Just got Photoshop for editing charsets, need advice???

[illmatic683]

Hello, I just got the new version of Photoshop and I have ordered a graphic tablet with pen and it should arrive in the mail today. I have a quick question?

I have posted request for someone to create charsets for me, but no one replied after bump after bump...

So I decided to create/edit the charset myself, so I got photoshop and a graphic tablet for editing/creating easy.
I have been dappling with photoshop with colors and drawing and such...
I would like to know from people who create/edit via photoshop...
What settings is best used to made editing/creating charsets in Photoshop???

Thanks...

 

[Rare]

1) Tablets are NOT used for charsets, plain old mouse and clicking is the way to go.

2) DO NOT use photoshop filters, because I know that's what you're alluding to.

Seriously, photoshop isn't even needed for doing pixel art.  Alls you need is a good old palette and a mouse and even MS paint and you're good to go.

since you have the tablet, and photoshop, I would suggest doing maybe character sketches or battlers?

 

[AbyssalLord]

I could use some battlers if you know how to make them!

 

[___]

First off, I use a tablet (actually tablet PC) for doing pixel art and find it speeds things up for me a lot over mouse/keyboard, and cuts down on wrist strain, so I think it's a good move if you plan to do a lot of art with it personally.

Photoshop is way overkill and not really at all suited to pixel art.  MSPaint is sufficient but really lacks a lot of useful tools.  I'm going to do what I usually do and pimp Graphics Gale.  It's designed and intended for pixel art and has a free version that does everything except save to GIF and Windows icon/cursor format.  You don't need that at all for spriting character sheets so you're good to go.  It has all the features that photoshop offers which are useful to pixel art, quite a few others that it doesn't have, and none of the things in photoshop that are going to interfere with the quality of your work.

Now as far as learning to do it, check out the sticky at the top of the Resource Analysis forum as well as the Pixel Academy and Tutorial forum for tons of great advice and instruction on how to do this kind of work.

Also this really doesn't belong in RR, so I'm moving it.

 

[Darksydaz]

I use photoshop for everything... since i'm used to it... actually I've heard alot of people give discretions over using photoshop saying "real spriters don't use photoshop"... But i feel that whatever works, use it... If you like using Photoshop, then use it... My spriter uses MS Paint and that works... very well i might add...

You shouldn't need a tablet depending on what type of sprites you make... some people paint their battlers (like kicks) some people sprite everything (like TANA) {don't quote me on those}... but yeah different types of methods generate different types of styles of sprites... for the regular sprites, you shouldn't need a tablet. But perhaps you plan on pioneering a new way to create sprites...?

I learned by emulation and from there created an actual way to make cel shaded sprites.. as an alternative to the regular sprites.. perhaps, they may not seem cel-shaded, but it's the closest i've seen to get to it... I would say look for tutorials over the internet... learn from a bunch of sprite artists... and create your own style that fits and compliments your game and style...

This is just my take and my opinion... i prefer to use photoshop because it gives me knowledge to create loads of graphics... spriting, photomanipulation, and for coloring characters... So if you plan on using Photoshop for more than just characters... then stick with photoshop... Get comfortable with the tablet and you can create some interesting sprites... good luck and happy spriting... if you need help... i'll try to offer my opinion...

 

[___]

Well, I think the declaration that "real spriters don't use Photoshop" is pretty stupid, personally.  It isn't a matter of purity, more a matter of using the right tool for the right job. 

You could use a multitool's needle-nose pliers to pull nails and pound them back into the wall with its butt end, or you could use a clawhammer.  Simpler tool, but better suited to the task at hand, if you get me.

Fundamentally, ultimately, a good artist will create good work regardless of the tools he uses, and a poor artist will create poor work regardless of the tool he uses.  However a good artist will create good work faster and more easily with a good tool than with a poor tool, and a poor artist will find it easier to develop his artistic ability faster with a good tool than with a poor tool.

Photoshop is a great tool mind you, it's just still best suited to certain kinds of tasks even though it works pretty well as a general purpose item.  Pixel art is barely peripheral to its main purpose though, which is photo and high-definition image editing.  Personally I'm the kind of guy who will pack around a huge toolbox with a huge variety of different tools than try to take a handful of multipurpose tools and try to adapt them to any purpose, if that helps you understand my point of view.  I have literally hundreds of different pieces of software each suited to doing one particular little task extremely well.

 

[Venetia]

I use Paint Shop Pro and I'm pretty sure ShowKaizer uses Photoshop. And people who think PS is overkill call HIM not a pixel artist? I just say, use whatever you're fastest with. Just AVOID filters, feathering, smudging, blending ... Use the pencil tool. Srsly.

 

[Cruelty]

turn off anti aliasing and use the pencil and you should be good.

i recommend just using ms paint tho. photoshop was designed for advanced, professional level graphics.. not pixels. so theres not much there FOR pixel-ing.

 

[illmatic683]

Thanks for the advice everyone...

I'm not sure that I have the shadowing and shades down tho...  :dead:

Here's what I did so far:
Note: did not create template, only drawn the clothes:

http://a364.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/im ... cf1cf3.png[/img]

Any advice about setting shadowing and tones?

 

[___]

It's best to show WIP game art over in Resource Analysis, you'll get more help over there.  I can tell you right off the bat it's very difficult to judge color with that bright green background, switch to something more natural so the colors on your sprite aren't wiped out by the contrast.  However your shirt seems to be flat black, and you definitely have a lot to learn about shading.  Check out the Pixel Academy forum here, it will get you started.