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Forums Hangouts ✐ Pixel Academy -- Practice and Challenges together!

Donator — he/him Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/30 18:02:48 )
Thanks for the ping! There’s already some really great art and resources here. I’m excited to try stuff out.


@koneko: i like the contrast of the flame to the candle itself
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Voltie — she/her Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/30 18:15:28 )

@koneko:
Exactly c:
even without being busy, I can be a slow butt when it comes to random art challenges.

I love your candle <33 I wont throw it up front yet!
I've just been saving mine as a png file. haven't had any issues that way

@synth:
Yay, I thought they looked helpful :D
welcome to the thread~
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Voltie — she/her Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/30 19:28:15 )

@koneko:
ahh weird, what program are you using?
maybe its resizing the image when you save it. thats what would cause blur
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Donator — she/they Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 01:05:59 )
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Changed up and finished the candle! think it turned out decent now lol

I think I'm gonna make a doll from a base or smth now

@koneko: those look cute! I love how different they each are, and their placement relative to each other ^^

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Donator — he/him Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 01:25:25 )
Love both candles! I’m gonna get started next time I have a few minutes to try things out. Maybe I’ll see what I can do on my lunch break at work tonight.
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ping me for best results

Donator — she/they Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 03:31:23 )
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@koneko: Thank you!
Pixel art can look completely different at original size compared to zoomed in, so it's fun to see the differences!

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● sry, i'm not that interesting ●
also please ping me

Donator — she/they Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 14:52:27 )
*poofs in*
I have been summoned! But Its super early so somebody tag me again so I remember to come back and read the whole thread :p
So I've been doing pixel art for.... probably somewhere around 20 years. I started with dolls, at first just dressing up pre-made bases, then I started making my own bases. Then I found a group called Pixelation (I'm not sure how active that forum is anymore), which changed my life. The critique there was brutal and harsh... at first I was really offended, but then I realized they were trying to push me toward greatness, so I listened to what they said and applied their techniques. Then, some of the early members of Pixelation created Pixel Joint which is where a majority of my pixel art now resides. Its a lot like Pixelation in regards to critique style, plenty of challenges, etc, but it shines by hosting the images directly on the website.

If anyone is interested, here is my gallery on Pixel Joint: Boop. (you might have to click "gallery" because it loads up "faves" first for me) and here is where I uploaded a lot of my more recent pixel dolls: Beep.
Everything I have on these websites are years and years old, so... *shrug*

One of the first tutorials that really opened my eyes is right here:Blop. Its kind of focused on making elements to be used in a game, but the techniques learned there can be applied to any pixel art, so its worth a read.

To me, the most important part of pixel art is restrictions. Its all about what you can do with less. Try to keep your color count super low. Try to use a strict pallet. Try to only use a 1px pencil brush. These restrictions teach you how to trick the eye, how to carve shapes, how to make small things look incredibly detailed. I've taken these rectrictions and applied them to other types of art and had great results.

If you want me to give you a harsh constructive critique, just ask! I won't do them without being prompted, because it can come off as rude to folks who are not used to it... I promise I'm not trying to be rude, its just super hard to hear words about something you poured your soul into if you didn't ask for it :p

I'm excited to see what you all create!
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Ping me, Devil Daddy, ping me.




Donator — Frog bless Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 16:51:35 )

Of course a pixel thread pops up while I'm obsessing over a new game busy. This sounds like fun!
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Voltie — she/her Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 18:09:42 )

oooh you guys have been busy while I was out yesterday :D

@koneko:
Ahh I was using pixel studio as well and ignored its prompts to resize stuff. I dont think mine came out blurry? but idk maybe they are and my eyes just couldn't tell xD not wearing my glasses afterall

I love the zodiac mouse!! and your candles are very cute, would you like me to post them up now? c:

@llama:
Oh yay, animation!! I was tempted to try that on mine but figured I should focus on shading first.

@glume:
Thanks so much, those resources should be really helpful. You're free to harsh critique my pixels cause I'm certainly a newb not knowing what I'm doing xD I could learn something from the perspective of someone who knows.

@priestess of pie:
which game is this? admittedly I spent half of yesterday beating one of mine when I SHOULD be pixeling more this week. before my classes start back up next week xD
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Voltie — she/her Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 18:14:54 )

Ahh Glume your pixels are awesome <33
checking out all the links now
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Donator — Frog bless Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 18:20:20 )

I got My Time at Portia in the Steam sale and let me tell you... that game is a time machine. I start playing at 8pm and suddenly it's 2am.

For those of you struggling picking colors, this tutorial by mortmort was really helpful. He has a lot of other great pixeling tutorials as well for those just getting started.
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Voltie — she/her Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 18:52:24 )

@priestess of pie:
Ive been really tempted to get that game, but havent yet! Maybe on my next paycheck, I DO have another week-long break coming up in january that I could use for playing video games pixeling

thanks so much!! I'll add it and then watch it :D
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Donator — Frog bless Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 18:59:05 )

I've been so bad over the past week. I'm supposed to be working on a few art projects but I've been playing games instead.
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Voltie — she/her Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 19:00:48 )

@priestess of pie:
its so much of a struggle! I've got homework to do for 3 classes (one is a Final) and I've just been playing :vanora_xd:
yesterday I found myself out of town on some spontaneous adventure, too. so bad at life
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Donator — Frog bless Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 19:01:43 )

Most of mine are personal, but one is for a friend and she's waiting on it so I feel bad. I need to get in gear.
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Voltie — she/her Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 19:07:17 )

@priestess of pie:
no better time than the present! My best friend put it in such a way...
"Force it out
Like a fart
That spurts into shit
Thats how u force motivation"

but he's not wrong. I usually give myself a 2 week limit on art things if they have no real deadline, cause I cant work with too much freedom. I HAVE to kick myself into gear even if I dont wanna do it
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Donator — Frog bless Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 19:09:02 )

Yeah and I've been trying I'm just having trouble with the composition so I've been avoiding it.
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Voltie — she/her Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 19:18:25 )

@priestess of pie:
ahh gotcha
I understand that. personally, sometimes its easier for me to start over with a different view on the image. or sometimes I just force it complete and hate it in the end but the receiver ends up liking it anyways xD not usually what I like to do though
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Voltie — she/her Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 19:37:19 )

OH OH
I found something! The most proud pixelling I've done (but still, freedom to crit them!)
This was over a year ago when I wanted to make sprites of some OCs of mine


I still enjoy how they came out. First time making a base myself, I think. But they feel a bit "thin" for RPG maker's tile sizes, so it felt awkward to use them. If I could change those tiles into rectangles, that'd be great xD
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I am leaving Voltra
Find my links here

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Donator — Frog bless Posted 4 years ago ( 2019/12/31 19:44:55 )

These are really good though. You don't always have to follow what games have done in the past either. You're welcome to use different proportions. You'd just have to make sure the rest of your graphics reflected the style.
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Mallow Tumbleweed
My Sons


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