Lexy's Pixel Workshop

[Lexy]

Well I've been trying to become a pixel artist sinc ei was 11 years old, I am now 17 and have not progressed very far at all. I'm dissapointed with ym skills so i really want to drastically improve I was speaking wiht my friend at rmxp.org The Inquisitor (or just Inq to most) and he told me to check out pixelation for some nice people that will critique my work thouroughly. I have experimented with Rpg Makers since I was 11 and have mainly just done pixel art geared towards that but I am looking to break free of RM boundaries and just make what I am inspired to do. I plan to start small with some RMXP Icons and grow as a pixel artist into something better. Anyways here are my Icons that I have made keeping within the required 24x24 parameters. I'm pleased with most of them but I know they can be improved and wish to do so.

Random



Icons


Like I said I'll accept any criticism and really hope to improve, thank you.

-Lexy

[Beoran]

Those icons look pretty nice, actually. The main problem I can see is that the proportions of the weapons are not quite correct. The hilt of the sword is too big compared to the blade so you could make it smaller perhaps. For the axe, the head is too big and heavy compared to the handle (so I'd maker it a bit smaller). But those problems with proportions are probably due to the 24x24 size limitation. Anyway, keep on practising many different things. You'll get better as long as you keep up the good work.

[Krut]

You need to add more contrast, apply light and shadow casting  and work on the definition of the objects.

Overall i think they are nice 

[Lexy]

Thanks for the critique guys and now that you mention it Beoran I can see what you mean by the proportion difference I'll definately be working on that in the future and I'm not a great pixel artist so I'll have to look up some tutorials on shadow casting and object definition, thanks though krut.

[Atnas]

Hey Lexy and welcome to Pixelation!

Your main issue is that you don't have the range of values necessary to fulfill the goal of an icon. Icons are meant to be easily readable, and any eye candy after that is nice, but not necessary. What you have is nice in terms of silhouette, each icon is shaped exactly how you intended them to be. Good job. Silhouettes are, I think, the most important thing in game art. However, they also need to pop a bit. I did an edit which demonstrates what could be the outcome if you made the icons crisper with a more diverse and ranged palette.



It adds more interest, I think.

I would suggest looking at reference of bottles for those potions to see how light reflects off their surface.

[Lexy]

Wow Atnas thanks a lot mate that post helped me understand what I need to do with my icons. The Inquisitor helped me understand color mixing and contrast a little more so with your edit as a reference I plan to give it a go on my next Icon thanks mate.

[Lexy]

I got really bored and wanted to pixel something tried to do another Icon but equipment gets boring after a while so I looked around at my desk and found a ticket elft over from lazerblaze the other day. So i pixeled that . And heres the results.



Just a basic ticket and then a mockup example of them strung together.

I'd really like to know how i could make backgrounds transparent when I upload pixel art if anyone could help me there.

EDIY: Crap I just realised that I double posted my bad, didn't mean to. 

[Joe]

If you're using Graphics Gale, it has to be 24bpp color depth.  Then you go into frame properties, and enable transparency.  Save it as gif or png.

But I hope you apply the crits these people have given; I'd like to see these improve.

[Elk]

Hi,

Why does making equippment get boring ? Is it the fact
that you can't seem to be able to figure out how to do it right to make it look good?

In my opinion, you will improve "drastically" - as you wanted it - if you do things that you find boring or very hard to do, things that you'd like to give up at.

Doing simply studies, not fixed images (doodles), will help you with that - I assure you
Doing small things might also turn out to be the hardest thing to do for one, so you'd be better starting with something bigger and heading then
 onward to smaller stuff as you should try to get "details" right, in this case, which is only achievable if you do details in bigger things. That's what I think! (=fundamentals)

To get back to the start, and look at your stuff, I think it would be best now, to finish what you once started, and remake your objects.
Take them as reference and make them from scratch.

A teacher of mine once said that you will only improve if you destroy previous works that you have bonds to!
Do a "Before/After" and see the results.

[Lexy]

Oh I guess I could remake the frst Icons wasn't planning too but it wouldn't hurt. I'll definately give it a go.