Web Art in 256 Pixels [Favicons]

[KiRby]

Sometimes the best art is the tiniest. Google's revamped favicon, a 16-pixel-by-16-pixel representation of the website, may be the best design work yet from a company not known for its visual flair.
Pixel art has long had its adherents. But the use of favicons as symbols for websites in bookmarks and Web browser tabs has turned it into a mass medium. (Gawker's is a square red splotch, harking back to the original Gawker logo designed by Jason Kottke; Valleywag's a green "V".)
Google replaced an older "G" icon with a lowercase blue "g" last summer, to indifferent reaction. The new icon, an Art Deco-inspired outline of a "g" surrounded by Google's signature bright colors, is arguably better than Google's regular logo. But would it work as well if blown up full-size? That's part of the charm of designing with pixels, picking the shade of each bit carefully to play tricks on the eye and create a recognizable symbol.
Michael Pierce has a gallery of favicons, as does Digg designer Daniel Burka. Offer up your favorite micrologos in the comments.


[IMG]http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?p=1[/IMG]

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