Thursday, May 28, 2026

Tutorial: How to use GPT Image 2 to create unique pixel art

This is just a short tutorial. It started when I wanted to have an ad for my DIY non profit techno label.
Ads can look pretty general, and even ai generated ads can end up with something that does not really stand out from the crowd.
As i like the aesthetics of 16 bit art... i thought, why not go this way?

So here is the original ad image:


I used the following prompt:

Retro pixel art point-and-click adventure game screenshot, 1993 VGA style with chunky low-resolution pixels.

The space is a mix of home studio and rave environment

Only one character in the scene. Wearing a black t-shirt featuring the exact logo from the reference image clearly visible on the chest.

Scene should clearly look like an old DOS adventure game screenshot, low-resolution pixel art, limited palette, no modern smooth shading.

Add simple point-and-click UI at the bottom with verbs


but, will it work for other images, too? would it work for you ad or project?

let's try it. i think we can simplify the prompt on the way.

Step 1:

i conceive a fictional campaign for an... apple ad (not the computer, the food).
i download a free apple clip art from rawpixel.

it looks like this.


i upload it to leonardo.ai and select gpt image 2.

i use the following prompt:

create an ad for this product. make it look like inside a 90s point and click adventure game. a character in the game should interact with or advertise the product in some way.


looks nice, doesnt it?
i think it is astonishing how well gpt image 2 responds to the prompt. and does a lot of the creative work for me that normally the designer would need to do (like coming up with a slogan etc).

Step 2:

let's try another thing. i download a pirate logo from rawpixel.
and then use the following prompt:

create an ad for tourist trips to historical pirate locations in the caribbean.
make it look like inside a 90s point and click adventure game. there should be several characters in this game, and the logo should be incorporated, too.



Wow! I can almost taste the grog on this one.

Step 3:

Let's go to space! Let us generate an image for a fictional bimonthly convention of hobby astronomers.

I download a clip art of the big dipper. i tell gpt image 2:

create an ad for a fictional bimonthly convention of hobby stargazers.
make it look like inside a 90s point and click adventure game. there should be several characters in this game, and the logo should be incorporated, too.


i wish i could play this game for real!

So you see, there are a lot of ways one could incorporate this technique.

and not just for 16 bit pixel are or "game style" advertising images, of course

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