The Pixel Painter
This is an image created by Hal Lasko in Microsoft Paint:
Lasko was a retired graphic designer & typographer who found a new passion when he received a computer for his 85th birthday, which came preloaded with Microsoft Paint. This short film tells the story of The Pixel Painter:
That all changed for Hal when his family gave him a computer as an 85th birthday present. His new PC came loaded with Microsoft Paint software, a program developed in the 1980’s. The program is more kitsch than cutting edge, but it’s easy interface and pixel precision allowed Hal to journey down a new artistic path with a style many consider “retro cool”.
In his last year of life, he had his first solo gallery show, spoke at a conference and was featured in a Super Bowl commercial. He passed away just shy of his 99th birthday in 2014, leaving us with a legacy that passion knows no age, and for Hal, the proof of that is surely in the pixels.
You can still buy prints of Lasko’s work on his website.
Fun fact: the short film uses my Silkscreen font in it. It’s fun to see it still popping up in places. (via @bw/111894669094307194)
Discussion 2 comments
I waited until I was not at work, not running around at home, and away so that I could sit and watch this properly.
AND QUIETLY SOB.
(This is such a lovely tribute to an amazing artist. RIP, Hal. Thanks for all those hard-fought pixels.)
The paintings are so beautiful! I especially loved the ones of trees. How remarkable that a computer program could enable an artist losing his eyesight to still create art! Sometimes, I feel so disheartened by technology and how it's being used. This showed how it can benefit all of us, because we get to enjoy Hal's art. Thanks for featuring this.
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Hello! In order to leave a comment, you need to be a current kottke.org member. If you'd like to sign up for a membership to support the site and join the conversation, you can explore your options here.
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Note: If you are a member and tried to log in, it didn't work, and now you're stuck in a neverending login loop of death, try disabling any ad blockers or extensions that you have installed on your browser...sometimes they can interfere with the Memberful links. Still having trouble? Email me!