Pixel Art Programming Project

[Helm]

the only way for slow outlining in a pixel program to reliably create a jaggie-less 1bit line is if it constantly checks what the user has drawn thus far, and removes extra pixels from one side or the other, checking against a vector curve model. It's not very complicated, but the artist would see the line update here and there as he draws, or maybe if the programmer desires it only once when he lifts the finger from the mouse button, but it would still be distracting and inaccurate for what pixel art needs to do. Just go by hand and place your pixels. It's not like one should outline very thoroughly since he's going to color in anyway later and there won't be much of the outline left by then.

Remember. Every pixel you place and then you replace and then you replace is a pixel you could not have bothered with in the first place if you're training yourself to work efficiently. An autoclean-line-tool that makes calls for you certainly won't help good clean pixel art.

[junkboy]

Rox: It's far from perfect and you still have to clean up and correct lines afterwards, but it's still ten times faster than placing each dot by hand.

miascugh: I drew both lines in the example slowly by mouse, so speed isn't much of a factor.

Helm: Well, it might not be puritan, but personally I'm more concerned with saving time, so if a tool helps me shave off an hour's worth of cleaning up messy line-art, then I don't see the problem with that.

[Helm]

As I said, for what you describe... you don't need 'unmessy' lineart to start coloring. Just block colors, establish a palette, render. The bad pixels will be replaced with colors 99% of the time anyway. I've seen so many people bother with super-precise lineart, I think it's a slow practise that doesn't help.