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I want to make sprites (not fairies)
Prime
UKRegistered User regular
UKRegistered User regular
I've done the standard google search and there are a few tutorials out there which is a good start but does anyone have any experiance/tips on where/how to start out.
I'll be using paint.net (mainly because its free, simple, handles alpha and I figured out layers).
End goal is around Link to the Past (SNES) standard. Im prepared to put months into learning as a hobby and not after a quick fix (I could easily download generic sprite sheets for that).
I'll be using paint.net (mainly because its free, simple, handles alpha and I figured out layers).
End goal is around Link to the Past (SNES) standard. Im prepared to put months into learning as a hobby and not after a quick fix (I could easily download generic sprite sheets for that).
Prime on
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My favorite free spriting program is Graphics Gale because it gives you a lot of control over the color palette. You can change a specific color on the palette and it will also change that color everywhere on your image, which is great for experimentation. It's also the way that most game consoles/engines let you handle sprites and their palettes.
You also get a lot of zoom, grid and snap control which is useful for mocking up a game screen (set it to snap to 16x16 tile increments, etc.). Overall it's a great program for a spriter once you learn some of its differences from other popular programs.
Pixel Joint is a great site for pixel art of all kinds, for getting reviews of your art and help in the forums.
Pixelation is another great forum for the same sort of thing.
Honestly very little, got a doodle pad I sketch in a few times a day for fun and im ok with generic shaped objects. Do you think I should start somewhere else?
Keep in mind im not looking to become the Davinci of the pixel world or an artist of any great skill. Just trying to elevate myself from poor to the better side of average.
Will check out Graphics Gale and those sites.
You should be alright. I like this tutorial:
http://www.petesqbsite.com/sections/tutorials/tuts/tsugumo/
It helps a lot to have some familiarity with common drawing, though. Stylized art isn't the place to start, even if you only intend on doodles. That's how a lot of terrible anime artwork on the internet gets made, because people don't start out drawing from life. But I suppose you can go decently far just inspecting other sprites closely and copying/modifying them.
This is a decent tutorial to look at too, on selective outlining: (EDIT: not as good a technique as I remembered it...)
http://pixel-zone.rpgdx.net/shtml/tut-selout1.shtml
It's also important to define a light source for the picture and stick with it, don't "pillow shade" by just running a gradient in and out. That's the first thing people will call you out for on sprite forums. Read this for clarification!
http://www.natomic.com/hosted/marks/mpat/shading.html
A more general thing to use along similar lines is anti-aliasing; blend the colors toward edges so you don't get those jaggies and hard edges.