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[Araph]

Sometimes they do, but it depends.

Spoiler: No diffuse, only normal map (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Diffuse only, no normal map (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Both normal map and diffuse texture (click to show/hide)

In the first image, there's no texture on the plane. While the actual surface is a dull grey, light behaves as though it was a brick wall because of the normal map. In the second image, there's ONLY a texture (a cruddy one, but still). While you can tell that it's a brick wall, light bounces off of it as though it was a flat plane, which sometimes makes the image unrealistic. Here it's more exaggerated, since I made the wall be abnormally glossy. In the third image, you have both a diffuse map (a texture) and a normal map, so you can have both colors and realistic-ish lighting.

On player models, pretty much every game has both. On background scenery, I don't know how often they leave off normal maps (since they make the game run a bit slower), but I doubt it's all that common in major titles. Because wardens (in the game I'm working on) have little lanterns they carry around, having normal maps on walls would add more of an impact, since players would get to see a moving light pass by the object in question. In a game like Dark Souls, it probably wouldn't be nearly as noticeable (the primary light source is static).

Looking at a game like Silent Hill P.T., the normal mapping on the hallway's walls is much more noticeable.

[heydude6]

Ok, that makes sense. There's probably a way people make it less tedious than I imagine.

[Egan_BW]

The way I understand it, normals are basically cheating by making it look more 3d than it is.

[heydude6]

For a while now I've been drawing heads in pixel art and for the time being, I considered myself to have mastered them (not really, I just want to move on now).

So the problem is, I'm struggling with drawing bodies. Torsos, arms, legs, that entire menagerie. I have no idea how to get better at that, any tips?

[Nirur Torir]

My method is to use a bunch of circles for body sketches. The exact proportions don't matter, but ribcages tend to be a bit bigger, and pelvises a bit smaller. Forearms tend to reach down to that squishy area between the ribcage and pelvis.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Also, be sure to watch this video. It's pretty useful.

Edit: Oh, I didn't see the pixel art part. Still, the above holds up well if you're interested in larger pixel works, although quick gesture sketches by mouse can be pretty discouraging to look at.

[Parsely]

Spoiler: mrow (click to show/hide)

For a while now I've been drawing heads in pixel art and for the time being, I considered myself to have mastered them (not really, I just want to move on now).

So the problem is, I'm struggling with drawing bodies. Torsos, arms, legs, that entire menagerie. I have no idea how to get better at that, any tips?

I drew my hand real quick. Even though it's a pretty big drawing, I'm still simplifying a lot of details. This is just one way to draw a hand. Depending on what you want, a "hand" could be a single pixel. It's only as complicated as you want it to be. When you're doing pixel art, try to think broadly. Look at other artists' pixel art and examine the ways in which they simplify details. Reference real life and learn proportion, then play with it. A lot of pixel artists use unrealistic proportions when drawing people.

[Shook]

dangit i have been ninja'd three times now but oh well nice cat gunin

Precise proportions only really matter if you're drawing realistically, but it's always worth keeping the relative proportions in mind, i.e. whether you're messing with them or not. As i've both heard and later mentioned myself, it's easier to stylize reality when you know how it looks. :v

Also, drawing from life/photos and stuff is always a good idea, and as always, Andrew Loomis has valuable input. I was also told/taught a few things about it during arting course, but uh... I've forgotten the specifics. Basically, there are five dividing lines in the full human stature: Top of head, nipples, bottom of crotch, knees and feet. They should be pretty much evenly spaced, and ideally if you're unlike me and actually know what you're doing, the lines should be perpendicular to the center line. I just wing it and say "ok legs and upper body are about equally long" and go from there, but i'm not exactly a role model for good drawing practices.
Besides that, well...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

GIANT HIPS

Use a gorillion circles to specify the important bits and have a swooshyline to loosely follow? After that, you should be able to figure out the outline. All this is MOSTLY aimed at regular drawing, but i can assure you, all principles of drawing make themselves relevant in pixel art as well. The biggest difference between pixeling and pencilling is that you have MUCH more fine control over the pixels in the former, so people are probably going to be infinitely more nitpicky.

Wait... Shook does commissions?
...

Is it time for a game with Shook art then?

Oh yes, although i still need to make a proper pricing chart. As for the game thing, Egan nailed it, although i can almost guarantee that it's not going to be the last game that i participate in the creation of, whether it be solo, duo, freelance or part of a bigger yet tightly knit team. :v

[Parsely]

nice cat gunin

Danke!

Spoiler: Made a .gif of one of my favorite scenes in film. (click to show/hide)

[Comrade P.]

Judging by Martini-Henry rifles, red uniforms and vaguely tropical surroundings I'm going to guess it's about Anglo-Zulu war?

[Kot]

That's an rather thick red line.

[Parsely]

Judging by Martini-Henry rifles, red uniforms and vaguely tropical surroundings I'm going to guess it's about Anglo-Zulu war?

It's from the movie Zulu. Very good film despite some inaccuracies (*rimshot*).

[GiglameshDespair]

[Egan_BW]

that's
nice

[Shook]

NOPE

NOPE IT DOES NOT

also apparently dinobro gets an oddly bulbous head when i try to apply more didney to my style

[GiglameshDespair]

Some of the screenshots turned out quite well, I think.

Spoiler: The sound effects only made it worse (click to show/hide)