Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
Paul Robertson is a quiet individual who’s imagery is as powerful and iconic as any digital artist. He’s from Australia, yet might be best known for his work on the Scott Pilgrim video game. With one look at his art and then the game, it’s obvious. Robertson’s art style echoes that of games of yesteryear, yet the subject matter has both retro elements and iconography yet is filled with cyber energy and excitement. His current work at Giant Robot 2 is a series of prints in Diversions.
GR: Your work has a 8 bit feel. Is that too trite of a thing to say about your work? Or is it 16bit?
PR: I don’t think it’s fair to call it 8 bit or 16 bit, it seems like those terms are thrown around alot without knowing what they actually mean. I’d say I just work in pixels and usually low colour pallettes.
GR: Can you explain the process by which you create art?
PR: When I have an idea for something I’ll sketch it down on paper, or a rough pixel sketch first. Then I’ll just gradually pixel over it, edit things here and there, and push things around until it doesn’t look terrible. I don’t think I’m a natually good drawer so I always do a lot of editing and adjusting. Pixel art is pretty accomadating for this kindof method.
GR: Is there a scene of artists or audience for your work in Australia?
PR: I have no idea. I’m not really into any artist “scenes” in australia. I think my work is mostly known online.
Annually, Culver City opens it’s doors to IndieCade, a indie convention or conference about indie gaming, their maker and their wares. Most of the events are free which is miraculous. You can stroll into the fire station and jump right into trying the games of the future. Actually that’s not really true, most of these games will stay indie and won’t be highlighted at Best Buy anytime soon. However, the thought process an execution is something you won’t find at Best Buy, but perhaps in a couple of years when an industry creative sees what some of these “kids” are doing with the technology at hand, they’ll incorporated it into a blockbuster video game.
Pew Pew Pew Pew Pew Pew. That’s the name of the game. Instead of using a button, you can voice your shots. It’s funny because a) you can tap the mic for the missile to fire, or you can b) voice it. Everyone wants to voice it. The sound of a missile is something that you grew up with. Each area or country might have their own, which is akin to the sound of a dog barking. It’s different almost everywhere.
Black Bottom was created by students at Savannah College of Art and Design and it is a cool table projected game. It may take more space, but the spectacle of playing a game on a table that’s lit works well. Of course, you can lay down that soda, and it might fall, but the electronics are far away where all should be safe. You can eat lunch on it too! The sheer size makes this something fun to look at. Not only did they create the game space, they also created the controller as well.