MS Paint <3
Made my current avatar in paint.
Also, this website (posted somewhere in the +Engravers+ thread) is awesome: http://www.effectgames.com/demos/canvascycle/
yes that website is awesome. wow.
That actually inspires me to make some awesome pixel art (with a limited palette as well).
Another thing I remember coming across pixel-based was like a shared 3D map (also made with a limited palette) that everyone contributed their work making a whole picture. It was on pixel.net or something like that. I dunno, it's been awhile since I last came across that forum (lurker).
The cube is a base to make a map off of, and the structure is what can serve as a base for others to work on as a complete map. Sides are reserved at a time (kinda like the community art stuff that popped up here and there).
This one is sides instead of cells that would be claimed. and you can bleed off the edges as well as crop/smooth corners. Just remember to claim the appropriate cells (or get permission to do so if someone else claimed a side) before you do so.
EDIT-IN:
Regarding what I was talking about, here's a thread with an end-result.
linkRegarding palette limits, I would say a 8-16 color maximum.
Heck, what other pixel-art challenges were there?
One other I remember is also a Gameboy "greyscale" (more like green-yellow to a yellow-brownish color; 4 colors. Those left some surprising end-results.
You know what we need? A challenge thread. I want to be creative, but with a challenge to keep it interesting. Hell, one idea that immediately comes to mind (considering the season) is an Eversion paint challenge.
Make 10 different palette sets (limit to 8 colors each (If doing a simple palette-swap, duplicating colors is allowed.), make a scene (whatever you like), and make each separate stage accordingly (retaining the scene setting). If you've played Eversion before, you know exactly what I have in mind. Lvl 1 = happy/bright/cheerful color scheme; lvl 5 = neutral color scheme; lvl 10 = evil/dark/miserable color scheme.
Final product can become an animating GIF showing the progression of the stages. You're not limited to making it Eversion-like (Sprite style). Do what you want, but keep the Eversion theme.
EDIT:
All other things considered, I want to do something with my Bloodfist. Make it more interesting than it already is. I could maybe expand it and make it animate moving. Maybe even have little dwarves moving around on/in it. The props will definitely move.
EDIT EDIT:
Not the same place I was previously talking about, but I figure you might as well check out the weekly challenges they give out for inspiration.
PixeljointMID-EDIT:
Turns out I found the site (and remembered the name of it). Here it is, they have some interesting challenges and some really good artists too.
PixelationEDIT EDIT EDIT:
Okay, I completely forgot how awesome Pixelation's artists were. They had some awesome challenges indeed. Small palette, theme, go.
EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT:
Forget modifying my sig to animate. It's a royal pain in the butt to get it right.