Beginner’s Guide to Glitch Art

What is Glitch Art?

Glitch art involves deliberately introducing errors or glitches into digital images or videos. Artists create these works using software, hardware, or direct manipulation of digital data. The medium often explores relationships between technology and society, commenting on themes like surveillance and corporate influence, though it can also be purely aesthetic or entertaining.

History of Glitch Art

The genre emerged from early computing when programmers intentionally created bugs to observe unexpected results. Glitch art took shape in the late 1990s and early 2000s with digital editing tools like Adobe Photoshop and Final Cut Pro, democratizing creation. The underground art and music scenes embraced the style before commercial brands adopted it for eye-catching visuals.

Core Methods

Databending: Manipulating media files using software designed for different formats, creating unintended distortions.

Pixel Sorting: Isolating and rearranging horizontal or vertical pixel lines based on criteria like luminosity, hue, or saturation.

Datamoshing: Damaging video clips to create effects where frames that should change remain static, especially noticeable between cuts.

Software and Hardware Glitches: Exploiting digital system errors or combining multiple glitch techniques.

Notable Glitch Artists

• Sabato Visconti (datamoshing pioneer)
• Michael Betancourt
• Rosa Menkman
• Nam June Paik
• JODI (art collective)

Creating Glitch Art

Methods include editing with Photoshop or Final Cut Pro, using hex editors, recording digital footage, exploring online tools, and experimenting across formats. Glitch art is all about experimentation, so there are no hard and fast rules.

Tools and Apps

Mobile Apps:

• Glitche (award-winning iOS editor with 40+ professional tools)
• Glitch Art Studio: Cam Effects (pixel sorting, datamosh, color aberration)
• MoshUp (live datamoshing on iPhone/iPad)

Web-Based Tools:

• glitchyimage.com
• glitchtextgenerator.com
• lingojam.com (glitch and vaporwave generators)

Resources

Online galleries include glitchart.nl and glitchgallery.org. Communities exist on Reddit at r/glitch_art, r/glitchart, and r/datamoshing.