Trying out Pixelart

[Homeroe]

Well, i have never done any kind of pixelart before. So today, i opened up "PS:CS2" and started trying.

To start, i wanted to make a can of cola (i love coke  :thumb, so i messed with it and this is what i came with:

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/8091/cocacolajo9.png[/img]

I want some feed, in what can i change, or what can i do to improve. Any feedback is welcome.

 

[Despain]

don't use photoshop; don't use gradients.

try again in paint with the pencil tool.

 

[Homeroe]

Well i like PS, coz the layers and stuff, but i will give it a shot in paint. Also, i didnt used gradients.

 

[TheAmateurAnimator]

don't use photoshop; don't use gradients.

try again in paint with the pencil tool.

It's very subtle, but if you look closely you can see dithering.

 

[Venetia]

There're 27 colors on that Coke can!  :shock:

Try to keep your palette as small as possible; a lot of colors there are unnecessary, making it look like a gradient. For something that small, I doubt it'd need more than 6-8 colors for everything altogether. Also the perspective is a little off if this is to be placed somewhere on a tileset. But keep trying, you'll get it

 

[Samboy]

There're 27 colors on that Coke can!

But... how do you do that?

She's right, you know. I would even say 4-5 colors at the most, but yeah. Simple is best with spriting, until you get good.

 

[___]

Yeah typically people like to use about 4-5 values per hue.  Also, don't use paint, it sucks.  I recommend Graphics Gale!  It is the shit for pixel art, king of all pixel art apps (sucks for everything else though!).  It's also free.  Check it out now: http://www.humanbalance.net/gale/us/

 

[ZephyrSkye]

I don't see why everybody is trying to "sell you their wares." Do whatever program feels right to you. I use photoshop and I'm decent at spriting and pixel art. I use paint, too, because I enjoy that one. Just do what feels right.

Over all on the Coke can, I'd give it a 6 out of 10, especially for a first effort. I'm really glad you're trying new things. It makes all the difference in the world.

And Samboy, you can check the color pallet on Photoshop and (I believe) GraphicsGale to see how many hues and colors you really have in something.

 

[Quintinius]

I agree with ZephyrSkie.

Personally I use Paint, because on my old old PC that didn't even have internet the only program I ever used was MS Paint.

I'm still crap at pixel art though

 

[Venetia]

Of course, in pixel art, you're capable of doing anything you can in Paint/GraphicsGale/PSP/etc. Only prob with advanced image editors is that the temptation for using the smudge/smooth tool or any of the alluring filters is too strong for pixel-newbs. So if you're a super-beginner, MSPaint is good to start with because it doesn't have any of the bells and whistles, but it has *just* enough to keep some of the pros using it.

I use PSP, but occasionally I'll sling some love MSPaint's way.

 

[Grathea]

I personally use photoshop, but I occasionally use MSpaint. Unfortunately, it's only got a four-object undo tree, and no layers, so I don't use it that often. It's still a viable tool, though, and you should use whatever you want to.

 

[Homeroe]

Thanx for al the answers guys, i'll try to make the same can, but with the lowest quantity of colors.
I use PS, coz im familiar with it, and feel like is easier to work on than MS paint. (shorcuts,layers,workspace,transparency,ect...)

 

[___]

The reason I pimp Gale so much is that it's designed specifically for pixel art.  It has everything you could desire for creating good pixel art (excellent palette control, layers, animation frames with onion skins, grids, guides, transparency, etc.) and none of the stuff you don't need  that will mess up or defeat the purpose of your art (smudge, blur, filters, insistence on anti-aliasing everything, etc).  Paint is sufficient, of course, but can be clumsy and solutions to common needs are hard to find; as a matter of preference it's fine but it's certainly not superior in an objective sense, or easier to use, and since gale is a very small download and free to use Paint doesn't beat it in that category either. 

I am a strong believer in the right tool for the right project; I use Photoshop for photo editing, I use Painter for simulating natural media, I use Illustrator for logo design and vector art, and I use gale for pixeling.  None of them will make you a better artist, but they will certainly make an artist's life easier for the tasks they're intended :D

Sorry to hijack your thread Homeroe!  Give Gale a shot though :D

 

[xeroxz2k7]

You know. Try to use 3 Red shades, and 2 or 3 Grey shades. And, something really important is that you don't ask other people about the "best" tool you can use for pixeling. No such thing as the "best tool" exist. It's all down to you. You're saying that you are familiar with Photoshop, then use it. I just noticed something else as well, you can use the lightest shade of Grey on top of the Red, instead of using the White-ish colour.

 

[Rare]

Of course, in pixel art, you're capable of doing anything you can in Paint/GraphicsGale/PSP/etc. Only prob with advanced image editors is that the temptation for using the smudge/smooth tool or any of the alluring filters is too strong for pixel-newbs. So if you're a super-beginner, MSPaint is good to start with because it doesn't have any of the bells and whistles, but it has *just* enough to keep some of the pros using it.

I use PSP, but occasionally I'll sling some love MSPaint's way.

This is true.  Although I'm crap at pixel art, I knew what not to use.  The only real reason I like to use PS is because 1) It has a grid and 2) It's the one I'm most familiar with.  (I know PS isn't the only one with a grid)

 

[xeroxz2k7]

:/ MSPaint has a grid too you know...

http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/3439/paintpq6.jpg[/img]

 

[Rare]

Well you learn something new everyday.  o_o

Thanks :P  Didn't even know.

 

[Onideus Mad Twatter]

I mostly use Paint Shop Pro...mostly because of nyah.  It's very handy for color reduction in that you get an instant preview of the results as well as the file size savings.

*wonders what the guy below him is talking about*

 

[xeroxz2k7]

Automatic colour reduction and automatic dithering is what I see in that screen. I wouldn't call it Pixelart, but that's just me, though.