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Author Topic: help a noob pixel artist  (Read 4129 times)

burdalesa

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help a noob pixel artist
« on: March 04, 2013, 11:00:21 pm »

hi guys i started a few days looking information about pixel art and after reading some tutorials and videos on youtube i decided to give it a try. Here are my two poor drones. The proportions of the first are bad and the other it's make me think i need a doctor to chewck my parkinson. Please comment and give me some advices. (i'm used photoshop for this ones)








PD: It's any method to do good curves?

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Max White

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Re: help a noob pixel artist
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2013, 11:08:19 pm »

Graphics Gale Free Edition is your new best friend. Spend some time pushing her buttons, see how she reacts. I know you will like what you will find.
Seriously, photoshop wasn't built for pixel art.

Apart from that, look at examples of pixel art that you like and try to emulate that, then build your own style onto that. If you are planning on making a game with your art, look at similar games, otherwise look at people who just make pixel art for the sake of art. Paul Robertson is my personal favorite, but a lot of his work is adult rated, so skip him if you are under 18.
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lemmily

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Re: help a noob pixel artist
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2013, 08:23:19 am »

I don't have much experience when it comes to pixelling specifically. But I would suggest trying to nail the "basic" things first. like doing shading etc..

Basically, similar to what max_white said. Try emulating some artist's techniques to begin with and then your own style will develop.

Play with as many techniques as possible!
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Shook

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Re: help a noob pixel artist
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2013, 03:02:13 pm »

PD: It's any method to do good curves?
On top of what the other chaps said, i have a few tips about this! Or rather, one tip. Maybe two. ANYWAYS, a neat way to do curves is to first draw the line free-hand, then smooth it out on a pixel scale afterwards. Takes a bit of time, but you'll get really neat lines like that. FOR EXAMPLE:



It takes some practice, obviously, but you can reach almost bezier curve-like smoothness given enough time, and you keep the organic look of free-hand drawing, AND it takes a lot less time than drawing that curve pixel by pixel. Also, another thing to keep an eye out for: JAGGIES.



Always strive to make a smooth transition between the stair steps, so to say. It's a small detail, but in pixel art, the whole damn image consists of small details, so yeah.
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burdalesa

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Re: help a noob pixel artist
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2013, 07:29:33 pm »

thanks for the advices!

anyone knows a good and extend guide/book of pixel art? 

or anyithing about making materials effects like metal, plastic, wood, leather etc?
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Minstrel

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Re: help a noob pixel artist
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2013, 06:29:16 pm »

The Pixeljoint noobtorial thread! It even has an example of how to get different material effect here.

You can also register and start posting your things in their WIP forum and some people will come in and show you where to correct the things you messed up.

Max White

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Re: help a noob pixel artist
« Reply #6 on: March 08, 2013, 09:56:18 pm »

You know what I find helps? Listen to music that has the same mood as the art that you want to draw at the time. It will just make things come a little more naturally.

Bauglir

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Re: help a noob pixel artist
« Reply #7 on: March 09, 2013, 12:45:50 am »

Endless practice. That Pixeljoint link is fantastic - the hardest part is the step they call "refining", which they don't really walk you through because there's no universal way to go about it. Basically, you'll need to spend a while making mistakes until you get it right. By that I mean on each image - at least for me, once I've got the blocks laid down, there's a lot of change one pixel, zoom out to see if better or worse, and try again.
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