n00b needs help

[d4v1d]

Im a traditional graphic artist, and do plenty of graphic design for the web, print, etc... Never really been interested in pixel art, though, till now anyway. Would like some help on getting started, links to tutorials etc would really be appreciated... also, what programs do you guys use? and what are considered the best? 

Edit: I apologise if this topic is in the wrong place, 

[eck]

links to tutorials etc would really be appreciated...

http://www.wayofthepixel.net/pixelation/index.php?topic=222.0

also, what programs do you guys use? and what are considered the best?   

anything is fine really, as long as it has a 1px brush tool and the option to turn off auto AA.

cosmigo promotion is considered the best, but its like 80 bucks.

other options are
graphicsgale
paint.net
gimp
photoshop (<-not sugested)
microsoft paint
paint shop pro




Welcome abord!

[d4v1d]

thanks, completely missed that thread with the tuts etc... 

why is photoshop not suggested?

[Luzeke]

why is photoshop not suggested?

Probably becuase there are a lot of features  (well, all of them ) in PS which doesn't help you when doing pixelart. Those new to both PS and pixelart willl probably drown in the features of PS. It's better to use a more scaled down graphics editor which only have the necessary features. I'd say GraphicsGale is a good option, since there's a free edition available.

[eck]

not only is photoshop bulkey and has waaaay to many useless features, but its also a small fortune to buy, and tbh, pixelart wont make you that much money if you havent been doing it for a while.

[d4v1d]

I use photoshop CS2 quite a lot  and i definitely know what you mean about it's features getting in the way when working on a single pixel level... I think i've got graphicsgale somewhere, although I've never used it

[Luzeke]

I find that the best thing about Gale is the guide lines that appear when you use the selection tools. Just on of those small things which saves a lot of time.

[9_6]

if you're comfortable with photoshop, use that.
Just disable all the smoothing in the selection tools, set the brush/eraser tool to pencil mode and it works just fine for pixeling.

[Feron]

not only is photoshop bulkey and has waaaay to many useless features, but its also a small fortune to buy, and tbh, pixelart wont make you that much money if you havent been doing it for a while.

Thats a load of crap.  Photoshop's tools are not useless, you just don't know how to use them properly.  I have never used anything other than photoshop for pixelart and i have never encountered problems with it having too many tools.  I don't know anyone that has bought photoshop, just find a way to acquire it.

[eck]

wrong.  first of all,  i have used photoshop for over 2 years and it indeed does have many useless features that i haven't touched, and don't intend to. 

second,  all i wrote was that i don't recommend it, and that there are better tools to create pixels with that are cheaper and better for the job, making photoshop pointless.

i put paint shop pro, gimp, and paint.net in my list because they are cheep.  i don't think either of those are fit for the job either, but they are all free/incredably cheep, and can handle pixel art the same way as photoshop.

if you want to use photoshop for pixel art, by all means, do so.  i just was informing him that, IMO, there are better tools out there, and that through my experience, i don't find it having many benefits (pixel art wise, for digipainting, photo manip, etc, i wont touch anything else.)  that you cant get elsewhere for free.