 2010. Many thanks go out to this month's top pixel artists and all the members who took time to rate.
 

Medici by jalonso

Just the Tip by big brother

Galactic Garden by ThereIsNoCure

Pickman's Model by Frost

Level 3 - Minefield by vierbit

Monster Huter 2G! by ivancat

world's worst navy - 8 color panorama version by tomic

Mech challenge by Indigo

CthulhuTech: Down Under (tm) by -DE-

Indigestion by Kaiseto

One of the most influential men in fantasy art, Frank Frazetta, has recently passed away, due to a stroke. He defined heroes such as Conan the Barbarian and John Carter of Mars and set an example for others such as Jeffrey Jones and Boris Vallejo. He was 82 years old.

TinyPixels is a pixel-wise painting application designed for iPhone and iPod touch. It allows you to draw pixel art works on your iPhone everywhere.

Check it.

Why did the chicken cross the road? Show us why!
Don't be boring, to get to the other side is not an option.

Just make sure your submission isn't too absurd though - it should at least involve a chicken getting to the other side of a road.

Canvas Size - Max 145 (width) x 90 (height).
Colours - Max 32.
Transparency - Optional.
Animation - Optional.

I think it's safe to assume Pixel Joint loves pixels and old-school games; Lowrez.de has some awesome shirts that pertain to just that! And right now, there's a promotional offer for the month of May for free shipping to the US and Canada.

Hero Core is a superb 2D shooter by Daniel Remar (best known for making Iji). You control Flip Hero in his quest to destroy the machine warlord Cruiser Tetron once and for all. While it is possible to fight Tetron very early in the game, you can also choose to explore the game world (in a manner reminiscent of the Metroid games) to upgrade your weapons and defences. The game features simple but effective 1-bit graphics, a cool retro soundtrack and some well-designed game mechanics and bosses. Expect a lot of intense bullet dodging and button mashing (an autofire option is available, however).

Screenshots, video and download link here. (Windows only)

Use at least 5 colours from the randomly generated palette below to create something.

Canvas Size - Exactly 100 x 200. Either horizontal or vertical.
Colours - Min 5; Max 15. Use only colours from this palette:

 
Transparency - No.
Animation - Optional.

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.