What methods do you use to get the best out of your pixel art?
Personally I've found a nice way to implement great looking graphics. Grab an image editor/creator such as Paint.net, GIMP, or Photoshop. You'll need a program like this to get the proper tools such as curving lines, gradients and other effects. Next, start your art at 4x the size you normally would, usually 128x128. Then import it into Byond and get rid of the multi-tiled versions while keeping the shrunk down version, Byond usually shrinks the image with fairly nice results.
From my experience doing this, it provides shockingly high quality icons despite their size. The only trouble is editing them afterward, you have to save the original and edit it and import it every time you make a change which can be a hassle. What do you guys/gals think?
ID:151364
 Apr 30 2011, 7:57 pm
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#1 I said nothing about anti-aliasing, I do it myself with alpha layers/color adjustments in most of my work.
#2 Any image on a computer can be pixel art, it's made of pixels. I'm referring to the result, not the process #3 That's exactly what I'm referring to, using advanced tools to make a better looking image, something that would take much longer work with lower quality results if you only worked with the dmi editor. Thanks for completely misreading my post. | |
I would say that it may give you better resaults, but there is some downparts for it. the way you did sounds, as mentioned before, abit wierd... also, this programs are less made for pixel artisting, but artwork (Thinking on Photoshop, i havent tryed GIMP, and paint? lol...
Not saying that Photoshop cannot be used for pixel sprites, but its basicly not what it was made for. I would recomend you Adobe Illustrator, which actually is "made" for pixel artisting(not really, but it is one of the main facts for the program). The only thing you get by using the program is the layer's. it makes you do sprites pretty good. It may not give scense about what i typed... but doesnt really matter, just read and get info... XD LoL In other words, this may get handy for people wanting to learn fine ways to increase the ending resaults of their work. Think this has been mentioned before btw, but good doing this post again! | |
Illustrator hmm? I'll try that out.
Also Paint.NET* it's a program that works with the .NET framework from Microsoft. It's free and is pretty easy to use. A great alternative to GIMP if you prefer a simpler UI. GIMP can do more but I feel more comfortable with Paint.NET. I think my sister has a disc for Illustrator, I'll tyr seeing how that turns out. | |
You're technique is covered here already :
http://www.byond.com/developer/ forum/?id=767756&display=1#767756 | |
Bravo1 wrote:
#1 I said nothing about anti-aliasing, I do it myself with alpha layers/color adjustments in most of my work. When you're using tools like what I mentioned, it's no longer pixel art. Also, this is what I meant when you said resizing. Again, pixel art is never resized. I hate to be flamebaiting, but it sounds like you're not too savvy on the definition of pixel art. Let me help. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixel_art Note "On the pixel level". When you're working with something that's a higher resolution and then resized, you're working with units smaller than pixels. This is also true if you're utilizing the more powerful tools that the software mentioned is equipped with. Look online, through Pixel Joint and through similar websites dedicated to pixel art. You're not going to find a single pixel art tutorial that involves the use of "Fuzzy Brushes" or "Advanced Tools" | |
I use Ultimate Paint for pixelart, it's the best I've found for the PC. I wet my teeth on Deluxe Paint IV on Amiga.
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You misinterpreted what I was trying to get across but it's fine. We each have our own methods and getting into arguments over it isn't going to help anyone.
If I had to put what I was trying to say in another way, I'd say that the resized large image would be a framework for the pixel art, as shrinking usually causes too much blur/quality loss. I hope this clears things up. | |
If Illustrator doesn't work out, you might also want to try Inkscape. Like Illustrator, it's a vector art program which can export to pixel formats. Unlike Illustrator, it's a free and legal alternative when you lack a license from Adobe. I've been using it for years. *shrug*
I find vectors much easier to work with. Especially when animating. Frankly, I think way too many developers are attracted to "pixel art" when they should be concentrating on an efficient art pipeline. If you don't have the skill/talent to produce content on time with one method, go with whatever can get the job done. (I've picked up some minor art skills as I work, but I'm no pixel artist.) | |
I also like using Inkscape, vector-based drawing is a pretty neat aspect. And it's perfect to make graphics seen in game like, "Castle Crashers". I use it for drawing epic monsters/vehicles etc that can be a half dozen tiles wide and tall.
