As anyone who has been playing video games for years knows full well, video games and art go hand-in-hand, after all, you can’t even have a video game without art. From characters to the worlds they inhabit, artwork as always been integral to the video game experience, and some of the biggest names in the industry started out as artists (such as Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto, originally character designer behind Mario & Donkey Kong).
And while the whole “can video games actually be considered an art-form?” question is a debate for another day, few would argue that video games themselves have inspired some great art, and that video game art in itself can be extremely pleasurable to look at it or display (thus all the game-related posters and wallscrolls)
That whole concept is what’s behind the “I Am 8-Bit” art show, which set up shop at last years Classic Gaming Expo. Now those same people, whose organization can be read about here, have a new book coming out highlighting some of the best artwork from the show, all put together in beautiful coffee-book style. And a must for all video game fans. Only art work inspired by video games before the NES apply, but the work runs the gamut from clay sculptures to paintings to other strange concoctions using non-traditional ways to create art. Click here if you are interested in buying the book.
You may also be interested in checking these very cool Lego “scenes” from various games like Duck Hunt and Metal Gear. I hope whoever made these has gotten in contact to have their work be included in the upcoming book.
