Tatsuo Horiuchi, born in 1940, has proven that art knows no boundaries. After retiring in the year 2000, he embarked on a new artistic journey – creating captivating masterpieces using Microsoft Excel. This unconventional choice may seem surprising, but Horiuchi saw the untapped potential of this software and viewed it as a fresh challenge in his life.
A Unique Art Form
In 2006, Tatsuo Horiuchi showcased his works for the first time at the Excel Autoshape Art Competition. Since then, his art has earned recognition, appearing in printed illustrated books and various art exhibitions. What makes his creations extraordinary is that he exclusively utilizes the shapes available within the insert cells of Microsoft Excel 2003 software.
Horiuchi’s attention to detail is remarkable. Without the use of specialized software such as Photoshop or any digital effects, he meticulously combines thousands of tiny shapes to construct mesmerizing images that captivate the viewer.
Excel: An Unconventional Canvas
You may wonder why Horiuchi opted for Excel instead of widely-used graphic software like Photoshop. According to him, not only are graphic software licenses often costly, but they also pose copyright concerns. On the other hand, Microsoft Excel comes bundled with most computers, offering a readily available and accessible platform for artistic expression. Horiuchi also found the Microsoft Paint software, which comes with Windows, too challenging for his artistic endeavors.
Another factor that motivated Horiuchi’s choice was Excel’s feature that automatically adjusts spreadsheet size to fit printed paper dimensions. This made it easier for him to adapt his creations to the desired A4 page size, facilitating the drawing and printing process.
Excel Artistic Legacy
Tatsuo Horiuchi is not the first artist to explore Excel as a medium for creating art. However, unlike artists who rely on pixelated artwork, Horiuchi takes advantage of Excel’s AutoShape feature to meticulously craft intricate shapes and accurately depict traditional Japanese masterpieces.
Despite the unconventional medium, Horiuchi firmly believes that Microsoft Excel remains an outstanding and affordable tool for artistic purposes. He not only sells his creations at local exhibitions in his hometown of Sanada, Nagano Prefecture but also generously donates them to major local bookstores.
To know more about Tatsuo Horiuchi and witness his amazing Excel artwork, visit Caravansarai.