Pixel: a biography

A biography of the pixel, the elementary particle of pictures | Aeon Essays

Pixel: a biography

An exact mathematical concept, pixels are the elementary particles of pictures, based on a subtle unpacking of infinityWoody and Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story (1995). Main image courtesy of Pixar Animation Studios; all additional inset diagrams © Alvy Ray Smith, except where notedAlvy Ray Smith

was born before computers, made his first computer graphic in 1964, cofounded Pixar, was the first director of computer graphics at Lucasfilm, and the first graphics fellow at Microsoft. He is the author of A Biography of the Pixel (2021).3,200 words

Edited byNigel Warburton