Find out what Perler Art is and how you can make custom Tetriminos using this unique art style.

There’s a good chance that you’ve seen Perler art, but didn’t know that was actually the name of the craft. So, what exactly is Perler art? Perler art is an image created through the use of small plastic Perler beads that can be placed on pre-made trays called pegboards. On these pegboards are tiny little pegs where you can gently place your Perler beads to create an image.

Once your image is complete, you cover it with parchment paper and apply heat using an iron to melt the plastic Perler beads together. When your beads are finally cool, you’re left with a beautiful craft to show off to your friends. They may even ask you to make them a set!

Whether you’re really into classic 8-bit video game graphics, like Tetris on the Game Boy, or interested in creating something with a 3D effect, Perler art is a cool way to show off the things you love. If you’re looking to try your hand at this unique craft but want to start small and simple, creating Tetriminos is the perfect way to see if Perler art is right for you.

You already know and love the Tetriminos, and likely picture them all in your head. To transform those mental Tetriminos into gorgeous Perler art, you’ll need the following supplies:

• Perler Beads (they typically come in a bucket)
• 1-7 Large Square Pegboards
• Tweezer (optional)
• An Iron
• Parchment Paper
• Heavy Book

After you’ve gathered all of your supplies, locate a flat surface to create your image using your pegboard. For example, a dining room table or kitchen countertop. Note that if you have small children or animals in your home, be sure they’re unable to reach your pegboard(s) during the ironing and cooling process.

Now, set your pegboard(s) down and bring your bucket of Perler beads over. You can create each Tetrimino one-by-one, or you can assemble your beads on multiple square pegboards, which we recommend. To make things easier, you may want to use a tweezer to pick up the beads and place them on the pegboard.

To create a Tetrimino, we recommend having an image available for reference such as the ones included in this article. If you follow the pattern we created, your end result will look just like ours. Alternatively, if you’re looking to change up the design, you can use different beads or search the Internet for other examples of Tetrimino Perler art.

Tetris fans have created some amazing Perler art, so you’ll be able to find plenty of images online for inspiration! If you want to keep things simple, using one color (and perhaps outlining the Tetrimino shape in black) is the best way to get used to creating Perler art. Once you’ve built up your confidence, you can experiment with colors and shading techniques.

For the first side, you don’t need to remove them from the pegboard. Now take your iron (with the steamer off if you have one) and use a circular motion to gently apply heat over the parchment paper and your beads, typically for around 10 seconds. Keep in mind that the amount of time it’ll take to properly fuse your beads together will vary depending on the iron.

To avoid applying too little or too much heat, remove the iron and check your beads every 5 seconds or so. When you’re finished fusing your beads on one side, place a heavy book on top of the parchment paper. This helps keep your Perler art from warping. Once your beads are cool, gently peel off the parchment paper and then you’ll need to repeat the ironing process on the other side.

To do this, place a piece of parchment paper down, then gently flip over your design, removing it from the pegboard. Resting the design with the melted side down on the parchment paper, take another piece of parchment paper and cover the top.

Using the same circular motion as before, apply heat evenly over the other side for about 10 seconds (depending on your iron). Again, place a heavy book on top of the parchment paper and once the beads cool, gently peel the parchment paper off the side you just ironed.

Now that you know how to create Tetrimino Perler art, you can decorate your home or office and show off your love of Tetris. Plus, you learned a fun new craft that you can use to create all sorts of neat Tetris designs.

If all of this Perler art put you in a gaming mood, click here to play Tetris online!

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