* Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. If you put water in a cup it becomes the cup, if you put into a bottle it becomes the bottle. You put water into a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.

There is no distinction between pixel art styles. They are all aspects of one thing. Study it holistically.

* Like everyone else you want to learn the way to win, but never to accept the way to lose - to accept defeat. To learn to die is to be liberated from it. So when tomorrow comes you must free your ambitious mind and learn the art of dying!

Attempt pixel art beyond your comfort zone. Be ready to face failure, for you will learn from it! Don't do the same thing over and over again!

When there is freedom from mechanical conditioning, there is simplicity. The classical man is just a bundle of routine, ideas and tradition. If you follow the classical pattern, you are understanding the routine, the tradition, the shadow — you are not understanding yourself.

Pixel art skills are no different from any other art skills. There is no point to obsess over technical details of pixel art if only to forget that it is as much a technical methodology, as it is intuitive art

A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.

Enjoy the making of the art as much as the benefits of presenting the end result!

A martial artist who drills exclusively to a set pattern of combat is losing his freedom. He is actually becoming a slave to a choice pattern and feels that the pattern is the real thing. It leads to stagnation because the way of combat is never based on personal choice and fancies, but constantly changes from moment to moment, and the disappointed combatant will soon find out that his "choice routine" lacks pliability. There must be a "being" instead of a "doing" in training. One must be free. Instead of complexity of form, there should be simplicity of expression.

Those that only draw fighter sprites, or rpg tiles, or only game-art are losing their freedom! Practise everything and your specialties will benefit! nonetheless

All fixed set patterns are incapable of adaptability or pliability. The truth is outside of all fixed patterns.

Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself; do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.

Hear that SNK copiers and Capcom copiers! Don't do as they do! Do as you'd do!

Art is the expression of the self. The more complicated and restricted the method, the less the opportunity for expression of one's original sense of freedom. Though they play an important role in the early stage, the techniques should not be too mechanical, complex or restrictive. If we cling blindly to them, we shall eventually become bound by their limitations. Remember, you are expressing the techniques and not doing the techniques.

The limitation is only meaninful if it breeds expression which would not otherwise occur without said limitation

Do not deny the classical approach, simply as a reaction, or you will have created another pattern and trapped yourself there.

One should study and understand proper pixelling techniques before saying 'I do not need this!'

I am happy because I am growing daily and I am honestly not knowing where the limit lies. To be certain, every day there can be a revelation or a new discovery. I treasure the memory of the past misfortunes. It has added more to my bank of fortitude.

Do not be ashamed of past errors! Be glad for them and push forward! Do not try to just outrun your friends. Don't just try to outrun the bear. Try to outrun GOD. There is no limit!

I hope martial artists are more interested in the root of martial arts and not the different decorative branches, flowers or leaves.

SNK people! Capcom people! There is only one Pixel Art!

If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.

If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you'll never get it done.

Make more art than you think about it! Practise as much as you can, all sorts of art!

In Jeet Kune-Do, physical conditioning is a must for all martial artists. If you are not physically fit, you have no business doing any hard sparring. To me, the best exercise for this is running. Running is so important that you should keep it up during your lifetime. What time of the day you run is not important as long as you run. In the beginning you should jog easily and then gradually increase the distance and tempo, and finally include sprints to develop your 'wind.' Let me give you a bit of warning: just because you get very good at your training it should not go to your head that you are an expert. Remember, actual sparring is the ultimate, and the training is only a means toward this. Besides running, one should also do exercises for the stomach — sit-ups, leg raises, etc. Too often one of those big-belly masters will tell you that his internal power has sunk to his stomach; he's not kidding, it is sunk and gone! To put it bluntly, he is nothing but fat and ugly.

Not related. I just found it awesome.

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.

When challenging yourself with difficult Pixel Art subjects, new solutions will come to you!

It is true that the mental aspect of kung-fu is the desired end; however, to achieve this end, technical skill must come first.

