Struggling "getting started"

[jvpeters_]

A while ago I tried starting out pixel art and then kinda stopped. But here I am trying again and I am running into the same problem that kept frustrating me before: I really struggle to get started on the lineart/silhouette phase. All my attempts (basically just platformer characters) just either look too flat or badly shaped. Any help?

[Friend]

could you draw it on paper?? if not, then id say stop pixeling for a while and draw.  focus on art undamentals.  then start pixeling again.  just my 2 cents

[jvpeters_]

One of the main reasons I chose pixel art is because I just don't really have the hand stability to do anything else.

[Friend]

is it due to some medical condition?  i think pixel art is even less forgiving for shaky hands than a pencil.  with drawing you dont even need a steady hand because you can actually draw smoother lines drawing with your shoulder instead of your wrist.

but i mean if you cant draw the character getting it pixeled will be really difficult and lots of just praying the pixels will eventually work

[jvpeters_]

No, i'm just really bad with a pencil :p
I've been experimenting with making 3d models and working off them and that works fairly well aside from the fact it's time consuming.

[Seiseki]

I think pixel art is even less forgiving for shaky hands than a pencil.

Eh? With pixel art you don't even have to draw, you can place pixels one by one. And if you draw, then zoom in and you won't even have to draw straight to make a straight line.
Also, it's super easy to correct mistakes, because everything is neatly separated into clear pixels, as opposed to a highres drawing where you have different sharpness and trying to patch something up can get really messy.

As for the OP.
Just keep at it.. I draw stuff that looks bad all the time, I just keep drawing until it looks right..
Whenever that doesn't work, I make sure to study whatever I'm drawing really closely. Finding references and compare side by side.
There is no magical solution to making it work, you just need to study and practice, put in the hours..

[Friend]

I think pixel art is even less forgiving for shaky hands than a pencil.

Eh? With pixel art you don't even have to draw, you can place pixels one by one. And if you draw, then zoom in and you won't even have to draw straight to make a straight line.
Also, it's super easy to correct mistakes, because everything is neatly separated into clear pixels, as opposed to a highres drawing where you have different sharpness and trying to patch something up can get really messy.

As for the OP.
Just keep at it.. I draw stuff that looks bad all the time, I just keep drawing until it looks right..
Whenever that doesn't work, I make sure to study whatever I'm drawing really closely. Finding references and compare side by side.
There is no magical solution to making it work, you just need to study and practice, put in the hours..

does anyone really pixel the actual drawing pixel by pixel?? that'd take ages.  i only thought it'd be harder because drawing with a mouse or tablet is clunky compared to a pencil

[Seiseki]

Yeah you're right, but more importantly, no one draws perfect non-jaggy lines anyways, you always have to clean up the lines afterwards.

Anyways, I think that in pixel art no one can tell how shaky someones hands are or what kind of motions they use to draw.
You can be super clumsy, as long as you clean it up, it's fine.

[jams0988]

If you can't draw something on paper, "shaky hands" aren't your problem. Your problem is that you can't draw. If you want to know the secret to fixing your problem, here it is: practice drawing for a few hours a day for ten years. Big secret, right?

[Seefour]

tutorials, tutorials, tutorials, and more tutorials.  Follow along, draw everything they draw.  Read, browse forums, look at what other people are drawing, look at the suggestions other people are making on drawings. 
Also, it helps to go easy on yourself when you do not like what you are drawing.  This takes time, patience, and practice.  I am not long from the starting line myself, but I am finding the knowledge is out there, you just have to look for it.

[Gil]

Jams is right basically. Unless you've been trying to draw daily for a few years, shaky hands is probably just an excuse for not having practiced. If so, trying to tackle pixel art is not going to help. Just go to a good teaching website (not tutorials, as Seefour says, most of those are not going to teach much). I'll suggest Proko.com or some of Andrew Loomis' books. Studying the human form handily prepares you for almost anything.

[Seefour]

Jams is right basically. Unless you've been trying to draw daily for a few years, shaky hands is probably just an excuse for not having practiced. If so, trying to tackle pixel art is not going to help. Just go to a good teaching website (not tutorials, as Seefour says, most of those are not going to teach much). I'll suggest Proko.com or some of Andrew Loomis' books. Studying the human form handily prepares you for almost anything.

i mean really...

https://www.youtube.com/user/Sycra

how is someone supposed to learn the fundamentals? What pray tell do you think he is going to find at a "teaching website"? ahaha

TUTORIALS...

if you aren't learning anything from tutorials, you aren't looking at the right ones...

[Friend]

I think what Gil means is a tutorial will teach you how to do one thing one specific way. "How to dra stereotypical anime face." "How to draw a cube from this angle and this angle only."  "How to draw THIS nose and not how to draw A nose."

I second Gil's advice on finding a good teaching program. Proko on YouTube is very good to get you going. 

[Seefour]

ok, fair.

i mean, there are tutorials on fundamentals

Maybe tutorials was a bad word choice on my part, idk, either way good luck!

[heyguy]

Here's what I would suggest. Don't know how much of an art background you have but I had trouble with pixel art at first too. What I did was start with simple styles and limitation. I basically told myself before I start creating crazy, detailed, modern pixel art stuff, I should learn the stuff that was crazy, detailed, and modern 25 years ago. I started looking and studying NES pixel art.

One of the first projects I finished to completion was a NES sidescroller scene. The NES has a simple color palette and only small tiles to work with. You should try and make NES style characters and levels. Lol for a game you think has great character and environment art for a NES game and try and replicate it.

[Gil]

Hey, I'm not saying there's no good tutorial websites, I just haven't seen any. Most tutorials just explain you "how to draw feet", instead of teaching you how to practice daily, which exercises to use, how to gauge progress, where to find good references, etc. A teacher is supposed to set you on a journey and guide you along that journey. Showing how they draw specific things and asking you to follow along is not teaching. I'm reminded of this quote by Vince Lombardi: "practice does NOT make perfect, only perfect practice makes perfect".

[Decroded]

Haven't read all this but OP
a)post what ur working on:
we don't care how crap it is just get it up and we have a starting point.
b) work from reference.  so look at photos and copy other sprites but make some variation of them until u get a feel for it.
c) I think starting on a roughly 64x64 pixel character as easier than going too low as ur not fighting the resolution so much
d) as u progress, make edits for other people asking for help and you'll help yourself in the process.