Gil, the video thread isn't sufficient for QuickSilva's idea for the content of this thread, but you're right -
the video thread is
very handy for getting a behind the scenes look at some of the better artists work here and how they go about it, yet most of the videos are so fast-paced most of them amount to nothing more than a time-lapse. They lack narrative and explanation, although yes, showing an artist's A-Z process on a certain peice.
I think QuickSilva's thought is to create a place for pixelers to exchange techniques and tool ideas, workspace setups, etc. He's wants meaningful pixel art-related dialogue that we can all benefit from.
Since I love the idea for this thread I'll start and hopefully others will follow.
I use Photoshop CS4. Pencil tool with custom brushes. I use lots of layering, but but no alpha transparency. Wacom Intuos 3 6x8" tablet.
I've discovered some nice techniques for facilitating pixel art creation:
1) No need to constantly zoom out to check out 1x. Simply go to
Windows > Arrange > New Window and Photoshop will give you a second window that auto-updates, staying in sync with what you're doing in the other window, so arrange the windows accordingly in PS's workspace, set one to 1x zoom and don't touch it, then use the other window for everything else - what you do in either window will update in the other. You
cannot do this with the navigator panel because you can't control it's level of zoom.
2) Designing double pixel art peices. Change PS's pixel aspect ratio -
View > Pixel Aspect Ratio > Anamorhpic 2:1 (2). Now all pixels are stretched to 2x their width automatically - you draw one square 1x1 pixel, it looks like a 2x1 wide pixel. Awesome for doing old C64 stuff, etc. When done, save the final thing, set pixel aspect back to square and use Nearest Neighbor interpolation method to stretch the thing to 200% width, save it as an indexed GIF or PNG, done.
As for early sketching for new stuff, I start on paper and pencil, every time. It's just what feels best to me, despite having a good tablet. I like having a hard copy. And I don't think it's old fashioned, just another preference. Sometimes I'll scan it it, sometimes I won't, depending on complexity.
I start with forms as well, as opposed to lines. Lines are too confining and calculated. Seems to me, lines cause you to limit creativity, because now that you've made these lines, you have use 'em like a template and that may supress midstream ideas, etc - If you decide to change a char's arm, are you going to create new lines right off the bat, no, just mass it in with blobs and refine until you have the right shape. Having said all that, there's always exceptions, sometimes lines may work better, there's no sure-fire recipe for art.
You use the word volumes in yer post, but I think of volumes in relation to depth and lighting which come after I have the basic form of something established.
