Interview: The Pixel Peddler

 One of my favorite parts of going to conventions is walking through the artist and vendor halls and seeing some of the creative ways people appreciate their geekery with their art.

For Allen, also known as The Pixel Peddler, that means taking painstaking care to arrange beads into pixelated portraits of some of fandom's most beloved characters. If you can't tell from his giant Link portrait above, his fun and colorful creations look like they jumped straight out of an old game console (just check out the shading on those boots - amazing).

Find the full interview below the cut!


C: How did you get into making your beaded pixel art?

A: I started doing conventions selling coasters and handmade jewelry with a friend of mine at the Nashville Comic Con in (I believe) 2010. Another friend sent along some stuff similar to what I make now and I was really into it. When I got home I made him tell me more about it and by the next February I was running a booth much similar to my current one. 

C: How long does it take you to make a small piece, versus something bigger, like the giant Link?

A: The NES Link sprite I make takes around 7-10 minutes, a mid-size canvas piece like Majora's Mask takes about 1-2 hours, and the big Link takes me roughly 15 hours now. It used to be a lot longer but I've got it down to a science. 

C: We really like how the different light values come through in the beads you pick. How do you go about planning out what goes where?

A: Eyeballing it mainly. If I'm not working from a pattern I usually line up the various shades of a certain color and go with what looks right. Because of this you'll occasionally see slightly different variations of some pieces due to me changing my mind. 

C: Do you have a favorite fandom to create sprites and the like from?

A: I'll always be a Nintendo guy at heart. Specifically I love making things from Metroid. Other than that I'm working on replicating punk band logos and I'm really excited about that. 

C: Do you often get requests for something you've never made before? Have you ever had any really off-the-wall ones?

A: Very often. I've had a few requests for logos from people's podcasts and fanart. Unfortunately I haven't really had any super crazy things, I keep holding out for them because I feel like they'd give me good stories. 

C: What's your favorite part about taking your pieces to conventions?

A: Honestly it's the ego boost. I know this will make me sound  bit full of myself but I never get tired of people complimenting my work. 

C; Do you have any of your creations hanging in your house? I bet they make great conversation starters.

A: I usually keep a magnet of Samus' helmet on my fridge but that's got taken to a last minute convention. If I have a big fancy piece made when friends come by I can't help but show it off though. I did have some in the back of my car at work once and that was a huge conversation starter. I work with a ton of "country boy" types and it was fun convincing them that people would really be into that sort of thing.

C: And lastly, do you have any more cons you're hitting this year?

A: I just got through the with Cape Comic Con in Cape Girardeau, MO and am currently prepping for the Tampa Comic Con in Florida. Other than that I'm trying to weasel my way into a table for the Superman Festival in Metropolis, IL but I'm otherwise wide open.

Thanks, Allen! Visit The Pixel Peddler's Facebook page, and don't forget to check out all the interviews here at the MyGeekery blog. Remember, we're always looking for geeks of every type to interview...we want to meet you! Send as an e-mail suggesting who you'd like to see on the site!