First serious attempt at Pixel

[Mad_Gravity]

I used the GMS2 pixel editor to make this. The highlights and shading where all done in different layers then merged at the end, plan on making into an animation at some point. 64x64.

[MysteryMeat]

I'd rework the shading on the wood, the edges near the bands make the wood look sunken in. Most of the time you want those iron bands either flush with the wood, or thick enough that people won't question the shadow much!

[Mad_Gravity]

I think I took care of what you were talking about? better?



also another piece I did (fairy blade)

[dpixel]

Some ideas...


Watch your color count.  You had a lot that were redundant...meaning they were so close to each other you couldn't tell them apart.  Your first version had 43 colors.  My edit has 10.

And more contrast helps too. 

All of this is very common with new pixel artists.

Very good first attempt though.   

[Mad_Gravity]

The feeling you get when some one flips your art using 4x less colors.lol
that is amazing! I will definitely try to learn from that and try to make things with a smaller color pallet.
 

[dpixel]

Yeah, too many colors tends to muddy things up.  Sort of less is more with pixel art.  Plus it makes pixeling easier when a limited palette is used, esp when animating, as you can imagine.