Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Paint

When Microsoft decided to remove the Paint application from its operating system by default, many artists stood their ground. And among the many voices stood the voice of the once infamous yet extra creative artist, Pat Hines. This masterpiece is just the beginning of his awe-inspiring crafts!

Hines focused on highlighting an impressive amount of detail in this painting, from small to big ones. A fitting representation of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which broke various box office records and made its way into the highest-grossing films of all time. Inspired by the designs of Drew Struzan, Hines submitted this painting to the “Art Awakens” fan art contest.

A Closer Lens Of Mad-Eye Against Voldemort

Pat Hines confessed that he worked exclusively with Microsoft Paint, and one reason is that he sucked with other programs like Adobe Photoshop. It was also during his shift as an overnight hospital security guard that urged him to make the best out of the simple graphics offered by Paint.

Although simple, his version of Mad-Eye and Voldemort gave another flavor to the ever highly acclaimed and famous novel “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” by J.K. Rowling. Attempting to illustrate a classic, Hines was successful in his attempt to add small details and characters in the scene to this piece.

Another Harry Potter Favorite

The “Harry Potter” film series was among the most awarded, highest-grossing, and most successful films of all time. No wonder many big and small artists have done their best to recreate a scene from the classic novel. Like many, Pat Hines also gave his best shot at this one scenario taken from the story.

This illustration was also special because even though the whole image was created in Microsoft Paint, he used Photoshop to tweak the print on the gravestones. Still, what stood out for him, was his successful attempt to build this one from scratch, and he went through the process pixel-by-pixel.

The Owner Himself

There is no other way to maximize Microsoft Paint than also creating an extremely meta painting of the man who made it all happen, Microsoft founder Bill Gates. Together with his co-founder Paul Allen, they coined the term Microsoft from the words microcomputer and software.

It must have been an hour of glory for Bill Gates to see himself being represented by the most well-known paint program that he and his company built. With this one, Hines started with a basic line drawing. After such a draft, he shared that he uses his computer mouse to incorporate the details and complete the flavor.

A Glimpse Of Boston

Hines was honest with his humble beginnings, citing that he practiced his mouse doodling during his overnight shifts at work. As noted by BBC News, he also admitted that the process is time-consuming, but the positive things outweighed the negative ones because he also found the activity relaxing and compared it to meditation.

Here he made us witness the oldest public arboretum in North America, The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. This place is a botanical research institution and public park found in the Jamaica Plain and Roslindale neighborhoods of Boston, Massachusetts. It has been labeled as a place for exercise and escape.

Bliss Of Life in Peter’s Hill, Boston

Hines also saw MS Paint as the perfect opportunity to express his rich imaginations from one place and story to another. Everyone loved his portrait of Peter’s Hill’s scenic spot in Boston, Massachusetts. This place is part of Arboretum, which boasts of its train tracks and majestic city views.

However, Hines did not stop there because apart from the beauty of the place, he added his twist to the story by adding characters and aesthetics of the view. This is one example of his technique in laying down simple shapes first, then adding colors to them, and finally enlarging the image for a higher resolution.

Lieutenant Dan And The Mighty Ocean From “Forrest Gump”

In an interview with BBC Local Radio, Hines shared that he uses several different versions of the program, from the one launched in 1985 until the following revisions. He used them on old computers, one of which was owned by his parents. It was surely worth the changes because he was able to produce stunning products.

Let us take a look at his rendition of a scene from the novel and film “Forrest Gump.” This was Lieutenant Dan battling the mighty ocean, and many fans were impressed by his depiction of the story and the level of detail he poured on the skies and waves.

Tribute Poster For The Jurassic Park Series

One of Pat Hines’ earliest achievements was the self-published e-book set in an ’80s summer camp, containing all his illustrations created on Microsoft Paint. As he was getting praise for his work, he also sought to create his versions of classic stories, one of which was the poster of the “Jurassic Park” film series.

The film series was inspired by Crichton’s novel of the same concept. It set out a revolutionary mark in history as it popularized the depiction of dinosaurs in fiction. Theme parks, comic books, and video games have been conceptualized since their release, and it remains one of the highest-grossing film series of all time.

The Influence Of Hal Lasko

Apart from Hines, here we have another inspiring artist that gave us this masterpiece. Hal Lasko, also known as the Pixel Painter, has been an inspiration for working as a graphic artist even before the influence of modern digital media. Despite suffering an eye condition and hearing loss, he produced high-quality illustrations that still circulate today.

He started his craft in the mid-’80s, often working with Microsoft Paint and creating a fine art collection. As a digital artist, many have considered his ability to use his mouse as a paintbrush. This illustration is among the crafts he left for the world to ponder.

The Legacy Of Hal Lasko

Lasko established a career in the military, but since then, he never drifted away from his passion for the arts. For instance, he used to draft maps during World War II. Finally, when he was 85 years old, he was gifted a computer by his family, which was the beginning of his amazing work with Microsoft Paint.

