Challenge Me!

[JSwitch]

Okay, I'm new to Pixelation, but I have made a few graphics before and I hope to get better.
I currently use Graphics Gale because it's simple yet effective to use.
So, challenge me! No extreme things, though, that'd take a newbie a while (because, I pretty much am one!)

[The B.O.B.]

   Hello JSwitch, and welcome to pixelation. First challenge: read the FAQs, and know that this thread is for pixel art, which this thread currently lacks(and will most likely be moved elsewhere by a mod).

   If it's a challenge you seek, pixeljoint.com has weekly challenges for pixel artists, just like yourself. If you'd rather stay here, I'd suggest taking your pick of any in the challenge and activities thread....otherwise, pixel anything you want and post it here, and we'll critique it...hard....cuz' we're hardcore.

[JSwitch]

   Hello JSwitch, and welcome to pixelation. First challenge: read the FAQs, and know that this thread is for pixel art, which this thread currently lacks(and will most likely be moved elsewhere by a mod).

   If it's a challenge you seek, pixeljoint.com has weekly challenges for pixel artists, just like yourself. If you'd rather stay here, I'd suggest taking your pick of any in the challenge and activities thread....otherwise, pixel anything you want and post it here, and we'll critique it...hard....cuz' we're hardcore.

I'd like to let you know that I've already looked in the FAQs and Challenge sections, but they seem to be too advanced for me.
I'm trying to have some sort of way to get the hang of pixelling first by having people tell me to do a few things to get me started/on the right track.

[AdamAtomic]

No.

As in, if you need someone to tell you what to do to even START pixeling something, you are DOOMED.  To fail.  Forever.

Open MS Paint.  Think up an idea.  Draw it.  Then, per this forum's title, we will critique it!

I am leaving this thread unlocked and in this forum on the condition that the next post to it be from JSwitch, and that it contain pixel art made by JSwitch!

[The B.O.B.]

Fine. You're first mission: Capture the realism of a fruit with given light source: ie, pixel or veggie or fruit, and make it as best as your mind can possibly make through pixel art, with light shining on it at one point. Restriction: size can only be within 100x100 pixels. You can only use 16 colors max( I'm giving you some slack here)...

Hint, though the idea may seem easy at first, you may run into conventional problems. Best tip I can give you is focus on volumes, and choose your colors wisely...

Have at it, boss!

Edit: crap, right when I posted , got the red message, but accidentally hit post...I'm not in trouble, am I Adam?

[JSwitch]

Okay, Adam.
This is my only pixelation I have right now.
Mask of Truth in Majora's Mask.

My reference:
http://www.zeldadungeon.net/Zelda06Masks.php

[JSwitch]

Fine. You're first mission: Capture the realism of a fruit with given light source: ie, pixel or veggie or fruit, and make it as best as your mind can possibly make through pixel art, with light shining on it at one point. Restriction: size can only be within 100x100 pixels. You can only use 16 colors max( I'm giving you some slack here)...

Hint, though the idea may seem easy at first, you may run into conventional problems. Best tip I can give you is focus on volumes, and choose your colors wisely...

I've got a pretty good outline of a banana, if I do say so myself, and it's within that limit.
It's only an outline though, so obviously it's a WIP.

My reference is http://blog.baliwww.com/images/fruit_banana.jpg.

[AdamAtomic]

nah nobody's in trouble   there is pixel art in this thread now!  and jswitch started pixeling stuff!

jswitch, have you ever tried painting just with a few gray values instead of with an outline?  Like choose 3 or 4 gray tones, and just paint the basic shape with those by painting planes of light, rather than drawing like a coloring book style image?  Even if you end up not liking it as a workflow I think you will learn a lot from it!

