AuthorTopic: Spriting on tablets  (Read 7296 times)

Offline Teh_jules

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Spriting on tablets

on: October 31, 2012, 05:33:55 pm
Is it me or most pixel artists sprite on tablets most of the good spriters i see sprite on
tablets seems as if paint can't be used to sprite. When i try to copy a
sprite i seen on paint it's hard. Personally if i was as talented as some people i see i would sprite 24/7
but unfortunately every attempt i try to sprite i always lose interest or fail  :(
« Last Edit: October 31, 2012, 05:38:38 pm by Teh_jules »

Offline Ai

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Re: Spriting on tablets

Reply #1 on: October 31, 2012, 09:55:45 pm
Is it me or most pixel artists sprite on tablets most of the good spriters i see sprite on
tablets seems as if paint can't be used to sprite.

Sure it can, it's just masochistic to actually do so, when there are free applications like Grafx2 that are much better for pixeling. The correct response to "I made it in MSPaint" is "Oh god why would you do that?" ;) j/k

It's absolutely true that using a graphics tablet will make pixeling quicker and easier.  That said, a lot of famous pixel art (eg on Amiga) was made using a mouse. So drawing with that 'block of soap' that is a mouse isn't impossible, just .. as frustrating as trying to draw with a block of soap :)

Personally I use a Graphire3 wacom tablet for everything, drawing, painting, and normal computer usage. It does make everything easier to operate.

Quote
When i try to copy a sprite i seen on paint it's hard. Personally if i was as talented as some people i see i would sprite 24/7 but unfortunately every attempt i try to sprite i always lose interest or fail
Failure is good. That's the only reliable way to get to non-failure, aka success.
Do challenging work, accept and understand both the work's good points and its bad points, and move onto the next work:


If you insist on being pessimistic about your own abilities, consider also being pessimistic about the accuracy of that pessimistic judgement.

Offline Dr D

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Re: Spriting on tablets

Reply #2 on: November 02, 2012, 08:30:22 pm
Why do people find pixelling easier with a tablet? I've seen some of these discussions and as far as I could see, most people prefer using a mouse, as I do.

I own a tablet, but I find using a mouse a lot easier to control and precisely click in the small areas that pixels require.

Offline Charlieton

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Re: Spriting on tablets

Reply #3 on: November 02, 2012, 09:07:38 pm
Why do people find pixelling easier with a tablet? I've seen some of these discussions and as far as I could see, most people prefer using a mouse, as I do.

I own a tablet, but I find using a mouse a lot easier to control and precisely click in the small areas that pixels require.

I also find the mouse to be optimal for pixel control. However, I much prefer using the tablet and a larger brush when putting down the foundations of a piece, messing around until I've blocked out the general shape I want. That part of the process goes easier and faster with a pencil-like tool such as the tablet. But when I'm finally at the stage where I'm moving around single pixels and swapping colours, the mouse is the fastest and easiest tool.

If I'm only working with small sprites, like 16x16 and 32x32, I can't see how my workflow would benefit much from a tablet.
Det skulle vara lätt för mig att säga att jag inte gillar dig, men det gör jag; tror jag

Offline Ai

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Re: Spriting on tablets

Reply #4 on: November 02, 2012, 10:01:58 pm

I also find the mouse to be optimal for pixel control. However, I much prefer using the tablet and a larger brush when putting down the foundations of a piece, messing around until I've blocked out the general shape I want. That part of the process goes easier and faster with a pencil-like tool such as the tablet. But when I'm finally at the stage where I'm moving around single pixels and swapping colours, the mouse is the fastest and easiest tool.

If I'm only working with small sprites, like 16x16 and 32x32, I can't see how my workflow would benefit much from a tablet.

It's true that mice make it easier to click on exact pixels.. once you get there. Personally, when I have used a mouse, much of the time was spent fighting to get it to go where I wanted to click; either it wouldn't go where I wanted to go, or I ran out of desk space for the movement. And this is not only when drawing, but also when accessing the UI; everything becomes a struggle. With a tablet, I can get to where I want to be without having to even look at where the pointer is -- the same spot on the tablet is always the same spot on screen.

