Hello Bro and Broettes!
So I have been practicing pixel art for about a week now. I am a professional programmer and have been struggling for a lot of my life to make a video game because of lack of art support, before a week ago I was that guy who would tell you I couldn't draw a stick figure to save my life and that I had no artist talent and ability!
Well, last Monday I decided enough is enough and I am gonna learn to art. I settled on pixel art because the grid like canvas I feel like clicks with me well, and no doubt one can make some really shockingly good stuff with pixel art. I have found I absolutely love it! I have been practicing pretty steady all weak and have finally created my first character that I didn't copy, recolor, or reinvent. As this character came together I got a feel that I have never had in my life, like an "omg, its working.. its really working!" kinda feeling!
I would like to get into everything I learned from pixel scaling, and render sizes but this thread would be way to long. Most important things I learned from an art standpoint was understanding color how to select them and use them. The other most important thing I learned was the discipline it takes to "work a piece".
Often times I would watch my talented friends just draw something in-front of me. I didn't understand they did it so smoothly because they have been practicing drawing that or something like that for a long time. If I asked them to draw something they have not drawn or a new concept to them, they would have to work the piece in a fit of frustration just like myself! I never understood that until this week. I think all none artists should know that.
Intended to be viewed at 2x and 3x.
This character, which by any other artists standards isn't super great. For me though its a huge deal. It is proof that I am capable of doing this. That art isn't something I had to be born with and even though it makes my brain hurt so much that if I power through it I can get results I am proud of!
This character took me about 10 hours to do and dozens of references. The pose and body shape were the biggest challenges. I basically just doodled until the character "jumped out at me" after that I looked at tons of art both pixel and none pixel in an attempt to get the pose right. (I don't think I nailed it but meh close enough)
I had to watch a lot of tutorials and pixel art references to learn that you have to dark shade one of the legs to give it the depth to appear further away then the other one. Once I learned this and tried it I felt so silly.
Coloring was the least frustrating part but still pretty frustrating. I feel like my color selection is inexperienced. My palette is kinda all over the place and I haven't learned yet what colors flow well with other colors.
The great news is that today I am feeling omega confident that I can do this and that I am partly developing "my style" which so far I like the direction it is going.
I am open to any feedback or advice as long as it isn't worded in a way to "drag me down". I really am trying and I know for more practiced artists my achievement is minor at best, so don't be a downer and try to bring my tempo down.
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