The more technical practise you do in the Way of the Pixel, at the end you'll come across the Pixel itself.

Jeet Kune Do, It's just a name, don't fuss over it. There's no such thing as a style if you understand the roots of combat.

Selout/AA/Dithering/Color Conservation/Hue Tinting/Whatever, are just names. Don't fuss over them. In action, it all becomes one thing.

Let the spirit out — Discard all thoughts of reward, all hopes of praise and fears of blame, all awareness of one's bodily self. And, finally closing the avenues of sense perception, let the spirit out, as it will.

Do not think why you pixel, but pixel. Pixel Zen.

Take no thought of who is right or wrong or who is better than. Be not for or against.

Do not concern yourself with measuring your pixel art idols against each other. Concern yourself with the Art.

When I look around I always learn something, and that is to be yourself always, express yourself, and have faith in yourself. Do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate him.

Finally:

The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering.

You know you can do better than one guy back in 1989 that designed all the art in Shadow of the Beast, right? Now, after decades of pixel art technique refinement and codification of methodology, you have your chance to show us how Beast would look in the modern day indie scene! Graham Lackey has studiously ripped us these pieces from the plains level of Shadow of the Beast - Genesis version:



for your perusal. Feel free to rip any other beastie from the game yourself, or from the other screenshots in the main thread. Remember: You may deviate from the design of the original beastie as much as you want, and the point is to add as many colors (though 16 max for a single enemy is a good idea I think) as you want, but it must still say 'Shadow of the Beast' and a seasoned veteran - like me - should be able to still tell from which enemy you started as a base. Keep the same sizes more or less! Otherwise, go nuts! Show us all how we've grown from 1989 to 2006!

If you're feeling really strong, you may attempt the Beast himself!!

An msn chat turned into a NINJA SNEAKY INTERVIEW. What can I say?


Panda: I wonder if in a few years there are going to be parties like that but with pixelart overall 

Helm: I think pixel art will die in a very hilarious way. Just bigger screens, with huge resolutions will be the end of it. So then all that will be left will be some scene situation yeah. We'll probably be running it too.

Panda: Hah. I hope it stays alive for a bit longer though :X

Helm: Well who can tell with technology updates? When almost everybody is 4,000 pixels on 31 inches, forget it. Unless we make custom scaler software to render pixel art crisp and clear on 3x zoom by default or something, but it'll be much less prevailent when people just don't even see the pixels anymore. A lot of artists come from desktop icons and such, to the art. That'll end.

Panda: I started a bit like that (ish) too.

Helm: Oh yeah? Hey, give me the unabridged version. I've known you were around forever, and I can spot your art a mile away usually, but I don't know a lot about you.

Panda: Well, I started pixelling after msn 6 allowed some custom smileys, then in some forums I used to go, there was this guy who did smileys too and he pointed me to pixelation (that was around dec.2003) and from then I started pixelling

Helm: So not from a game-art background at all. Rejuvinating. What were and now are your aspirations?

Panda: Pixel art-wise? Or like dream job?

Helm: The former.
 
Panda: Well, back then, I wanted to be better, I enjoyed it too so. But right now I'm more into experimenting, all after I got this cold and got inspired. I guess I want to bring pixel into new areas, though it sounds like something a hippie would say :X But I have to work too from time to time. So I guess, blending both goals .

Helm: What would these new areas be?

Panda: Well, new areas at least for me, but carry pixel art into design, or something like that.
 
Helm: Don't you feel perhaps that that is approaching pixel art as a stylistic effect, just design? Do you see a difference between stylistics and aesthetics?

Panda: Yeah, but I dont know, I dont like those pixel art wannabe designs nowadays pop up, those that go by "PIXEL STYLE"

Helm: Yeah. What's the difference?  (between what they're doing and what you're proposing)

Panda: Well, I guess what I had in mind is doing design with pixel art, but not pushing to look pixelated, just done like pixelart

Helm: What then are the things that make pixel art 'like pixel art'? Color conservation, what?