That's more a comment on the value of absolute rather than relative pointing devices, now that I think of it.
If you insist on being pessimistic about your own abilities, consider also being pessimistic about the accuracy of that pessimistic judgement.

Offline rikfuzz

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Re: Spriting on tablets

Reply #5 on: November 02, 2012, 11:36:01 pm
Yeah, I use a mouse mostly too. I'd be curious if anyone's tried a cintiq for pixel-art? I quite like using my DS - the screen's too small and my calibration isn't great, but it still does the job so I imagine a cintiq would be really good. 

Offline PixelPiledriver

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Re: Spriting on tablets

Reply #6 on: November 03, 2012, 12:42:59 am
Quote
Is it me or most pixel artists sprite on tablets
It's matter of preference and practice.
I use a mouse as well and I like the way it moves and feels.
But if you haven't tried a Wacom of any sort you should give it shot.
You might be one of those tablet people.

Quote
unfortunately every attempt i try to sprite i always lose interest or fail
Art is a lot of work.
Learn to enjoy the entire process and you won't get frustrated.

Quote
I'd be curious if anyone's tried a cintiq for pixel-art?
I have a 21UX, it's fun for pixel art and painting.
But haven't used it in years.
I gave it to my girlfriend because she does art much more often than I do.
I have not tried the smaller sizes, they are probly cool too.
And knowing that it is, we seek what it is... ~ Aristotle, Posterior Analytics, Chapter 1

Offline Cyangmou

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Re: Spriting on tablets

Reply #7 on: November 03, 2012, 12:47:29 am
I am using a Wacom Intuos 4 - maybe it's a "bit" overpowered for PA, but it was a present. It took me some months to get perfectly used to it, my lines are still more confident at paper but it's a great feeling to sprite with a tablet compared to a mouse.
 
-The biggest advantage is that you can draw with a tablet like on paper which is very good if you are used to draw or paint with any traditional media.
-Creating Pixel art with a tablet adds a much more painterly approach to it
-A tablet really helps a lot in the early stages, if you are blocking in colors it's much easier to create accurate shapes.
-A tablet saves you lots of time.

This took actually ~45 minutes with my tablet,


(It's only a sketch, more like Oekaki but you get the idea how it could look like if I'd spent another hour with it) it's impossible to work with a mouse while maintaining the incredible speed and control a tablet would give you.

-I am using my tablet for sketching&detailing pixel paintings.
-I don't use it for any kind of manual selection - as long as I am using the common tools I have a pretty good workflow with it.
-I also don't use it for detailing low-res sprites and animations (usually thare are a lot of manual selections to do and it's not worth to change between mouse and tablet)
-but I use it for shilouetting low res sprites and raw color block in.

I won't be able to sprite without a tablet any more, it's just to comfortable and it completely changed my workflow. I sprited without a tablet for about 1 year and after all I'd say that each ambitious pixel newbie should try to sprite with a tablet as soon as possible.

IMO a combination between mouse, keyboard and tablet is perfect.

Edit1: Regarding to the mouse: you definitely should get a high precisely gaming mouse, if you don't already own one - those work really good and they are definitely better to draw than cheap ones.

Edit2: A friend of mine bought a cheap Wacom Bamboo tablet and started to work with it. He said that it's good enough for him and I thrust him, so if you don't have lots of money it'd be a good idea to start with this tablet.

Spriting 24/7 isn't fun after all.
« Last Edit: November 03, 2012, 01:07:17 am by Cyangmou »
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Offline NordicSoul

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Re: Spriting on tablets

Reply #8 on: November 03, 2012, 04:39:20 pm
Although I am a rookie in PA, I also use a tablet( since I also do some graphic design :3) and I can say it really gives you more freedom of movement and much more control.

Offline Teh_jules

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Re: Spriting on tablets

Reply #9 on: November 04, 2012, 01:38:39 am
So... tablet makes spriting easier than the mouse and that to become good you have to work really hard.
The thing with me is that i'm really pessimistic,not seeing results fast upsets me which leads to me
stopping and loosing hope. If i want to learn how to "Pixel art" is just for fun do little projects, by 24/7 i mean
half the time cause i have SA and don't really do much with my life.  :(