General Pixel Art Discussion Thread

[Chesu]

I actually use the default colors as a tool; I'll draw in bright red and blue, and not use any final colors until all of the linework is done.

[Scarf]

I start off with black and white and add color, usually a preset color, to help me define shapes better. Most of the time I use 2 or so different shades for contrast and then change them to something which looks better once I have enough detail going.

[Logiedan]

I use a couple of colours for my linework to help seperate the pieces and anatomy. Mainly i'll use black and red.

[Spherical Ice]

Sometimes, if I'm sprting an evolution or pre-evolution, I'll just use the colours from their respective pr/evolutions. If it's a pure scratch, I'll probably start off with default colours as placeholders, and I, like Logiedan, may use different default colours to separate clashing parts of anatomy, temporarily.

[Logiedan]

I like to use a different colour from evolutions because that usually happens in evolutions. I'll most likely saturate it a bit or so.

[The 100 Mega Shock]

Originally Posted by Logiedan

I use a couple of colours for my linework to help seperate the pieces and anatomy. Mainly i'll use black and red.

Originally Posted by Spherical Ice

Sometimes, if I'm sprting an evolution or pre-evolution, I'll just use the colours from their respective pr/evolutions. If it's a pure scratch, I'll probably start off with default colours as placeholders, and I, like Logiedan, may use different default colours to separate clashing parts of anatomy, temporarily.

That's not really an issue because of the way I construct my sprites.

[blackmoonflower]

I use brighter colors for my starting lines in Paint. Pink and blue are very easy for me to see and work with. I use the circle shape tool to help me with primitive anatomy, like where the head should go, etc. I make my own palettes almost all the time, and then recolor with the eraser if necessary.

[Zephyr+]

Hey guys! Sorry for being mildly off-topic and advertising but you all know me, and this seemed like a much better place than the usual thread because hey, it's about pixel art but not about critiquing and recieving crit (mostly). It's pocket spriter time again!

Pocket Spriter #7: Trials and Pixelations

Newcomers and oldcomers all, welcome to the newest episode of the eagerly-anticipated Pocket Spriter! Today, we rejoin our heroes Seika and Twitch as they grapple with challenges such as overcoming artblock and dealing with thousands of screaming fans who all want requests and commissions and concrit. Exciting! You, the viewer, can join in on the talking fun if you have skype, or simply via the chat if you do not.

The stream will start at 5PM EST on Wednesday, December 29, an earlier start time to accommodate those in other timezones. Panels are as follows:

Hosted by Twitch: 5-8PM
Circuitry Tips: Designing and spriting electric-type fakemon
No Regrets: Reviewing and improving on old designs
Sprite Critique: We take a closer look at viewer-submitted sprites and might actually resprite a few.

Hosted by Seika: 8PM-Happy hour
Hieros Gamos: It's not pokemon, but it -is- a neat pokemonesque game. We'll take a closer look at the alternative style of Seika's creations.
Sprite Requests: Viewers request a design or idea to be sprited.
Happy Hour: par-tayyyy

As always, the link to the channel is http://www.livestream.com/pocketspriter ! You don't need to be registered on livestream or anything. Just drop on by, and tell your friends!

Copypasta aside, and to make this post relevant: it depends on the sprite I'm working on, but generally I either just sketch the outline in black right then and there and refine it, or if it's especially complicated I make a rough sketch in a light color and go over it in black. I don't generally agonize over the sketching stage with different parts as different colors, unless it's a particularly difficult scratch.

[Giratina ♀]

I can't do any spriting right now because I'm in the unfortunate phase between an old PC with Paint and a new Mac with Photoshop (one of these days I'm gonna get a tablet...), but when I did sprite on Paint, I always used the base colors as a, well, basis, and then fiddled around with the colors until I found one appropriate for the sprite. Or I just eyedropped it from the reference artwork. Otherwise, I only ever use those default colors for sketch linework or funky backgrounds for turning it transparent (thanks, Iaza!).

[sigeru]

Personally I like photoshop since it supports layer.
This is really handy when you are trying to scratch sprite.
XP MS paint is really great but I just wish there was some shortkeys for like the pencil and eraser tool ( or is there?).

[Logiedan]

Yeah, the layer thing does help. Sometimes I need to test what some things need to look like so I use the layers. I think I mentioned this multiple times but I only use PS because W7 Paint suuuuckkss. D:

[Ben.]

I use paint, the old school version!
It's just, the ultimate pixel art tool, kinda.

[Nimblethumbs]

I use Paint.NET. It's just like photoshop, with that good ol' MSpaint feel. It supports layers and transparency, plus I use it for all my graphics, and I'm to lazy to use 2 different programs, so yeah.

[The 100 Mega Shock]

yeah i explained my reasons for using Paint.NET most of the time in the second post

[countryemo]

At school when I mostly scratch I use the XP Paint (Since thats all it has)

At home, when I fuse, I mostly use win 7 paint, I gotten used to it. Its not too bad, I just dont use all that fancy stuff as the drawing stuff?
When I inset tiles I used both.