Panda: I guess the way you do it (as in: the way everybody pixels), it's hard to explain but I enjoy pixelling the most, so I guess I just try to do stuff like that.

Helm: I think I understand, when you get used to the power and the control on the pixel level... everything else feels a bit... sloppy

Panda: Yeah, kind of like that

Helm: How do you feel for the last few years recent trent of 'unfinished pixel art'. Looks like oekaki? Small pieces, left underworked on purpose (?) 

Panda: Well, while I wont kill anyone for doing it, I dont really like it, I'd rather see finished pieces, polished even. Of course some are good, but not my thing.

Helm: I've noticed you -by my standards- overpolish. Especially your aa. It's distinctively YOUR aa, but I always remember thinking 'god, overdone. Too smooth. Keep the edges!'. Now, for some pieces, like that wonderful master remaster piece you did, this works, obviously. But do you ever try harsher edges just to see how it works for you?

Panda: Well, not that often I must say, though when working at times, when having deadlines I dont polish that much :X There is not enough time for that, but I try to keep them as finished as I can

Helm: Oh, so you do a lot of contract work?

Panda: Well, from time to time, like once or twice a month.

Helm: Care to share experiences that are mentionable? I've never done any pixel art work that didn't start and finish in a single session, for money. So I don't know much about that thing. Ptoing is pro and he seems to enjoy the 8hr grind, as long as he doesn't resize/fix fonts, that is

Panda: Yeah resizing is boring ;X I like to do it in single sessions too. So when having to work I mostly end up working like 12 hours in a row.

Helm: Usually cellphone stuff? or gba?

Panda: Both, and logos and the like.

Helm: Uh huh. Aren't cellphone limitations a drag?

Panda: There arent that many limitations in cellphones nowadays, just size.
 
Helm: Frame limit? (for animations)

Panda: Well that I guess.

Helm: Changing subjects: do you have a strong traditional design or drawing background?

Panda: I've been drawing since I was a kid, but other than that no. Though I studied a bit of anatomy and the like, but not really I guess.

Helm: Do you get pangs of guilt when you see that you could be better at these things?

Panda: At times, but normally I'm comfortable. But yeah I guess I should move from the omgcomfortzone.

Helm: (btw, if this seems to be shaping up like an impromptu interview, it is because it'll probably be such!)

Panda: Well brb celebrating my birthday :X it is today :X

Helm: :0 Oh my! Happy birthday dude!

Helm: The comfort-zone bug is a particularily vicious one. You could be stuck doing the same thing for years, if you're getting good returns psychologically from it.


(long msn pause... I strike several awesome poses while I wait)


Panda: Back, and thanks heh. It's going to be an interview? haha

Helm: If you don't disagree, I'll format and post it on pix. SNEAK ATTACK INTERVIEW. I won't do any more, just found it interesting in this case.

Panda: Uhm alright I guess, :$ but haha, sneak attack interview XD

Helm: Yeah, it's silly.



Panda: Oh and as for traditional stuff, I sketch like this :X

Helm: Want me to link?

Panda: Nah (I DISOBEYED, HAHA!)

Helm: Pretty smooth shading control. Nice. It shows you've carried skill from pixel art to real art. But sometimes I get annoyed! A lot of the stuff you seem to do could be vectors.

Panda: Yeah, but I dont know, I enjoy the precision and the way of doing it :X (as in pixel art)

Helm: I agree, but sometimes I feel 'god, just make this a bit less worked! for its own good! Let it point at its own pixels a little bit more!'. I think maybe you enjoy pixel art more because of the precision than because pixels are inherently enjoyable for you.

Panda: Sven (Ptoing) says that too, about me AAing too much, and well, yeah and no, I enjoy the precision, but not more than pixelling itself.

Helm: I see.