Hal Lasko was also called Grandpa, with various media sources considering him a great icon of inspiration to people across ages. He proved that no one is too old to pursue their dreams, and it is never too late to start something new and be great.

The Calm River That Will Make You Look Thrice

At one glance, we might think of this picture as just another shot from one of the world’s top tourist destinations. However, this also proves that there is more to what meets the eye because this is a detailed illustration of a calm river created only using Microsoft Paint.

This masterpiece was created by a Reddit user and reached recognition from the users on the website too. The scenery seemed to be inspired by the famous Venice River in Italy. Venice is seated on a group of 117 small islands, and the buildings around sit on tree trunks, which also act as a foundation for the place.

For The Hollywood Icon

Here we have another Microsoft Paint masterpiece created by a Reddit user who goes by the name of “sonofjay.” The artist decided to illustrate one of the biggest names in the world of Hollywood, no other than Morgan Freeman. Throughout his career spanning over five decades, he has become among the most-awarded actors in the field.

After various stints, Freeman had his breakthrough in a role in “Street Smart.” He also started collaborations with award-winning actor and director Clint Eastwood, one of which is their revenge film “Unforgiven.” Venturing a career as a director, he established the film production company Revelations Entertainment.

The Wins Matter More

This painting of what looked like a wrestler holding up his belt in victory was created by an Imgur user, “tawaldher” who also used Microsoft Paint. Interestingly, this conveyed the same message of those artists who stood their ground when Microsoft was deciding what to do with the application.

In a campaign posted by Artists Network titled “Don’t Kill Off MS Paint, A Plea from an Artist,” they listed the top reasons for it. Microsoft Paint is the most accessible program on the planet and is available on almost every computer globally. Its simple features inspired artists to challenge their creativity, think outside the box, and produce unexpectedly good art pieces.

The Iconic Luke Skywalker In Detail

The Reddit artist “sonofjay” made waves when he painted Morgan Freeman in MS Paint. Yet, he captured more hearts in his incredible detailed illustration of the iconic character Luke Skywalker from the “Star Wars” series. Fans of the film series have noticed this craft and commended the artist for his artistic influence.

Luke Skywalker was the legendary Jedi Master in the film series who fought in the Galactic Civil War. He earned admiration for starting his journey from humble beginnings to slowly becoming one of the greatest Jedi in the universe. By the end of his story, he battled evil, ended the tyranny, and discovered the truth of his identity.

Summer Adventure Of Camp Redblood And The Essential Revenge

Going back to the Microsoft Paint crafts of Pat Hines, he also created his version of a comic book cover from the special edition of “Camp Redblood and The Essential Revenge.” The story of the comic revolves around inadequate heroes in a summertime adventure against monsters, which Hines made sure was clear in his illustration.

As said earlier, Hines admitted that using the program for his art pieces was not an easy task, yet he was willing to go through it because the benefits it gave him weighed heavier. He even admitted that completing one piece could take more than 20 hours of work.

Starring The Head Counselor

This is one of Hines’ many impressive art pieces from his self-published e-book set. While he was starting to get attention, he also faced the challenge of criticism. They were people who were quick to frown their faces upon hearing his story.

However, Hines wasn’t affected and said those who doubted him could zoom into his images and check the details of his art pieces. He was also willing to share pictures of his craft while it was a work in progress. These backfires weren’t enough to let him down because he considered MS Paint the best medium where the end result matched his imagination.

Trekking The Journey

This painting is also an excerpt from his self-published e-book, which was just the beginning of many more in the future. As seen in this photo, we could also liken his journey to trekking. It needs practice, patience, and a lot of determination.

Hines wrote that anyone who wanted to master Microsoft Paint needed much free time. He admitted that having a lot of free time during the early ’00s was helpful for him to start because his only distraction during his night shifts was playing Solitaire. When he explored MS Paint, it set out a beautiful journey for him, one that could withstand the test of time.

Power Of Parker Portrait

Along with his incredible journey was the support of the people around him. In fact, apart from classical comic books, films, and stories, Hines also drew inspiration from the real-life people around him. One of which is the portrait of a young boy named Parker, which is the son of Hines’ friend.

Aside from the simplicity of the portrait and the sentiment attached, this also garnered attention for its coordinated details. The colors, shapes, sizes, and arrangement of the object and the surrounding background images proved that Microsoft Paint could produce that level of detail-oriented painting, given that the artist has steady hands and keen eyes.

To The Moon And Back

This portrait is also known as the Zero-G Slowdance, and it remains a special moment for Hines and those who know the story behind it. This is the product of his imagination at a time when Hines had the urge to work on something more abstract. He proved his imagination, and the program could collaborate effortlessly, hence giving birth to this masterpiece.

Like his other art pieces, Hines focused on the details of the few subjects in his illustration. The glow of the stars in the night sky made it look real, and the globe was carefully captured in detail. Most importantly, he blended the dancing couple effectively.

Not Your Ordinary David And Casey

Newlywed David and Casey knew their special day deserved a special remembrance too. As such, apart from collecting photographs, they also sought to have a hand-drawn portrait of their photo. Pat Hines surely did not disappoint them, especially after spending over two weeks creating this masterpiece.

