Thanks for the encouragement, guys.

I finally sent my email detailing a rough outline of the class:

Pixel art is one of the oldest computer based art forms, and it often goes unrecognized and under-celebrated in modern times due to obsolescence. However advanced technology gets, pixel art is kept alive by hobbyists and enthusiasts, but is seldom taught in any classroom. This idea seeks to change that.

I'm thinking the classes could be on Monday or Tuesday nights, sometime in the middle of the week to help people unwind after a long day at work. They could start maybe around 7 and run for 1-2 hours. It would take place in the computer lab primarily using Photoshop. For people unfamiliar with the program I would help guide them through each step.

It might be helpful if possible if there was one computer hooked up to a projector for people to follow along through demonstrations. My idea is that the classes would be weekly and run for four weeks minimum. Each class would go over a new subject or study of pixel art, followed by classmates completing in-class assignments, while I help them when needed. Topics included would be studying old video games, examining sprites, cluster theory and newer techniques, environmental tiles, and portraits.

I'm excited about this opportunity. Please let me know what the next step is moving forward.

On the right track, but I think you need to slow down.

Another edit:

List of Changes:
-Reduced the size to 75% of what you had. Your canvas right now is pretty big, pixel art works better in smaller sizes, otherwise you get bogged down filling in the details of the res and make yourself work more too.
-Added another value to bridge the purple and black.
-Took the brown from the BG and worked it into her cheeks to help balance the blue and breathe some life into her.
-Shoulders are way too broad.
-Wasn't sure what was going on with the orange so got rid of it. I guess it was to balance out the blue? It overpowers it right now and confuses the eye.

The main point:
Use more concise, confident strokes. (Smaller canvas makes this easier.) Your lines right now are all over the place. Look at Night's face edit and notice how clean the values are. You don't have to work so sketchy, think about the placement of your clusters/brushstrokes/pixels. One plane of color next to another will define the form, then blend where necessary.

Also I would say to be cautious about using other paintings as reference. A photo or real life is always ideal. A painting already has an abstracted degree of separation from the subject so you're starting away from the real thing already. Still, it would be interesting to study the brushstrokes and make your clusters based on them.

Keep at it. You're getting better. The blue highlights are a cool idea and works well.
 

These are all the same questions that I'm thinking about. Still figuring it out, will post a draft of the syllabus when I make it. I think I would be paid, the money being from people opting into the classes. That's why I'm kind of caught up, I don't want to make people pay for the same info that's all across free pixel tuts on the net. Or is there no shame in exploiting that?

Stumbled upon this article, which is a gold mine, and echoes some of Cyangmou's points:
http://indiegames.com/2013/11/opinion_what_not_to_do_when_st.html

Also, I've been following Seyken: Crystal Kingdom for awhile, which has some gorgeous art by Cyangmou/Vierbit, so I was disappointed to find this:
http://indiestatik.com/2013/11/07/seyken-crystal-kingdom/

@Cyangmou:
Is there on update on this situation, or maybe there are some postmortem lessons to be learned here from dissecting the situation? If it's a personal matter you don't wish to talk about, that's fine, I just hate to see that art go to waste, especially as a reference/study.