Panda: but yeah I'll try to show the pixels more :X

Helm: Awesome. There's not many people that control aa as well as you do. But then there's the comfort zone bug. Time to break out of your own.

then the conversation trailed off on critiquing a piece he's making

Naturallly, sneaky interviews cannot happen again now that I've made this public. But I'd like two things: for there to be an open-ended discussion over points Panda makes if there's an interest, and perhaps other interviews by members, for members. I'd love to do more, but sadly the impromptu aspect of this is now gone.

BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING REGARDING THESE VIDEO TUTORIALS, DOWNLOAD THE TECHSMITH CODEC
(needed for recording/watching)

For recording your own videos use:

- Camtasia Studio (costs money, but they have a 30day trial available on their site)
- Auto Screen Recorder (freeware)
- AviScreen Classic (freeware)


Video-tutorials done by our community members:

- Robot - By Helm
- Creature - By Evil-Ville
- Shooter -  By robotriot
- Dawn Razor Portrait - By Helm
- Shooter - By pkmays // Currently Down
- Robot - By Lawrence // Currently Down
- Ruins - By Helm
- Another Shooter (Mirror) - By pkmays // Currently Down
- Insect - By Sherman Gill // Currently Down
- Platformer Mockup - By Helm
- Index Painting a Quake Texture - By Ptoing
- Robot - By Rhysd
- EGA Owl - By Ptoing
- CGA Portrait - By Lackey
- Sprite - By setz
- Sailor - By Monsoon2D

- Matriax Flash Tutorials - Video tutorials done by Matriax in the past (various links on that post).

Reformatting of post by Panda, and now Pkmays. Thanks, you guys!

Actual expertise, not by a person who is into the editing scene. Just the actual technical knowledge of what constitutes a sprite, where the term comes from. Also I strongly contest for one

Although mixing can be rather simple and easy, it requires more experience, skill, and constructive criticism to master. Since not all sprites are similar, somewhat complex principles are involved, such as proportions, light source (shade), and flow (how well the sprite blends or flows).

Editing is probably the most general term in spriting styles, and the most common. Editing is, quite simply, the art of changing a sprite somehow.

The validity of both of these statements. The relative skill involved in editing a sprite, even editing it good is somewhere under the earth of what it takes to actually sprite. Which is what this is supposed to be about, right? Also 'the art of editing' (sic).

Then it goes on about 'custom spriting'. That should be the default usage of the term, as far as I can tell. Editing and its' lowly subforms should be a minor footnote, no?

As such, so-called "pixel-art comics" use, in reality, the same rules as sprite comics. Despite this, such a title is still a useful term as it tends to distinguish between those comics that are based on video games and those comics that merely use sprites (or pixel art) to tell an original tale.

Is this 'clarification' the result of the Squidi fallout?

For example, a difference can be found in the shading of the sprite. Although it is not as widely used as most outline effects, a method known as overshading may be used to smoothen the shading of a sprite and even make it look more three-dimensional. Overshading consists in increasing the number of shades used on a sprite (usually double the original), such as by mixing two existing shades of a color to create the center shade or by manually creating extreme light and dark shades. Overshading usually goes hand-in-hand with shaded all-color outlines (no black), and it requires good shading skills to be effective. A badly done overshade may cause the sprite to look flat or even pressed down. You can also dither to smooth out a sprite. This is mixing two shades in a checkerboard pattern. This is used more in bigger sprites.

Dispite the awful writing of all this, it's also a crock of shit? How can you turn a bad thing (blanket-shading) into a good thing? You give it a different new fancy name. Awful.

There are also some other minor yet still well-known styles of spriting. These, however, are currently not very popular. In addition, as mentioned above, spriters are constantly creating their own styles, and therefore a complete list is virtually impossible to compile.

Yes, so let's just write a huge paragraph about blanket-shading and leave it at that.

Once all the sprites have been pasted and organized on the sheet, tags, messages or titles may be added to make the sprite sheet look good and pose restrictions on its usage

oh god, why is ripper-subculture etiquette in a wiki article about spriting?

I call for massive wikiediting.