The Pixel: From Cave Paintings to Toy Story

About this episode

Alvy Ray Smith discusses the significance of the pixel in digital imaging and its impact on art and entertainment.

The tiny pixel is the “big idea” that ties all digital imaging together. In this episode, computing‑graphics pioneer and Pixar cofounder Alvy Ray Smith shares insights from his book A Biography of the Pixel , on how this humble building block reshaped art, entertainment, and our digital world. Barbara Robertson , former Senior Editor of Computer Graphics World, moderated the conversation. This CHM Live event was recorded on August 11, 2022, at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. To watch a video of this program, please visit the Computer History Museum's YouTube channel. To learn more about the Computer History Museum and our upcoming CHM Live events, visit our website at www.computerhistory.org

People in this episode

Host: Barbara Robertson

Guest: Alvy Ray Smith

Topics covered

• digital imaging
• art
• entertainment
• computing graphics
• history of pixels

Keywords

• pixel
• digital imaging
• art
• entertainment
• computing graphics
• history
• Pixar

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Computer History Museum

Books & works: A Biography of the Pixel

Places: Mountain View, California

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