Pixel art is the practice of producing bitmap images by consciously deciding the position of each individual pixel. Pixel art images often have low bandwidth requirements because of preference for small resolutions and limited color palettes. In modern computers, pixels tend to be very small, so pixel art is usually upscaled to a larger resolution. This also makes modern pixel art less dependent on a specific physical resolution.

Pixel art has a long prehistory that makes it centuries or millennia older than computers (textile techniques such as cross-stitch can be considered pixel art). Despite this, it is very "digital", with each pixel directly corresponding to a group of bits in the storage. The simplicity of the concept also makes it easier to learn than e.g. 3D modelling or even 2D vector art.

From the permacomputing point of view, pixel art can be a good choice because of its low system requirements, long tradition and aesthetic anti-maximality. Alternatives that are worth considering include low-complexity vector art and generative art based on short computer programs.