Also going back to the OP, the resizing thing is a technique a lot of people do use for your exact reasons. Though it's hard to make a game that doesn't clash styles when your enviorment looks HD and bases look like they're from a NES. So I made a way to utilize that technique, without crossing over the rules of pixel art and all that arguement crap, and be very helpful. If you say make a tile 32x32 in pixel art, then add an extra 8-16 pixels around the box. Use this space to match up with the other side of the tile. Then you can skew this image, though make sure you skew it in the way that doesn't add or change any of it's colours. Then it creates a seamless nice looking tile you made pixel-by-pixel. Hope that helps somebody! | |
Weather or not the methods used are technically "Pixel Art", they work. The only reason artwork in general is required for games is to help make the objects Stand-Out from one another and bring the world to life. As long as it works, It really doesn't matter how it's done. I find any arguments about the Definition of Pixel Art, off-topic and pointless. The topic wasn't the definition, it was the method used. So can we all get along?
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As a side note, for the best results with pixel art, It's best to know how to create normal artwork as well. If you attempt to create a human base for your game without taking into account outer anatomy, shadowing, foreshortening, and perspective, you're going to end up with a very nice block figure. With that being said, detailed art does not always mean better art, take for example my quick draft of a human figure. It was done for an Isometric view, using only two color shades to achieve an overall pleasing effect. You can see how something as simple as this could easily be used in an RPG style game where armor overlays are common practice. In my example, you can see where I implemented shadowing all around the body, and foreshortened the legs ever-so slightly to give his pose a little more depth. Also take note on how my icon lacks an outline. This is simply a style preference for myself, however i like the clean look it gives it to do away with any outlines. The right arm is visibly separated from the torso by a shadow, a simple and effective way to separate details within your art, without any other lines. If you have any questions about my methods or whatnot, feel free to reply to this post, or email me at [email protected].
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That sounds like a good idea, although depending on how much detail you put into the original drawing it seems like it could be even more time consuming :/
I like working with small icons, I feel that I can probably turn those out faster than large drawings. But, this is because I used to spend *forever* trying to draw nice icons by hand. | |
Oh, I'm sorry, That's exactly what I did with this figure, I simply blew up the image so you could see the tiny details. I did create the image in the normal BYOND Icon Editor. It's honestly not that Time Consuming once you know the rhythm of your work.
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Some websites don't consider this pixel-art; such as http://pixeljoint.com
EDIT: this is a tl;dr btw EDIT: Also, Gimp and Photoshop are crappy pixelling programs. Needs more Graphics Gale :D. It's better because the toolbar's not cluttered with tools you won't use for pixel-art (like burn tools, etc...) | |
True, I prefer to use Paint.net you can turn on/off anti-aliasing on the fly and use it to make some great pixel art, even by pixeljoint's standards.
I use it for all difficult pixel art. | |
Ill Im wrote:
EDIT: Also, Gimp and Photoshop are crappy pixelling programs. Needs more Graphics Gale :D. It's better because the toolbar's not cluttered with tools you won't use for pixel-art (like burn tools, etc...) Gimp and Photoshop are just fine for Pixel art. You can toggle anti-aliasing on both of those programs without much difficulty. Although for basic sprites they may not be the best or easiest choice, when you're trying to do special effects, the Smudge, Burn, Dodge, and Blur tools can really come on handy. These special effects can be simulated particle effects or even explosions, either way, I like using it for those details. | |
You're missing D4RK3 54B3R's point. The confusion here is similar to calling a painting a sculpture. Paintings and sculptures are completely different things, and no one form is better than the other. You asked about pixel art techniques, and then you talked about techniques that you use in your art. The problem is that you are not doing pixel art; this is obvious from the description of the methods you are using. Resizing an image to arbitrary sizes is antithetical to pixel art. You are not doing pixel art.
And that's fine. Not all digital art is pixel art. Not all game art needs to be pixel art. Like the sculpture and the painting, you don't need to call a painting a statue because you want to be respected by sculptors. You obviously want to make digital art, so ask how to make better digital art. Discuss techniques to make better game art. If you keep asking how to make better pixel art, then people will keep pointing you in directions you don't want to go. | |
I'm not sure if that qualifies as pixel art.
If you're going to be using photoshop or gimp for art anyhow, you may as well take advantage of all of the more powerful tools and nicer effects that the programs are equipped with, like pattern overlays and fuzzy brushes and so forth.