The only thing win 7 can change is the index thing xp had? and right click the other set color.

[Nimblethumbs]

Originally Posted by countryemo

At school when I mostly scratch I use the XP Paint (Since thats all it has)

At home, when I fuse, I mostly use win 7 paint, I gotten used to it. Its not too bad, I just dont use all that fancy stuff as the drawing stuff?
When I inset tiles I used both.

The only thing win 7 can change is the index thing xp had? and right click the other set color.

Whoa, you sprite at school? If I even open up paint at school, my teachers will give me a detention.

Friends had experience.

[Filo09]

I'm mostly using Paint, it's great program for spriting. Sometimes I use Paint.Net, mostly to add transparency.

I have question - what's difference between Splice and Fusion?

[Chesu]

Fusing, splicing and "Frankensteining" are all umbrella terms for making sprites out of parts from existing sprites, but they also carry different connotations. While any of them can be used to refer to any combination of sprite parts, each technically has its own meaning. Don't worry, most people use the terms interchangeably enough that only a handful use them "correctly" these days. As they were originally used, the terms are as follows:

Fusion: A roughly equal mix of two (largely unedited) sprites, such as a Gardevoir with a Koffing in place of its head. Also known as a Hybrid. In the last two years or so, Fusion has come to mean two Pokemon combined into one, like Skitty given Turtwig's palette and shell. Apparently Dragon Ball Z is involved somehow.

Splice: Two or more sprites nicely integrated, such as a Lucario with Mewtwo's belly and tail, Dialga's chest jewel thing, and Palkia's wings. May be recolored.

Frankenstein: Multiple parts combined to create an original creature, usually with edited and recolored parts to hide their origin. Also known as an Amalgamon.

[altariaking]

RE: The outlining discussion -
I usually do all of my outlines in the default paint colours, recolour them all to black, add basic colouring, add details like eyes and such, and then shade.

[Logiedan]

Thread save!
Why would you need to use the default colours if the step right after that is to recolour all of them to black? :c

[Dark Symphonia]

I have started spriting for leisure some time ago and it took me a while to get to the hang of spriting. So I want to ask you guys: how long do you ususally take to do a recolor and what do you do to do a recolor quickly?

[Logiedan]

It depends on the program really, it takes quite a small amount of time once you figure out your palette and colours.

[Fireworks]

Originally Posted by Logiedan

Thread save!
Why would you need to use the default colours if the step right after that is to recolour all of them to black? :c

Idk, it just seems to make it seem a lot easier to sprite each limb in a different colour, before putting them all together.

[Logiedan]

but shouldn't you fill them in and colour it before you make the whole outline black?

[Zephyr+]

oh my god is she still doing this doesn't she realize advertising is against the rules and that nobody cares about her silly spriting livestream

...Yeah, well, anyway! Offtopic posts abound because there is another pocket spriter coming up, and I haven't been told off for posting here before so I see no reason to stop. And I know that at least one of you is going to notice and maybe show up, and in that case, mission accomplished.

Anyway.

Pocket Spriter #8: Pokemon Black and Sprite! Now with worse puns!

We return to the scene of the crime with intrepid reporterspriters Zephyr+/Involuntary Twitch and Seika! It's a grisly scene: Pokemon fans and wanna be spriters alike, sprawled in uncomfortable positions, their fingers still clenched around their Nintendo DSes where, only an hour or so ago, the sheer elation of finally being able to play Pokemon Black and White caused massive cranial hemorrhaging. It's quite a shame, really, but who cares it's time for Pocket Spriter!!!

Coinciding with the North American release date of Pokemon B/W, we bring you the latest installment of the Pocket Spriter livestream! As usual, we will be talking at great length about the do's and dont's of fakemon spriting, while entertaining viewer suggestions, answering questions, and inviting anyone who has Skype to join in! It's going to be at 5:00PM EST on Sunday, March 6th, so grab your DS and let's gooooooo!

Panels are as follows (EDIT: due to unforeseen circumstances, we will be switching the times of the panels, so Seika will be going from 5-7:30 and Twitch will be going from 7:30-happy hour.) :

Hosted by Seika: 5:00-7:30
Make it move!: We take a look at how to animate fakemon like in B/W!
Fakedex Primer: What goes into a fakedex? How do you ensure balance and diversity? We'll make several linearts and flat-colored sprites in this block!

Hosted by Twitch: 7:30-10:00 & Happy Hour
15 years of style: We look back on how Pokemon sprite style has changed over the years, and sprite something in B/W style!
Beekeeping tips: Another one of our _____ tips panels; this time, we'll bee looking at the diverse and very awesome bug type!
Sprite critique: A recurring favorite; we'll take a look at viewer submitted sprites and suggest improvements.
Happy Hour: par-tayyyyy (or go to bed early because tomorrow's Monday, after all)

As always, the link to the stream is here: http://www.livestream.com/pocketspriter! Make sure to drop by (you don't need to register for anything), and tell your friends!