For many millennials, the school computer lab was the birthplace of their digital creativity. Among the various educational programs of that era, Kid Pix reigned supreme. Recently, artist Cat Graffam paid homage to 17th-century Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi by using this nostalgic software to recreate her 1620 masterpiece, 'Jael and Sisera.'
“Kid Pix Studio is not just nostalgic for me; it’s deeply meaningful,” Graffam explained in a video documenting her process. She noted that the software played a significant role in fostering her early love for technology. To complete the project, Graffam used the 1998 version of Kid Pix Studio Deluxe, working within a palette of just 112 colors to finish the piece over five days, resulting in a work that feels beautifully out of time.
Creative Challenges Across Eras
Graffam has a long history of recreating famous works of art using unconventional tools. Previously, she used 'Mario Paint' to replicate Goya’s 'Saturn Devouring His Son' and drew Vermeer’s 'The Milkmaid' using homebrew software on a Nintendo DS. She even pushed THQ’s uDraw GameTablet to its limits to create a version of Edward Hopper’s 'Nighthawks.'
When discussing why she chose 'Jael and Sisera,' Graffam highlighted the painting’s historical weight. After suffering sexual assault, Gentileschi used the violent subject matter of the painting to channel her personal trauma into a cathartic act of justice. “She used this work as a powerful outlet, reclaiming her own strength through art,” Graffam said. “It gives me chills.”
Although Kid Pix is best known for its quirky sound effects and primitive drawing tools, Graffam demonstrated incredible technical discipline. She not only had to rig decades-old hardware to work with modern equipment but also had to overcome the software's inherent limitations. Most impressively, she resisted the urge to use Kid Pix’s iconic 'exploding eraser' tool, which would have instantly turned her meticulously crafted masterpiece into a pile of cartoon debris.
