Some resources for you:
16 colors archive - This site is maintained and updated on a regular basis and contains the most comprehensive PC textmode art scene archive (1990 - present day). New releases show up on the landing page and you can search on users and groups by way of tags. For instance,
here is my artist profile. Old packs from the 90s are occasionally found and uploaded to this site, so it's always growing and being tagged. Note that our scene is a bit quirky and sometimes includes non-textmode part. There is some overlap going on with other scenes, PETSCII, amiga art, some pixel art, even lego art, etc. These days the Mistigris group of artists releases all sorts of esoteric forms of art. For pure textmode art goodness look for these groups -
FIRE,
LAZARUS, and
IMPURE (amiga and pc textmode art). These are the only 3 groups releasing on a regular basis today. Also note that our scene can be a bit silly, artists will sometimes release joke packs, solo packs, and all sorts of things. The archive also contains compo packs, such as blender (the longest running scene compo that I co-host)
As an example, here is my group's latest release -
LAZARUS 19. To better understand what you are looking at, each pack contains a FILE_ID.DIZ, which is a file that used to identify uploads to BBS' back in the 1990s. On a BBS you'd basically see a list of files in the form of ZIP files, whether it's a collection of pictures, a game, an art pack, or what have you. If the ZIP contained a FILE_ID.DIZ, you'd see the contents of the DIZ file, which usually contained details as to what is found in the ZIP. Our scene has retained the use of these DIZ files, and each pack will contain them. the 16 colors archive uses these DIZ files for the same purpose, as you can see on the landing page. These days we also have FILE_ID.ANS files, which are basically colour versions of the monochrome pure ascii DIZ files that we used to use in the 90s. If a ZIP contains such a file, it supercedes the regular DIZ file and that is what the archive will display. Traditoinally every art pack released also contains a memberlist and an NFO file. The memberlist is self explanatory for the most part, sometimes listing distribution sites/links as well as guest releases. The NFO is basically a writeup of what the pack is about, new members, departing members etc. At Lazarus we like being goofy and have some fun with our NFO files, as you will discover if you check one of them out. These things usually contain scene references that will probably fly over your head, but it will be very readable nevertheless. The 16 colors archive puts up links to the memberlist & NFO file at the top of each pack, if they exist and have been tagged.
The Instagram side of 16 colors - This account is maintained by misfit (scene legend) who posts very regular ANSI and ASCII art, from the 90s and beyond. If there is a new pack release, he will go through it and post regular updates of his favourite pieces from the pack - usually at least half of the pack gets posted here. He also likes posting more retro pieces from the golden days of our scene, and everything in between. He is also currently doing "artist of the day" posts - alphabetically covering every single artist in the archive. He is currently on the Bs, and he started this sometime last year IIRC, so it will take him a while.. The person doing this (misfit) is a different person from the person who maintains the 16 colors archive, but they are both very respected in our scene, and do important work for it.
There are also various other social media accounts that post textmode art, but the instagram sixteen colours account is the big one. We also have a discord server with all sorts of chatrooms (you can find the link on the 16 colors archive), as well as an IRC chat channel.
Mods, this is of course way off topic, feel free to move this somewhere better. I replied here directly so that
@Takhisis would notice it, but I suppose that doesn't really matter and it should probably be located somewhere else.
