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Painting with Pixels wall now complete, looking 8-bit and swanky
Throughout the week, we've been updating our gallery of the "Painting with Pixels" 8-bit mural as it's been filled in by attendees. As you see above, the wall is now complete, and it features ... uh ... dragons and stuff! Did you expect any less from the game industry? Head into the gallery below to see the wall filled in day by day, slowly progressing towards full-on madness.%Gallery-117797%
'Painting with Pixels' crowdsources 8-bit art during GDC
GDC isn't just a place to witness developers speaking passionately about their chosen craft, it's also a place to take part in random acts of nerdery, as evidenced by this year's "Painting with Pixels" project. A 20x8-foot wall sitting in the belly of the Moscone Center's North Hall holds 5,760 2x2-inch spots, each spot anxiously awaiting a colored block. The shot above is how the wall looked as of 11:45AM ET today, and we plan to continue to track its transformation in the gallery below -- see how much it changed in just two and a half hours? It's like a video game time machine!%Gallery-117797%
Exclusive: Polaroids from Capcom Fight Club
"I'll poke out your eyes," Cammy sneered menacingly. Last Friday, Capcom partnered with i am 8-bit to bring Capcom Fight Club to Los Angeles to support this week's launch of Super Street Fighter IV, and we'll never stop being amazed by the number of people who enjoy dressing up in costume for video game launches. Our amazement usually reaches a fever pitch when there's an eerily accurate Dhalsim in the mix. We're surprised The CW hasn't snapped up the rights for this game to bring us Street Fighter: The High School Years. Unfortunately – and because people don't universally adhere to the number one rule laid down at PAX – i am 8-bit had a ton of equipment stolen ... including all of their footage from the event. But what did survive was their old school Polaroid camera, and this stack of portraits. Check out the exclusive images in the gallery below while trying to contain your excitement over the wonders of spandex.%Gallery-91908%
Capcom handing out mysterious Mega Man items before VGAs
If you're in Los Angeles tomorrow and have an interest in either Mega Man collectibles or eBay profits, be sure to get to 1013 W. Olympic Blvd. in LA tomorrow between 2pm and 5pm -- actually, we're guessing you're going to need to get there early. And bring a printout of this coupon with you. Capcom and i am 8 Bit plan to hand out some kind of extremely limited Mega Man swag in enticing E-Tank boxes. It's likely related to the newly announced Mega Man 10, and with the Mega Man 10 "box art" done by i am 8 Bit's Gerald de Jesus, it's possible that the item will bear that image. If you get one, be sure to let us know what's in the box! We have to know what is in the box.
Designers give Need for Speed Nitro cars a fresh coat of paint
EA has partnered with three "lifestyle brands" to create art assets for the Wii/DS racer Need for Speed Nitro. Upper Playground, tokidoki, and i am 8-bit will contribute custom skins for in-game vehicles, as well as a set of over 140 "brushes" that players can use to customize their cars. After the break, see a video demonstrating some of the customization options! Examples of the art groups' skins can be seen in the gallery below. i am 8-bit's cars don't look terribly ... 8-bit, but we love tokidoki's Lamborghini Gallardo, which is now some kind of Day-Glo land shark.Using creative texture work to offer a distinctive look is one of the smartest things EA could do for a Wii or DS game in a genre that is so often used as a graphical showcase.%Gallery-69973%
Mega Man demo released for Atari 2600
If Mega Man 9 isn't retro enough for you, you might enjoy the enormous, jagged pixels found in the Atari 2600 demo version of Mega Man created for 2007's I Am 8-Bit show. David Galloway has finally released the demo on Atari Age's forum, which means that you can download the game and play it on an Atari 2600 emulator right now.The brief demo is an impressively faithful translation of the NES game's mechanics, with Mega Man running, jumping and shooting just as you'd expect (though shooting is mapped to down on the joystick, because the 2600 only has one button). The demake ends at the Elec Man fight, which is even harder in this version than it is in the original. A playthrough of the entire demo follows after the break.[Via GameSetWatch]
Shadaloo Lounge celebrates 'Legend of Chun-Li' DVD release, awards $2000
Do not adjust your eyes, you are seeing multiple Chun-Lis. After transforming LA's Chinatown Mountain Bar into M. Bison's favorite watering hole, Mike Ross was awarded $2,000 for placing first in best-of-16 Street Fighter IV tournament. The one-night-only event was organized by Capcom and I Am 8-bit to "celebrate" the DVD and Blu-ray release of Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li. We think "celebrate" is the wrong word, but according to Capcom's Unity blog, that's what the party was organized for.We send our congratulations to Mike for winning the tourney and send our condolences to Capcom for being forced to giveaway nearly all profit* they extracted from the travesty that was Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li.*For the record, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li made a few million bones, but it was one helluva train wreck. [Photo Credit: Karaface]
Capcom opens 'Shadaloo Lounge' for Street Fighter IV exhibition this Thursday
If you live near Chinatown in Los Angeles, and can chuck Hadoukens with the best of them, then grab your gi from out of the closet and head down to the Mountain Bar tomorrow night from 7pm - 10pm for a Street Fighter IV competition. Sponsored by i am 8-bit and Capcom, this one-night tournament will see Bison's shady organization take over Mountain Bar for a tournament featuring sixteen of the best brawlers duking it out for a $2,000 cash prize.And, hey, if you don't live on the West Coast, don't sweat it. We'll have someone there taking pictures and asking everyone what a Spinning Bird Kick is.
