Asthenia: nostalgia, rendered frame by frame

Some artists don't just create — they build a feeling you can't really explain.

Asthenia is one of those. Her work sits somewhere between nostalgia and emotion: pixel art with movement, texture, and a mood that lingers.

Built from nostalgia

Asthenia grew up in the 90s. Game Boy. Arcade machines. Pixel worlds. That stuck with her.

"Those memories stayed with me and continue to shape my work today."

But it wasn't just games. Music and culture played a big role too.

"I was also influenced by emo music and anime, which really shaped my artistic taste."

That mix shows up in everything she creates — not just visually, but emotionally.

Starting with simple sketches

Like a lot of artists, it started small. Drawing anime characters in school. Just practising.

Later in college she started freelancing, learning design on her own.

"I learned everything from YouTube, Pinterest, and design articles."

At the same time she was creating for fun — making stickers, giving them away to friends. Then one moment hit different.

"Seeing my sticker on a stranger's car… it felt surreal."

That's when it clicks. When something you made exists outside of you.

Finding pixel art

At some point, while looking for references, she found pixel art. And that was it.

"I instantly fell in love with it."

Not just the look, but the limitations — the way you have to think differently, simplify, be intentional. That's where her style started forming.

Discovering Web3

She came across NFTs around 2023. Not through hype, just curiosity.

"I followed a pixel artist I really admired… and it led me to an NFT marketplace."

At first it wasn't about blockchain. It was just a place to share. Over time that changed.

"As I learned more, I started thinking about how I could create something unique and represent myself."

Why XRPL

"I found the community incredibly welcoming."

Not just artists. Collectors. Builders. People actually interacting.

"It's inspiring to see how artists, collectors, and developers interact so closely."

The process

Her process isn't simple. It's layered, technical, and very intentional.

1. Start with an idea

   Sometimes a concept. Sometimes a feeling. She uses AI tools to visualise it and shape the direction.

2. Clean it up in Photoshop

   Brings it in, cleans it, breaks it down into parts.

3. Animate frame by frame

   Turns the composition into animation, one frame at a time.

4. Convert to pixel form and refine in Aseprite

   Fixes shapes, adjusts details.

5. Add depth with MagicaVoxel

   Lighting, texture, a subtle 3D feel.

6. Render and loop

   "Finally, I render everything and combine all the frames back into a looping GIF."

It's not quick. But that's why it feels different.

Where the emotion comes from

A lot of her inspiration comes from music.

"I listen to emo bands like Alesana… it helps me bring emotion into my work."

Even her name has meaning: "My name was inspired by a Blink song." That emotional layer is what separates her work. It's not just pixels. It's feeling.

What keeps her going

Markets go up. Markets go down. She stays the same.

"A slow market is the perfect time to learn, improve, and work even harder."

What she's building now

Right now she's working on her Tabmotion collection — animated elements inside a tab-style frame.

"I enjoy the looping motion and how different elements come together in one composition."

She's also exploring AI agents, vibe coding, and AI video — learning as she goes.

The artist

Coffee, but not too much. Mostly water. Late nights after 8 PM. Quiet focus. That's where the work happens.

Still building

Asthenia's work isn't loud. It doesn't try to be. It pulls you in instead.

Built from nostalgia, shaped by emotion, refined through process.

Where to find the work

• Pixelora — Explore Pixelora on XRPL Home →
• Lamenta — Search Lamenta on XRPL Home Explore →
• Tabmotion — Search Tabmotion on XRPL Home Explore →

Elsewhere: @Asthenia_rainha on X · LinkTree