[JSwitch]

nah nobody's in trouble   there is pixel art in this thread now!  and jswitch started pixeling stuff!

jswitch, have you ever tried painting just with a few gray values instead of with an outline?  Like choose 3 or 4 gray tones, and just paint the basic shape with those by painting planes of light, rather than drawing like a coloring book style image?  Even if you end up not liking it as a workflow I think you will learn a lot from it!

Well, it's a WIP.
The mask I did on another forum for a game I work for (Graal Online) so I'm just trying to get better at pixeling Might help with it (not a paying job though >.>)
The banana is a WIP. I want to know if the outlines good before starting.

[The B.O.B.]

   Whenever I hinted at volumes, I was really trying to say: F*ck outlines. Forget what you see in games for a moment, and just think life: When was the last time you saw someone or a life-object, with outlines? Answer: never. Cause there is none. I think lines are suggestive, and help the mind shape objects. So basically, it's something that isn't really there, helping the mind shape something that is really there.
   I'd like you to try and just use flat colors to emphasize the volume of the banana. This will help your mind understand shape, and form. Once you have down basic construction, than you can start building on detail, such as lines.(this is really just regurgitation of traditional art practices. Doodling in real life helps. Ironically, sketching lines help balance out the volumes phase for me sometimes....)

[QuickSilva]

Just curious, do you guys tackle traditional art in the same way, no outlines just forms at first? I have just started doing this myself with my pixel art and it really helps but it would still be nice to actually see a solid example of how one of you guys tackle it. Any chance of a quick example Adam? I can see how this would work with painting but does the same hold true with other mediums such as pencil? I`ve always gone for the outlines first and feel that this is now not always the best way to start a piece.

Jason.

[EvilEye]

Just curious, do you guys tackle traditional art in the same way, no outlines just forms at first? I have just started doing this myself with my pixel art and it really helps but it would still be nice to actually see a solid example of how one of you guys tackle it. Any chance of a quick example Adam? I can see how this would work with painting but does the same hold true with other mediums such as pencil? I`ve always gone for the outlines first and feel that this is now not always the best way to start a piece.

Jason.

Depends on what kind of art you're doing. If its painting, digital or paper, you can get away with just smearing colors where you intend to put stuff later, to get the basic idea of what you want.

But for finer more detailed art ( like comic book art ) you always start with an outline.

In pixeling starting with an outline doesn't work as well, unless the picture is large, so blobs of color might be better.

*EDIT*

BTW, I am not sure how you would make a form with pencil without making outlines.

[TrevoriuS]

You can use some cross hatching, to define the shape, and major shade. THen you can add depth with more hatching and an eraser. If done good enough, and with enough care, it removes the idea of the result looking like it was 'drawn by hand'. Though I must say that with a graphite stick this is more easily aquired. If I can find the time I could try and fetch some results (if you are interested of course).

[Sokota]

Then whats the point of lineart? Somehow, I just got really confused..

Sokota

[Akira]

There is no point. It's just a technique that some people feel more comfortable with. I imagine that those who have had most of their traditional art experience from a pencil, drawing comics, would feel more comfortable with lineart. Or perhaps its an artefact of the old days where sprites began as pencil drawn outlines.
It's one of many means to an end.

[Sokota]

I see. But it's discouraged in pixelart?

Sokota

[QuickSilva]

I don`t think that it is discouraged as such I think that the guys are just saying that it is usually better to concentrate on the main forms of your subject before even thinking about any other details.

By going with an outline first it can be hard to get a feel for the volume of an object. Most people who go with an outline first still draw the volumes to some extent by reducing an object to its base shapes, for example you could break a basic animal shape down into spheres and cylinders and so on. This is also defining the forms of the underlying shape so you may even be doing this already without realising it.

Jason.

[Sokota]

Ok, but for the most part, lineart isn't good for a beginner like myself to start with? I dunno much about forms, etc. which is why I wanted to know why lineart is "useless" or "discouraged". Note: I put did put those in quotes.

Sokota

[Conzeit]

open up your graphics program, make a new image and fill in only the sillouethe, animate it.