While most people use Microsoft Excel to crunch numbers and analyze data, 78-year-old Tatsuo Horiuchi uses the spreadsheet software a little differently. He works with Excel to create beautiful Japanese motifs, cell by cell.
“I never used Excel at work, but I saw other people making pretty graphs and thought, ‘I could probably draw with that,’” Horiuchi told Japanese website PC Online.
Before retiring 13 years ago, Horiuchi decided he needed a new challenge in life so he purchased a computer to try his hand at a bit of spreadsheet art. But why Excel of all programs?
“Graphics software is expensive, but Excel comes pre-installed in most computers,” the retiree explained. “And it has more functions and is easier to use than [Microsoft] Paint.” He also tried using Microsoft Word but found its paper size limitations too constraining and preferred drawing with Excel instead.
Horiuchi first established himself as a digital artist after taking first place in an Excel Autoshape Art Contest in 2006, as his work far exceeded the other entries. Today his work is on display at the Gunma Museum of Art.
[via Spoon & Tamago]