i am 8-bit show highlights
Though states or even oceans might separate you from walking through the fourth annual i am 8-bit exhibit in Hollywood, California, Wii Fanboy sister-site Joystiq has put up an image collection of its own with enough photographs from the video game gallery to make you feel like you're actually at the art house!We've picked out a number of notable pieces that we liked, such as the double framed Link and Zelda sketches above, but make sure to also check out Joystiq's gallery and impressions from the show's opening. It's enough to make you want to go out and buy some art supplies to create your own video game art!
Joystiq goes to i am 8-bit
Last night was the opening night shindig for the latest i am 8-bit show, and it was by far their biggest event yet. We arrived early as part of a press event to mill around and quietly take photos, but by 9PM the place was packed with people checking out the art, listening to the whomping sounds of Computer Jay, DJ R-Rated, and Leeni (check her out in the Pac-Man dress, along with her 8-bit tattoo). There was a massive line of people outside waiting to get in, and it had turned into the hottest ticket on Hollywood Blvd. Which, yes, is actually saying something.They had turned the entire storefront of the World of Wonder (didn't they used to make Teddy Ruxpin?) into a huge display, featuring giant Piranha Plants from Super Mario Bros., and they had an old-school setup where you could play games ranging from an NES to a full-sized arcade cabinet, right there on full display to everyone passing by. It probably didn't hurt that some of the Nerdcore calendar girls took up residence here later and played Game Boys and quarter-eaters in their underwear.Read more after the break, and be sure to take a spin through the huge gallery which shows off the more than 200 pieces in the show, and how crazy the whole scene became.%Gallery-28797%
Joystiq Exclusive: a sneak peek at the upcoming i am 8 bit show
We've been able to pry some exclusive images out of the i am 8 bit showrunners -- here they are in gallery-tastic form, just for you. As a wallpaper-friendly reminder, be sure to click the "Hi Res" button in the upper right corner to get some enormo versions of the art. It's the best way to have a technicolor Samus gracing your desktop.The new gallery show will open on August 14th in Los Angeles, and will run through September 7th. If you can't make it West, don't worry ... Joystiq will have you covered. Check back on the evening of the 14th for a plethora of photos from the show. That is, if we haven't hocked our laptops to buy this Dig Dug meets Animal Crossing piece.%Gallery-28797%
i am 8-bit returns with a new show in Los Angeles
If you've been able to make it out to any of the i am 8-bit exhibitions in the past, then you've seen some incredibly cool artwork from the 8-bit movement. If you haven't, then just check out the scads of pictures from their past two shows, or pick up their book featuring high-quality photos of the pieces.If you're in the Los Angeles area from August 14th through September 7th, then stop by the World of Wonder storefront gallery at 6650 Hollywood Blvd. They're having an opening night party, and we'll be on hand to get plenty of pictures of the new art to pass along like we did last time. Hopefully, we'll have more Evil Mario this year.
Rock out with your block out: i am 8-bit guitar straps
You're a rebel. You don't listen intently for thoughtful gift ideas before hitting the mall months ahead of the holiday shopping season. No, you march to your own tune – a tune, which we should add, is more than likely generated by clicking brightly colored plastic buttons on a plastic guitar – and you wait until the last minute to get your gift ideas from a blog, a video game blog, of all places. Relax, you're amongst peers. Which is why we just had to show you these vinyl guitar straps with that i am 8-bit aesthetic we know you're so crazy about. Yeah, it's really a Christmas present for yourself, but you've been good this year, right? We thought so.[Thanks, Kevin]
Joystiq is there: "I Am 8-Bit" opening party
All we can say is, thank god they let press in a bit early, because once the exhibit opened up, you couldn't move inside. Even breathing was a chore, not to mention the heat of a thousand bodies crammed into a tiny place -- and we're pretty sure some of those bodies had never heard of hygiene. But we digress, what was really awesome here was all the art on display. Over 200 pieces, all new for this show. Some of it was pimped out at GDC, but the several artists we spoke to said that almost everyone works down to the wire to get their pieces done in time. The work was worth it in our opinion. There was an abundance of Mario and Pac-Man themed artwork, but we were happy to see a Dragon's Lair piece, a series of Punch-Out portraits of all the fighters in the game, and even a version of the Last Supper with gaming characters. The giant Atari 2600 Joystick was quite a hit, and we rocked some Pitfall on it. Cool stuff.Check out our "I Am 8-Bit" gallery below, and after the jump for some video goodness from the show.%Gallery-2640%
I am 8-Bit opening night festivities!
