[Art] Learning pixel art

[Taudefindi]

Recently I started to learn how to do pixel art, not only because I still hope to one day work with games, but because I do enjoy the aesthetics of pixels when it comes to art.It's the digital version of paint on an actual canvas.

One thing I still have to learn is to always verify the size of the "canvas" when working with pixels, because what might seem like a big image will end up like this:

A very small image that, while it would work well as an icon for a game, isn't very visible so it defeats the purpose of making art with it.

 

[Signs & Sounds]

If you start with a canvas that’s say 1000x1000 pixels then your pixel art “pixels” would actually be squares that are like 25x25 or 50x50 pixels, depending on how low res you want it to look.

 

[Tiana Silvermoon]

Very nice (=
Small canvas has it's uses, and you always can resize the image, just make sure to make it bigger by the powers of two (x2, x4, x8, etc.) and use software that has "nearest neighbor" algorithm for resizing, otherwise anti aliasing will ruin the pic.

 

[Taudefindi]

Post automatically merged: Mar 18, 2024

One thing I still have to learn is to always verify the size of the "canvas" when working with pixels, because what might seem like a big image will end up like this:

Resized:

Post automatically merged: Mar 18, 2024

That's enough experimentation for today!

 

[Tiana Silvermoon]

Green and red pics are nice, but they aren't pixel art though
You might want to check this guide to see the difference and also improve your skill with pixels:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

 

[SkullTraill]

I love the blue gem! Maybe once you get fully into it, I can commission some work for WF.

However, I agree with @Tiana Silvermoon and @Signs & Sounds that pixel art should be "blocky" as in if you're scaling up the image, the "pixel" size should also be scaled up to maintain the low-fidelity aesthetic.

Here's an example of some pixel art that I have done:


Even though it's quite a big canvas and the pixels are small, theres a lot of variation and pixelation visible.

This was my first attempt, so its not that great, I too hope to learn and practice.

 

[Taudefindi]

Here's an example of some pixel art that I have done

I will definitely take time until I can get this good!

Green and red pics are nice, but they aren't pixel art though

Yeah, I realized way after.
Still, it was a good way for me to understand a bit how the program used works.

Obviously I still have a lot to learn.

 

[Tiana Silvermoon]

Here's an example of some pixel art that I have done:

Awesome work!

Post automatically merged: Mar 18, 2024

Obviously I still have a lot to learn.

It's a path that never ends
Good luck!

 

[SkullTraill]

I will definitely take time until I can get this good!

Obviously I still have a lot to learn.

You got this

If I come across some good tutorials or speedarts, I'll try to remember to share them here

 

[Taudefindi]

I tried doing a night sky with lightning.Wanted to add a white elephant to this image too but I don't feel very confident with doing animals yet.

Post automatically merged: Mar 20, 2024

A more simple(and smaller) version of the previous art:

Post automatically merged: Mar 23, 2024

This started as trying to do a geometric snake(you can see the scales on the bottom part)...it ended up as some mishmash of pixel art with mosaic, I guess.

Post automatically merged: Mar 24, 2024

I done goofed.
I did a decent-ish tarot card art but then I screwed things up when resizing it.
Here it is in the original size:

And here after trying to resize it:

Worst part is that I don't think I've saved it before changing it's size...

 

[SkullTraill]

I think it would be better if you added a pixelated gradient/texture to the currently single-color blocks (like the rising sun, mountains, trees, grass) the same way you added a gradient in the lightning pic it would look more pixelarty. The problem with blocks of single colors is the only "pixels" you get to see are at the edge of 2 colors, so it ends up looking just like normal art done in MS Paint (no offense - I hope you understand what I mean).

 

[Taudefindi]

I think it would be better if you added a pixelated gradient/texture to the currently single-color blocks (like the rising sun, mountains, trees, grass) the same way you added a gradient in the lightning pic it would look more pixelarty. The problem with blocks of single colors is the only "pixels" you get to see are at the edge of 2 colors, so it ends up looking just like normal art done in MS Paint (no offense - I hope you understand what I mean).

I get what you mean.

At this moment I'm mostly "testing" things, maybe after a month or two I'll finally get the hang of pixel art and be able to do something more "pixel artsy" and with better consistency.

EDIT:
Right now I'm doing this

I'm going "layer by layer"(the different hues, I mean) and each layer will have a different sillouette/image on it.

Post automatically merged: Mar 30, 2024

This one is taking it's sweet time to get done though since I'm doing it little by little and I don't always have time to deal with it.
First I want to get the "whole image" and then I'll slowly "trim it" until it looks more pixelated.

 

[SkullTraill]

I get what you mean.

At this moment I'm mostly "testing" things, maybe after a month or two I'll finally get the hang of pixel art and be able to do something more "pixel artsy" and with better consistency.

EDIT:
Right now I'm doing this

I'm going "layer by layer"(the different hues, I mean) and each layer will have a different sillouette/image on it.

Post automatically merged: Mar 30, 2024

This one is taking it's sweet time to get done though since I'm doing it little by little and I don't always have time to deal with it.
First I want to get the "whole image" and then I'll slowly "trim it" until it looks more pixelated.

Yeah exactly, see, the clouds look really "pixel arty" in this, but the floor and mountains lack texture and variations on the pixel level. I think you are getting the hang of it, and are already improving!

 

[Taudefindi]

Playing a bit with pixels by trying to "pixelize" Stolas' image:

 

[Aeternus]

Pixel art is beautiful.

Now you made me have a nostalgia trip :lol:

 

[Taudefindi]

Another attempt at pixelazing the Goetia, this one is Forneus:

I spent two/three days on this one.

 

[SkullTraill]

Another attempt at pixelazing the Goetia, this one is Forneus:

I spent two/three days on this one.

Holy shit this looks amazing! You should do a pixel art tarot deck or something? Or sell prints on WF.

 

[Taudefindi]

Holy shit this looks amazing! You should do a pixel art tarot deck or something? Or sell prints on WF.

Thanks for the compliment, but I'm still way too green with pixel art(this art itself was done over an already existing image.Yes, it was done painstakingly one pixel by one pixel but it isn't an original art, you can easily find the original drawing of this by searching about the goetia demon).

Maybe by the middle of the year I might have enough skill to try my hand at doing occult art though.

If anything, these B&W images are helping me develop the commitment and patience necessary for more complex work, as well as learn about light/shadow and linework with pixels.

Post automatically merged: Apr 11, 2024

Inspired by my "alchemical reading" I made(well, tried to) a Chinese pill furnace.
I think I ended up mixing two types into one

Post automatically merged: Apr 12, 2024

Painting(and pixelazing) over images of an old game

Post automatically merged: Apr 12, 2024

 

[SkullTraill]

Omg, I love this.

 

[Taudefindi]

Omg, I love this.

It was a PITA to pixelize this image, exactly because there were a lot of colors in it.