Official Off-Topic Thread

[.TakaM]

the triangle is perhaps the most recognized symbol of strength, so helm is clearly compensating for some form of power.

I just thought it was a little reference to the C64, how he and ptoing sometimes make pixelart with lots of triangles for it

[ndchristie]

not informed of theories you might be taught to at school

well, i didn't have to go to school to know that crossing lines halt motion, and since it's in keeping with your personal preferences, neither did you .  It's all based (ideally) on concepts that can be discovered, and a good school merely strives to foster that discovery and is constantly inviting students to challenge what is presented; students are not just 'fed' information in the same way that those without a formal artistic background don't 'starve'.

Mia is very fluid, yes, and panda too, though they complement each other (panda being a fan of polished smooth curves and mia being a fan of expression)

ptoing's compositions are a very interesting thing to study because they are surprisingly grounded in classical thought, with or without his intention ^^.  I use his pieces to justify the idea that practice and a good eye can rapidly ascertain what years of study can struggle to define*.


* the attempt of definition in itself flawed, as there are an infinite number of scenarios which present and infinte number of choices, with many of them valid and many "definitions" turning out flawed.  Thomas Kinkade went to art school and learned all the technical skills and design theory and has yet to produce a good piece.

[Helm]

Sherman, thank you. That's lovely. Thanks for the gift and the kind words, they mean lots.

[Helm]

A rather interesting tutorial from the Battle for Wesnoth forums: how to go from scanned sketches to small sprites. http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16760

That's a really really bad way to make sprites, I think.

[happymonster]

Doesn't everyone have their own way that works for them though?

[Helm]

I'm pretty sure if this dude learned to pixel in a more controlled and streamlined way his sprites would end up being much better.

If everyone had their own way that worked for them there would be no need for the critique process. This dude has a way. That works for him. It's not the best way, I think. There's others that would work for him much more.

[happymonster]

Are you sure there is one best way? Don't all painters (classical and modern) work in different styles and ways?

[ptoing]

Depending what you are working with there are certain ways to do things. Such as fat over lean for oils and so on. BUt of course there are always more than one ways to do things, but I have to agree with Helm. I think that is a rather roundabout way of doing things, not efficient at all imo.

Panda will be really happy when he sees this.

[Helm]

Are you sure there is one best way? Don't all painters (classical and modern) work in different styles and ways?

There is no one best way. There's ways that have been proven to work for most people. They might not work for him, but judging from the looks of it his method is not his response to having tried 'proper' methods and having had them not work for him, it's just how he ended up working in the lack of any training in most methods we employ here. It's a method that creates as I see it, a limited scope of spritework that isn't controlled very much (and control is everything in pixel art) which also takes more time to make probably than it would strictly have to. Not good for professionals, and of doubtful use to people learning to pixel also.

Also no, not all painters work in different ways. Their styles are something we've said they have (and that's a whole different discussion) but their ways are mostly similar, though there are of course exceptions. I'm sure Klimt and Rembrandt would be fascinated by each other if they were ever to meet but they wouldn't actually find their processes to be very alien.

[Panda]

 
Cleaned the Tools, Resources and Linkage thread and merged with the OT thread.
I don't know how to stress it further, but DO NOT CHITCHAT ON THAT THREAD 
Next time you have any opinions on the posted links, post about it here, not there!.
Now the strikes.