I am 8-Bit, the generally brilliant art show focusing on classic video games, is opening tonight at Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight, and looks like it's going to be quite the event. Among the neat stuff to see and do: a giant 2600 controller, with a custom-designed 2600 Mega Man game to play on it; and performances from ComputeHer and 8 Bit Weapon, neither of whom we've heard of, but are probably fun.We would totally go gawk at some highbrow Nintendo fanart if we were in the area. If you go, bring your DS, because something tells us there will be some gamers around.[Via 4cr]
"I Am 8-Bit" art exhibit opens tomorrow night in Los Angeles
We previewed some of the art from "I am 8-Bit" at GDC earlier this year, and now the actual show is upon us. It opens Tuesday, April 17th in Los Angeles and runs until May 12th at Gallery Ninteen Eighty Eight. If you're in the LA area, check out their opening night extravaganza tomorrow night which will feature live performances, drinks, and some "other surprises."They'll have 200 piece of artwork from over 100 different artists, including the giant, working, five foot tall Atari 2600 controller pictured above, which was commissioned for the show. Playable on the controller, projected 30 feet wide, will be "Mega Man 2600,"a homebrewed game by David Galloway, created for The Blue Bomber's 20th Anniversary. Talk about a "mega" man. (How could you not see that coming?)"I Am 8-Bit" is "a talented arsenal of artists painting, sculpting, molding, or inking their old-school videogame memories. For some photographic evidence, check out our preview gallery below.%Gallery-2037%
I am information about I am 8-bit 2.007 [update 1]
Game Informer has posted a nice preview of the 2007 I am 8-bit art show, along with some of the art that will be featured. I am 8-bit is an annual art exhibition that celebrates classic videogame culture and iconography, with an emphasis on Nintendo and their NES-era third parties. It's also the source of some amazing game-related art, like the Donkey Kong-inspired painting shown above, "Mario's Lament" by Reuben Rude. We'd be proud to display any of these paintings, sculptures, or crafts in our own Fancaves.Just like every year, we'll be gazing wistfully at these previews and cursing our luck for not being Californian or California-adjacent. If you happen to be in the LA area between April 17 and May 12, we urge you to go to Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight and support the very best kind of fanboyism: the kind that manifests in honest creative expression (fanfic excluded).[Update 1: changed the preview picture to something friendlier.][Via 4cr]
Photos from last night's I AM 8-BIT opening
As packed as last night's opening reception for the I AM 8-BIT art show apparently was, I reckon most of us never even had a chance. This is where the internet comes in! Using its unprecedented powers for Good, we're able to vicariously visit the venue's visuals. Joystiq reader Bl4xc0d3 made it and wrote back, "I went, it was PACKED! The booze was freee! And I loved kicking ass in Guitar Hero. They had two exclusive tracks that Red Octane made just for the event: one was the Megaman theme, and the other was an ikaria(?) theme. With such a small space, and over 200 people there, it was very long lines for the free drinks!" We're sure you managed ... somehow.There aren't a lot of images of the venue, or the band, or the bar, but there are plenty of the art (which is what it's all about, right?). Know of any more, send em in.Read - Flickr photos tagged "iam8bit"Read - GameChew.com's I AM 8-BIT media page [Thanks, Hunter]Read - Ken's pics at Branded NewbRead - The Game Chair's thoughts/images[Update: added in some more resources]
Reminder: I AM 8-BIT reception tonight in LA
The opening reception for I AM 8-BIT version 2.006 is being held in LA tonight from 6-11PM (Pacific time, natch) at Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight. The exhibition, billed as "an art show inspired by videogames of the '80s," features the work of 120 artists with video games as their muse. Tonight's reception includes a performance by 8-Bit Weapon, a surprise DJ, and a Capcom-themed bar (Bionic Commando and tonic anyone?).The show will be open until May 19th, so make sure to reserve some time while you're in town, E3 pilgrims. For interested locals, there will also be an I AM 8-BIT book signing at Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight on Saturday.Image credit: Battle For My Affection, Roland Tamayo's winning-entry in IGN's recently concluded I AM 8-BIT contest. His piece will be on display at the exhibition, and be sure to check out the nine runners-up at IGN.
I am 8-bit returns with new show, new book
Game Informer got a look at some of the work being shown at the upcoming i am 8-bit 2.006 show being held at Gallery Nineteen Eighty-Eight (7020 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA) April 18th - May 19th.In addition to getting a sneak peek at the upcoming coffee table book--featuring over 100 pieces from last year's show--they're showing off a handful of new work that will make its appearance at the upcoming show, including Dan Santat's beautiful Punch-Out inspired All Hail King Hippo (cropped image above).See also:DK and Mario playin' the game, havin' a beer"I am 8-bit": video game inspired art[Via 4cr]
