97-year-old Uses Windows 95's Paint to Create Amazing Art

Paint was probably the first fun program that I started using when I was given my first computer. Probably, like most of you out there, I remember that I used to draw stupid and ugly flowers and modify pictures, adding funny text on them. I’ll admit that even now, in Windows 8, I do use from time to time the Fresh Paint application.

But never did I imagine that someone could create such amazing art (his most prominent works are in the gallery below), using a tool that lacks seriously in reliable and professional drawing tools. And when that someone is a 97-year-old person that is also legally blind, meaning he almost can’t see, you just stand in awe.

Hal Lasko, “the pixel painter”

Hal Lasko didn’t have expensive brushes, nor did he use any high-end software solutions. He used one of the most primitive painting tools on modern computers – Microsoft Paint from Windows 95.  We didn’t manage to understand if he is using newer versions of Paint, as the documentary didn’t bring in too many details about that, but it would appear that all his awesome art has been done exclusively with the Paint tool in Windows 95.

17 years ago, mister Hal Lasko was introduced to Microsoft Paint in his Windows 95 computer by his sons and since then, he has been creating some amazing, painstaking art. Mister Hal Lasko said he literally could spend months, if not years to finish a certain painting, and he definitely is not young, as he is nearing his 100-yeas. The documentary (at the end of the article) about his unusual passion is really touching and it is under ten minutes, so I really, really recommend it to watch it if you found this story interesting.

In the beginning of the documentary, Hal Lasko says:

Do you know I do a lot of my painting with my eyes shut?

You might wonder how mister Hal Lasko manages to create such stunning works of art, being almost blind and using such an outdated tool that operates only with 8-bits. This true artist relies only on the magnify option on his computer, which helps him to work on the details. The rest is just magic.

Lasko has also took part in the WWII, working as a draftsman (the persons responsible for drawing maps mostly used in bombing raids). He has also worked as a graphic designer and typographer, so he was always linked to painting. But only after so many years of his scrupulous work we get to see his paintings. And they are just wonderful.

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Hal Lasko’s online shop with his prints