Photoshop Pixeling for Beginners?

[pixelrox]

OK, I'm done looking at the lighter software, GraphicsGale and MS Paint for example. Nice software, but access to photoshop means more possibilities.

Could someone give me a rundown on pixeling with Photoshop. Anything from workflow explanations to tutorial links. I am new to this site, and it's great, but also huge. I could easily get lost. In fact I'm not sure where I am now. 

I would like to try to keep this thread going if it works out, by adding questions. Hopefully it attracts attention. I am a complete beginner to pixeling and I have some very basic sketching skills. I am interested in pixel art and also pixel interface design. I especially like the menu buttons and tabs in this sites layout. Also the fonts. Anyway, anything helps.

Please don't hesitate on re-directing me to older threads that are ongoing. I don't know what to search for.

Best tutorial so far I think, is http://www.derekyu.com/?page_id=218.

[Ai]

I am a complete beginner to pixeling and I have some very basic sketching skills.

Then, why would you choose to use a complex software that is not adapted to pixeling? If you really aim to be learning to pixel, should you be confusing the issue by using a program that has -- MANY! functions that have nothing to do with pixel art? Doesn't that just make learning a lot harder than it should be?

EDIT: I don't really like GraphicsGale which was recommended by tehwexxl0rz (eg. it's Windows only), but you know, even MS Paint would be better for learning to pixel than Photoshop. I personally recommend Grafx2 - it has all the nice pixel stuff, an unobstrusive GUI, scripting, customizable keyboard shortcuts, advanced pixel-oriented drawing effects, layering, and excellent palette editing. It only really lacks for animation support.

[tehwexxl0rz]

Erm... I'm a long time Photoshop veteran, but it's not tailored for pixel art in the slightest. I highly recommend GraphicsGale no matter what your skill level.

I pixelled in Photoshop for years before discovering GG, and now I could never go back.

[pixelrox]

OK, guys. The pressure is on. I re-installed GraphicsGale. However, could someone give me an example of how to integrate Photoshop into a pixeling workflow? For many tasks, I would prefer to use photoshop as my primary tool.  Please keep in mind that I am listening to all tips. I will really give GraphicsGale a good go. So any tips on how to use the two together are appreciated.

[9_6]

Set the brush and eraser to pencil and disable soften from the lasso tool and you're good to go.

[Jad]

I don't know how I'm going to give comprehensible feedback on this so I'll just brainblurt.

Go to preferences and set the whatamacallit filtering stuff to 'nearest neighbor' so everything won't turn into blurry mush when you scale/rotate/etc things

Make sure to only ever use the pencil tool and keep the brush at an arm's length

make sure to put eraser in pencil mode too, for the same kind of reasons.

When you pixel in photoshop, use the selection functions that come with it to make the most out of this way-too-expensive software.

Like, if you want to change every instance of one color on the screen, set fill tool tolerance to 0 and switch off 'contiguous' and you can use it as a super convenient color replacement tool

And in the same way you can select big blobs of color with the magic wand (same settings as the fill tool) and then ctrl+h hide the marquee and just paint where you want.

Masking with selections is one of the most convenient things about pixelling in photoshop, so make the most of that.

I think that's all i've got right not. Junkboy could add something if I forgot anything, we used photoshop a lot at our former working place. O:

[pixelrox]

Jad, I have been thinking the last couple of days. I would really like to move from photoshop to GraphicsGale. The reason I am telling you is, that after trying the software, I found out that it is easy to load a scanned image to pixel over. What is difficult is the sensitivity of a mouse over the screen. You mentioned in your post that in the last place you worked, you used photoshop. I am assuming that when it get's to serious pixel art, you might use something else. I know I started this as a photoshop thread, but could you tell me a little about your workflow. Do you sketch, scan what software and etc. I would be interested. I am finding out why people like GraphicsGale so much. Really is nice.

In fact if anyone can add to this question, please do.

[Sleepless]

I don't really like GraphicsGale which was recommended by tehwexxl0rz (eg. it's Windows only), but you know, even MS Paint would be better for learning to pixel than Photoshop. I personally recommend Grafx2 - it has all the nice pixel stuff, an unobstrusive GUI, scripting, customizable keyboard shortcuts, advanced pixel-oriented drawing effects, layering, and excellent palette editing. It only really lacks for animation support.

It seems to always go back to this, doesn't it? I'm just going to say that if you are using Mac, you are basically forced to use Photoshop, because since there are top programs for Mac, you only need one professional one. Even though there is Pixen, I heard it constantly crashes. Gaphics Gale is very suited for pixel art and I reccomend it. Not to offed you, Ai, I am just saying we have different views. If you can''t afford Photoshop, you can use GIMP, it is fairly easy to use. Though, I think you should stick to programs that focus on pixel art. You never told us: what kind of computer are you using?

[Ambient]

I use Graphics Gale only.
1) Customizable hotkeys for all functions- look under preferences.
2) Loupe: a zoomed in cut of the area around your mouse. Zoom roughly customizable.
3) Preview: Shows your image and animation if any, at customizable zoom and display rate.
4) Single pallet: Work from a pallet which is kind of locked. Changing the color in your pallet changes all the colors of that in the picture. Used in .gif format.
5) Alpha channels: I haven't really looked at this, because I don't use alpha in pixel art and I have PSE. But you can handle them with set opacity, additive opacity, and erasing.
5) Anti-aliasing: Optional on text and resizing selections.
6) Scroll: Move all pixels in selection with wrapping vertically or horizontally.
7) Edit a variety of file types: .ico files, windows cursor files (.cur), windows animated cursor files (.ani), and .avi files.
Built in browser: Can give previews for any supported file type, show supported file types in all sub directories, and have animated previews on animated files.
9) Color counter: Shows you amount of colors in current layer and frame.
10) Onion skin: Optional with forward frame, backward frame, or both.
13) Adjust colors: adjust brightness, contrast, gamma correction, red, green, blue, saturation, and save presets.
14) Text: Optional borders and pitch among the usual features.
15) Batch conversion: Mass convert files.
16) Basic tool hotkeys: Right click for select color (+control for secondary), right click and drag for rectangle selection (in any tool but rectangle selection), control click and drag to pan view. You can choose to have SPACEBAR or ALT put a popup menu with all the tools by the mouse.
So yeah, I really like Graphics Gale.