The project was originally developed based on an idea of @antimofm.eth with coding support NFTs/website from @0xconca.eth, during the summer of 2022. Antimo created the first design of the Piskelli in pixel art, which I used as a reference to make custom pixel avatars based on commissions from people.
What is Cryptopiskelli?
The name join the word Crypto + Piskelli means crypto-dude or crypto-bro in Italian language, for the Italian community from Rome adapted for the web3. The website used to include some phrases in the Romanesco dialect to emphasize the connection with Rome.
The Legendary Piskelli
These were the first Piskelli created by Antimo, featuring characters from everyday life as well as popular figures from movies, the Vatican, and football, all of which resonate strongly with Rome.
Specials and common
Piskelli create by me. They were initially intended to create mixed characters using parts from all the Piskelli.
The OG collection
Some of the custom pixel avatars based on commissions from people made in Adobe Photoshop.
Here the original NFT collection on OpenSea https://opensea.io/collection/cryptopiskelli
We have choose the red background which recall the Rome's Metro system.
From raster to vector
Since we decided to upload them on-chain in vector format, I was looking for a way to convert them to SVG without having to redraw all cryptopiskelli from scratch.
So this is what I did: converting pixels to vectors using Adobe Illustrator.
Reduce the size of the canvas as the original size of the pixel drawing (66x66px)
Next, convert the image into a mosaic using the "Create Object Mosaic" option in Illustrator’s Object menu. Check the Delete Raster box.
Now, you should see all the pixels as vector blocks.
With command Y select all the blocks with the same color and use Path Finder to join all the blocks, in this way you can avoid ugly white strokes in the SVG file when viewed on the web.
Repeat with other colors.
Unused assets
These assets was intended for the website of Cryptopiskelli
The Telegram channel
Icons
Voxel concept
Based on the pixels, I've create this 3D voxel concept.
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Andrea Boi
23 comments
Week 2: Graphic Design 📐 What tools do you use for vector & raster graphic editing, illustration, typography and publishing? List multiple if your workflow spans a few. (Examples: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Affinity Designer, Procreate, Canva, Figma, etc.) 2,000,000 $figlibrary for qualified responses.
Due to the unbelievable wave of support in Week 1, I've had to reduce the rewards distributed to qualified responses each week so as not to burn through my entire token supply before the end of this campaign. If you provide a response every week, you still stand to earn ~$10 in $figlibrary.
Week 1: Research & Discovery (Responses to week 1's poll no longer qualify for rewards.) https://farcaster.xyz/nicolaus/0x19bb7fc2
Super cool posting
i just use figma, but i don't have any published fonts, only some experimental ones 👀
*click* 📸 Using Figma for font design is 🐐'd. If you ever publish any fonts send them to the channel.
For vector mainly I use Adobe Illustrator, for simple things Figma/Sketch then export to svg to Illustrator. Graphics: Photoshop, Figma, Sketch. For Illustration I use Krita and sometimes Photoshop for advanced edits. The Iso fractal artworks were 3D but exported as 2D render with path tracing, made with MagicaVoxel. The process I use for creating pixel illustrations is explained here and involves both Photoshop and Illustrator: https://paragraph.com/@design-journey/cryptopiskelli
Dope read and lore I was unaware of. Love the PS + AI combo here. *click* 📸
I made some of these! That's why my old pfp was red :)
Thanks :)
I'm a text based artist (in that I make images entirely out of text), I use a mixture of monodraw, figma, procreate, glitché, destroypix, and sometimes blender.
*click* 📸 Very cool stack. Learning about a few of these products for the first time here.
These are amazing! Our channel /design is having a tshirt design competition, would be cool to see one of these on a shirt!
usually start rough ideas in a moleskine sketchbook with micron pens. For vector design/illustration I like to use the usual Adobe Illustrator and now starting to fit affinity designer into the mix. For font design I've been using a plugin for AI called Fontself, excellent drag/drop interface. For any kind of zine/book creation I use InDesign. https://www.fontself.com/
*click* 📸 I'd love to hear more about your experience with Affinity. That's something I want to spend time learning in 2026.
Overall, AI pretty much handles my whole workflow from the first sketch to the final output, and that’s why I rely on it more than anything else. I’m still at the beginning of my journey though, and I’ve got a long way to go before I’m really experienced.
for vector/illustration, I primarily use Adobe Illustrator and occasionally Figma for quick UI assets
*click* 📸
Affinity Designer for detailed design. Figma for assets. Procreate for concept sketches. Plasticity for 3d. Starting with a sheet of paper is always the best first step though.
Pen and paper >>>>> Anything else. Always. I want to spend some time learning Affinity Designer in 2026. Latest updates look fantastic. *click* 📸
Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and Figma sometimes Canva for quick social media assets
*click* 📸 On point.
Vector : Illustrator Raster : Photoshop, Procreate But just downloaded Affinity which is kind of combining workflow within single app, and I like the fact that its free, still not as powerful as adobe's apps but I see the future there ngl.