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The A1200 is inching ever closer to release, and Retro Games Limited and PLAION REPLAI have commissioned one of the most talented pixel artists alive to produce a special image to mark the forthcoming launch.
The award-winning Klas Benjaminsson has been crafting pixel art since the 1990s, and has produced ‘Beyond the Screen’ using an Amiga 1200.
"For me, the real magic of the Amiga was discovering just how much you could create with it," says Benjaminsson. "This artwork is a celebration of that sense of possibility, when your imagination really was the only limit. I started with pencil sketches on paper, before bringing everything to life using the creative tools of an original Amiga 1200. It's been a real pleasure to revisit a time when creativity felt so personal and unrestricted, before the internet began shaping so much of what we see and create."
Produced at a resolution of 640 × 512 pixels and limited to just 32 colours, Benjaminsson's creation is certainly striking – and it takes me back to a time when pixel artwork dazzled despite the relatively humble nature of the host hardware. "Drawing inspiration from the Amiga's celebrated digital art heritage, including the iconic nature-inspired work of Jim Sachs, Klas's creation brings together wildlife, lush vegetation and ocean life, bursting from the screen of an Amiga computer," adds Retro Games Limited.
This artwork apparently "marks the beginning of a partnership with PosterSpy, the creative community renowned for its distinctive poster artwork," adds the PR. "PosterSpy will invite artists from its community to take inspiration from Klas's original creation, reimagining the spirit of Amiga creativity through their own contemporary styles, tools and techniques." The finished works will be showcased as part of the THEA1200 launch campaign, says Retro Games Limited.