Okay, I think we need to do something. I think there's a lot of repeated errors that new people make and whereas it's
absolutely important to explain them again and again in personal terms we could at least preface by linking them to older posts that deal with similar errors. For example I am in the habit of posting the
AVOID BANDING post sans any further explanation unless the user I suggested this for asks for more, as it is a relatively simple thing to explain and advise against and I don't see the point of editing a new piece of artwork to remove banding every time unless I absolutely have to.
So how about, in lack of a Megatut that we should have done a few years ago but nobody had the time for, we assemble a collection of links in a thread that take care of all the popular errors in making pixel art? So you could say to someone who is new and has the usual errrors here look at these specific posts about
pillowshading, banding and
dither-aa clash and then ask if they have further questions. I know these posts already exist in the database and if they don't I'll take it upon me to make new ones explaining them, but what I need from you is to search your Pixelation Memory Banks (tm) for threads you though exemplified
EDITS THAT EXPLAIN COMMON PIXELLING ERRORS. Posts that just couldn't have been made any plainer and which you thought at the time 'wow, that's a pretty simple and elegant way to explain the problem!'. The avoid banding santa for example deals with this just fine, I don't think it can be really improved upon as a post. Similar things to that, by any user!
Also I hope the people whose artwork was in these edits that we'll use as teaching aids do not mind. If they do they can contact us to remove them from this project.
Here are the things I'd like to see covered:
- BASIC ANATOMY
- FACIAL ANATOMY
- STRAIGHT RAMPS
- PILLOWSHADING
- SELOUT
- DITHER-AA CLASH
- BLURRY AA
- 45 DEGREE NEEDLESS AA
- BANDING
- OVERDITHERING
- VAGUE LIGHTSOURCES
- COLOR CONSERVATION
- LACK OF CONTRAST/SMALL VALUE RANGE
- TOO MUCH SATURATION
- VALUE JUMPS
and the ever-popular,
- GRASS TILE GRID ISSUES
- TOP-DOWN RPG DOLL SPRITE (I call them 'muscle babies' )
... and whatever else you come up with that you think should need adressing!
A post that deals with one or more of these issues at the same time could fly, as long as it's very clear!
There is no time-limit in getting this done, nor is there any prize involved besides perhaps a level up in data mining, and a sense of positive contribution to this community. You will be credited of course.
Feel free to both discuss the idea, and provide links here.