PXLPNT: A beautifully simple but addictive pixel art generator

Probably the geekiest branch of the art world, pixel art captures the retro charm of the 8-bit computers of the 1980s. PXLPNT is a web-based pixel art generator that’s beautiful in its simplicity, letting you create your own art with ease.

The Web app is most impressive on touchscreen phones, where you can sketch out a blocky masterpiece quickly and easily with your finger. Once you’re done, a ‘Share’ function lets you post your finished design to locations like Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr, or simply to a URL. You can see some example creations posted to the PXLPNT Twitter account.

From the website, you and your friends can buy your art via Zazzle on t-shirts, caps, mugs and more… even dog coats, if you want to give your pooch a bit of geek cred. It’s all very straightforward, with no need to sign up for a user account before your create art – you won’t earn any commission for any sales of your designs, however.

I’ll be honest, I was skeptical about PXLPNT when I first tried it, but its minimalist presentation is beautiful on a desktop browser or your phone. After spending 20 minutes immersed in creating my own pixel art creations, it was clear this has that ‘sticky’ quality that might just have you coming back for more over and over as you try to master the challenges of creating great pixel art.