Art

Seattle Artist Ryan Haight Depicts Bellingham Landscapes in Stylistic Pixel Art – whatcomtalk.com

Published

3 years ago

August 10, 2021

Bellingham offers pleasant sights and sounds to all who
have ever called the city of subdued excitement home. This has long interested Seattle
artist Ryan Haight, whose Instagram @My_Art_Bytes depicts
Washington scenery in the style of early 8-bit and 16-bit video games.

“I was born in Spokane, and I grew up there until like I
was 18, [when] I moved over to Bellingham to go to school at Western,” says Haight.
“I really enjoyed Bellingham a lot more than Spokane. And I also feel that
Whatcom County has really excellent scenes for pixel art.”

Haight’s art has quickly become popular on social media. On
Instagram, over 3,700 followers share his animations of familiar scenery depicted
in a comfortably retro art style.

“I grew up enjoying games a lot, and as a kid I wanted to
try to make games or play games for a living—but once you grow up you realize that’s
probably not gonna happen,” Haight says. “So, I just started messing around on
a computer and watching YouTube videos about how to make games and how to make
game art, and then I decided to try it myself and post it on the internet for
other people to see.”

Rendering an 8-bit Bellingham

Haight’s pixel art starts with taking or acquiring
reference photos of a given building or landscape.

Western Washington University is the most common location in Haight’s work. Sites include Red Square as depicted above, Old Main, Viking Union, and the south side of campus. Image courtesy Ryan Haight

“Once I have a bunch of reference photos and I know what angle
I want to try to make the piece of art from, I will pull up a bunch of
reference photos on one monitor and start doing pixel art on the other,” Haight
says, “and just block out the buildings or the plants, the relative shape of
things.”

Most of Haight’s work goes into animating scenes and
choosing colors and textures that bring images to life.

“I think that’s one of the most challenging and creative
parts of pixel art,” says Haight. “Trying to describe a scene with relatively
low amounts of information and through that, trying to make textures that are
interpretable as different materials.”

Whatcom County scenes in Haight’s art include various WWU
locations, the Bellingham Herald building, Pel’meni Restaurant, and several
local houses.

Haight regards this pixel rendition of a sunset on Garden Street as a personal favorite piece. Image courtesy Ryan Haight

“It has like an excellent combination of urban and rural
settings,” Haight says. “Even though I wasn’t raised there, I feel like there’s
a lot of nostalgia to tap into just in the settings, in the university and the
very approachable downtown area.”

Haight has also depicted Seattle locations such as Pike
Place Market, Capitol Hill, and University of Washington, as well as sites in Whidbey
Island, Vancouver, Eugene, Cincinnati, Portland, and Spokane.

Everything Old is New Again

Haight started posting his art on Reddit community r/PixelArt, citing influences
such as Pacific Northwest pixel artist 8pixl and
classic video games in general.

“Back in the day, they had to make pixel art because of
performance constraints on the consoles,” Haight says. “Nowadays, pixel art
isn’t necessary to run a game on a computer; graphics have evolved, but people
still elect to use pixel art in a lot of games simply because it evokes
feelings of nostalgia for older games for some people.”

Many of Haight’s works employ animation, as in the original version of this rainy Fairhaven scene. Image courtesy Ryan Haight

In addition to his positive reception on social media, the Associated Students of Western Washington University
feature Haight’s art on several webpages.

“I think a lot of art I have is kind of escapist or
something,” says Haight. “You wanna go there, live there, but it’s cool to see
a place where you already live or have lived displayed in that light, in this
sort of rose-tinted perfectionist light. And so, people will often message me
and be like, ‘Oh, I miss going to school at Western! Thank you for making this
art.’ Or, ‘Oh, I live right down the street from that, this is awesome!’ And it
always is really cool to get that feedback.”

Leveling Up

Haight plans to continue making pixel art of Pacific
Northwest environs.

“Eventually, I want to make a video game, because I went to
Western, I got a degree in computer science, and I feel like I could do it if I
just sat down and did it for, like, three years,” Haight says. “But it’s impossible
to stick to one project for that long for me, so we’ll see if that ever happens—maybe
a video game by 2030 or something.”

In addition to Instagram, Haight posts pixel art on Twitter and sells prints on INPRNT, allowing these
pieces to feel like home in more ways than one.

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Art

Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone – BBC.com

Published

1 week ago

September 2, 2024

Harry Miller

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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com

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Art

Somerset House Fire: Courtauld Gallery Reopens, Rest of Landmark Closed

Published

4 weeks ago

August 18, 2024

Harry Miller

The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”

On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.

Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”

The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.

Blaze in the West Wing

The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.

About Somerset House

Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.

Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.

Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.

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Sudbury art, music festival celebrating milestone

Published

4 weeks ago

August 15, 2024

Harry Miller

Sudbury’s annual art and music festival is marking a significant milestone this year, celebrating its long-standing impact on the local cultural scene. The festival, which has grown from a small community event to a major celebration of creativity, brings together artists, musicians, and visitors from across the region for a weekend of vibrant performances and exhibitions.

The event features a diverse range of activities, from live music performances to art installations, workshops, and interactive exhibits that highlight both emerging and established talent. This year’s milestone celebration will also honor the festival’s history by showcasing some of the artists and performers who have contributed to its success over the years.

Organizers are excited to see how the festival has evolved, becoming a cornerstone of Sudbury’s cultural landscape. “This festival is a celebration of creativity, community, and the incredible talent we have here in Sudbury,” said one of the event’s coordinators. “It’s amazing to see how it has grown and the impact it continues to have on the arts community.”

With this year’s milestone celebration, the festival promises to be bigger and better than ever, with a full lineup of exciting events, workshops, and performances that will inspire and engage attendees of all ages.

The festival’s milestone is not just a reflection of its past success but a celebration of the continued vibrancy of Sudbury’s arts scene.