Hines was keen on everything, even the small details. In that span of over two weeks, he spent at least two hours a day adding colors to every pixeled square. With his artistry, he set this couple apart from the norm, and we could even bet this was an unusual yet amazing piece in someone’s wedding album.

The Spider On Loose

Not everyone will agree with this, but many artists have found painting moving scenarios challenging. Yet, Hines has bravely taken the challenge with nothing but confidence and experience from using Microsoft Paint for quite some time.

Here he focused on the road driving, involving two people in the background with a spider on the loose, giving the story twist. It was depicted so realistically that even the blurring effects in the background were able to highlight the speed of the vehicle. As Hines implied, drawing with a pen and with a mouse is very different, yet he was successful in conveying his message through his MS Paint paintings.

An Ode To The Home Street

As Hines devoted more time to making art pieces with the program, his expertise was getting finer every time. His subjects of interest were also expanding. From comic books, film posters, movie clips, iconic people, real-life portraits, and imagined scenarios, he did not forget to draw something close to his heart.

He curated an intricate painting of the street where he grew up in West Roxbury, Boston. This image served as a sweet ode to memory so familiar to him, and with that said, he successfully transferred those memories into a detailed illustration. The selected lighting effect and position of the people spoke of his childhood.

The Men And Women In Red Shirts

Another masterpiece curated from Hines’ childhood memory was the “red shirts” influence of The Boston Youth Cleanup Corps, known for their bright red shirts and service on the streets of Boston. This activity is under Boston’s youth employment program, which serves as the country’s largest city summer job initiative.

These people in red shirts participate in clean-up drives in vacant lots, streets, parks, and public facilities across Bolton. Some also join an Environmental Protection Agency Program at the zoo or sports camp. This painting is another proof of Hines’ steady hands in creating accurate illustrations of even the smallest objects, such as the butterfly and number plate.

Conquering The Blue Trail

This craft was inspired once again by the Camp Redblood team as they captured a terrible peril above a blue waterfall. Apart from the story’s interest, what stood out in this painting was Hines’ skillful ability to work on different blue shades in a completely blue hue.

This craft of his is a material testament to how far Hines has gotten with Microsoft Paint. Being an expert in the program, he admitted that it had become harder for him to transition to a more sophisticated graphics program. That is why it was difficult news for him to bear when Microsoft was contemplating what to do with Paint.

The Camp Redblood And The Essential Revenge Poster

The “Camp Redblood and The Essential Revenge” was classic memory for many people, as the whole experience was filled with laughter, thrills, adventure, and bone-crunching action. Attempting to recreate scenes or posters from the story was a big deal, and Hines was brave to face the challenge.

We could only imagine the amount of time he spent illustrating all those characters with different physical features and personalities. Not only that, but the incredible detail right down to the grass and tiles below their feet screams his impressive dedication to detail and willingness to sacrifice to end up with a satisfying output.

The Dream Crossover

This scenery must have reminded people of Wolfenstein 3D with pixelated graphics featuring a Nazi castle full of baddies. Interestingly, this also speaks of Hines’ fantasy of getting together Professor Bruttenholm of “Hellboy,” “Indiana Jones,” and Albus Dumbledore of “Harry Potter” to go against the Nazis and the wizard Grindlewald.

Hines must have believed that their combined forces would be the dream crossover for the betterment. This work also showed how Hines had grown comfortably with Microsoft Paint. The details in the background and the features of the character made it easy for the audience to conceptualize the message behind his works.

Comic Book Lover

Spending time and effort to improve at Microsoft Paint allowed Hines to express his desire to re-create portraits of people he looked upon, memories he grew up in, and scenarios in his imagination. Moreover, it was also the perfect outlet for him to practice his love for comic books and make comic book covers.

These factors, along with the achievements he has been experiencing, are the significant factors that had him develop a distinctly emotional and nostalgic connection with Microsoft Paint. No wonder he was among the first users and artists who stood their ground to keep the program alive.

The Camp Redblood And The Essential Revenge Saga Continues

We guess that Hines was fascinated with “Camp Redblood and The Essential Revenge” so much that he continued making its inspiration from one art piece to another. This illustration of the scene from the story is a strong proof of Hines’ love for details that even if it was zoomed to the farthest position, we could still see clearly the unique design of each object.

Following his interview with BBC, Hines confessed his love for the program. Although he tried moving on from it and explored other similar applications, he never got the kind of connection he had with Microsoft Paint.

The Home Alone Fever

Here we have a classic scene from the ever-favorite film “Home Alone” recreated in Microsoft Paint. This is the hilarious moment in the movie where Kevin McCallister dropped a tarantula on Marv. The best thing about this painting is Hines’ ability to convey the fearful emotion in Marv’s face and make the audience remember the hilarious feeling they had when they first saw it.

These masterpieces are enough proof that Microsoft Paint has impacted a lot of individuals and society. Hines’ love for what he does reflects in these pieces and his interest in letting the young people experience the magic that only the program carries.