I'm a programmer who can't draw. How can I learn how to pixel?

[newobj]

 

Hi all,

New forum member here hoping I can get some advice.

I'm a programmer (used to work on mainstream games a long time ago... but left for the world of the web) and dabble in indie game programming. It drives me crazy not being able to make artwork for my ideas (beyond "programmer art"), and most things get abandoned after I get disgusted with looking at the horrible graphics. I'd love to partner with a good artist, because I know I'm a good progammer, but it's just never happened for whatever reason. So, I want to develop my own artistic skills, specifically pixel art.

I'm someone who really can't draw, at all. I mean I don't draw stick figures, but the things I draw have no essence of character in them, are totally screwed up perspective-wise, you know, all those problems that people who can't draw have. I very much draw my brain's abstractions of images, e.g. drawing with the left side of my brain .I assume drawing is somewhat a prerequisite to character pixel art, in order to start with an outline.

If an artist came to me and said "I want to learn how to program", I could probably reasonably outline a path for them to achieve that goal. e.g. read these books, do these sequences of exercises then these sequences of projects, hang out in these forums, etc. So I'm kind of hoping for the reverse here.

If I have no ability but the commitment to learn, what path would you recommend to me? Do I need to learn how to draw first? Can I go straight to pixelling? When's the right time to tackle animation? Do I start with just worrying about flat shading and getting the outlines right? Or should I take every drawing to completion with shadowing, self shadowing, highlights, etc? Where do I start and where do I go next.

I know about a lot of tutorials, eg. Derek Yu's etc, but tutorials are not a course of study.

Thanks for your help

Brian

[flamesterart]

unless you want to make a basic image off of the computer of what you wish to pixel, you dont need to draw. if you need help with drawing though, i am someone you should contact, because i do quite a bit of drawing, though i am only fourteen and still need a bit of experience i may be able to help you out, depending on what you need. and once you learn how to make pixelled images, animation isnt that hard. all you need to do is make the images for the animation, so that you have several frames for that animation, then if you use something like windows movie maker ( not suggested, does not work well for animation, though can be used to do so, if not posting on internet ) put the frames in order, make the time that they are on the screen about a second, and you have an animation, though it would need to be sped up. somone else may be able to better explain this than i have. if you need any help drawing though, pm me and i will see what i can do for you.

[Cure]

...anyway

If you want to be a good pixel artist, you'll first have to be a good artist, and drawing is a much easier medium to learn the basics in than is pixelart. If you're stuck on abstractions, I would recommend sketching from life with some sort of regularity. Still lifes, a tree in your backyard, whatever really. Drawing from life will be more helpful in understanding forms and the function of light than drawing from a photographic reference (since these have already been converted to 2d). The same fundamentals that apply in drawing apply in pixelart (line [contour line drawings aren't bad practice], form, the behavior of light [shadows and highlights], etc). You can skip directly to pixelart, but it will be a slower and more tedious medium to teach yourself the basics in. Once you feel you've acquired solid understanding of the fundamentals of art (of which there should be no shortage of on the internet), then apply what you've learned to pixelart. I would only advise tackling animation after you're capable of creating a non-animated sprite that you are satisfied with.
I wouldn't say there's really a specific thing you need to begin with first, all of the fundamentals are, well, fundamental. Buy a sketchpad, draw from life, and try to draw the objects as you see them rather than relying on the mind's image of the object.

[Helm]

flamesterart , I appreciate your enthusiasm in helping others but perhaps pick up some experience and knowledge for a few years before putting your helping hand out there.

[NaCl]

Hey newobj, I was in the exact same position when I started with pixel art. Knowing nothing but trying to find a path or an itemized list of skills to practice. However, making art is a lot more fluid and undefined then programming I've found. With programming, you can visualize easily what you want the finished product to be like, then draw on what you know to devise a plan to completing it. In art, after getting an idea of what you want your finished piece to be (a skill in itself), the path to achieving it is less than clear. Really you can only know by great deals of trial and error. One of the reasons that this board is great is because it facilitates this trial and error, other members can help make you aware of what your errors are, and even sometimes give you a clue how to fix them.

My best advice is to marshall your ideas and just go for it, try to make what you want. Then, post it on here with the mindset of completely redoing everything you've done based on the advice of others. If you labor to get your piece decent, and then are afraid to change it for fear of wprsening it you'll cripple your progress. The main thing though is to just keep trying, keep trying to apply concepts you learn from others (always follow up if you don't fully understand them).

[xiphirx]

lmao at flamesterart

The best way to start, its to just jump right in. You joined a very helpful community newobj, I'm sure you will learn a lot. Taking a look at the stickies is sure to help you as well.

I am a programmer myself (not advanced imo), and I'm also a beginner in Pixel art. I've been learning by taking a look at pixeljoint.com trying some of the things I see, then posting here for help. I rarely post here because I usually give up in frustration over the piece I am working on, this may happen to you as well, but you have to be strong