Looking for advice on pixel art techniques.

[Throngled Dongle]

As the thread implies. I have little artistic talent right now and its not really easy for me to practice since I only care about pixel art. (Which I discovered the hard way is a much more advanced and labor intensive form of art then I realized as a kid).

That said, I am not above frankensprites, recolors, and crude edits to modify pre-existing sprites. Is there any sort of tricks or shortcuts that can be used to make simplistic H alterations to pre-existing sprites like adding sex bits or removing clothes? Does anyone do that on the regular?

 

[osanaiko]

The fact you're using shibboleth terms like "frankensprites, recolors," suggests to me you already know more about pixel art than I do. I have no advice.

However I am old enough that i remember that search boxes exist for a reason. Hence "let me search that for you":

https://f95zone.to/threads/soft-pixel-art-style-for-nsfw-game-feedback-welcome-ai-generated.260430/
https://f95zone.to/threads/how-to-make-pixel-art.254806/
https://f95zone.to/threads/aseprite-or-similar-program-for-pixel-art.234886/
https://f95zone.to/threads/my-pixel-art-what-do-you-think.214745/
https://f95zone.to/threads/opinions-on-my-pixel-art.174477/
https://f95zone.to/threads/new-pixel-art-animation.148975/
https://f95zone.to/threads/making-a-pixel-art-h-game-want-critique-for-mc.119105/
etc.

 

[Throngled Dongle]

Oh wow, okay. So you're right, I have read it into it a little.

The fact you're using shibboleth terms like "frankensprites, recolors," suggests to me you already know more about pixel art than I do. I have no advice.

However I am old enough that i remember that search boxes exist for a reason. Hence "let me search that for you":

https://f95zone.to/threads/soft-pixel-art-style-for-nsfw-game-feedback-welcome-ai-generated.260430/
https://f95zone.to/threads/how-to-make-pixel-art.254806/
https://f95zone.to/threads/aseprite-or-similar-program-for-pixel-art.234886/
https://f95zone.to/threads/my-pixel-art-what-do-you-think.214745/
https://f95zone.to/threads/opinions-on-my-pixel-art.174477/
https://f95zone.to/threads/new-pixel-art-animation.148975/
https://f95zone.to/threads/making-a-pixel-art-h-game-want-critique-for-mc.119105/
etc.

Oh wow, okay. I admit I have looked into it a little. I dink around a little with aseprite. But I keep forgetting that pixel art is a bit larger of a category than I give it credit. A lot of those are for full scale canvases in a pixel style. I mean like actually modifying pre-existing pixel assets in the 32x32 or 32x48 or 16x48 ranges. Like, classic NES/Sega or even modern RPG Maker games.

I know there are some H-sprite sheets floating around that this one guy does but even those are just kinda as is.

When I say frankensprite, its more like I can take pre-existing sprites, use a downwards grab animation frame and a "knocked on your back" animation frame, cut them into peices, and use layering to make it look like they're humping but its kinda crude.

As much as I appreciate it, I have a hard time seeing how the tricks work to convey things like structure or shading so I can't even really add a pair of believable titties or a schlong onto pre-existing sprites. It's a catch-22. It seems like pixel (or specifically sprite artists) benefit from having a solid understanding of artistic principles already but pixel art and sprites are the only thing interesting enough for me to actually bother with and they're kinda hell to learn basic ideas with.

 

[osanaiko]

To get better at creating Pixel art, I would make a guess that like all other things considered "art", actually doing the task is the way to improve. There's no shortcuts to creative talents, you need to repeatedly exercise the "muscle".

I can't draw, but i have spent lots of time doing small scale edits to images to fix flaws (the AI generated images I am making for my game tend to have lots of little issues). I've learned how to use brush, using clone stamp, using liquid transform. Merging parts from multiple images, using recolor tools, and learning how to better use both the AI tools and photoshop techniques.
And I am getting a bit better as I do it.

But if you aren't happy with producing output that has some direct target, then you can also do "targeted practice".
That's what "learn to draw" training is all about. In your case, consider doing some pixel art practice tasks - like drawing a 16x16 ball with smooth color shading. Then do it again with the light source coming from a different side. Then try again at 8x8. then 4x4. Do a striped ball like a beachball or a watermelon.

Draw a hat.
Draw a bucket.
Draw a slime.
Freehand a Goomba from a high-res reference.

By the way... 3x4 pixel hemisphere kinda-maybe would look like a boobie if attached to a body...

Also, of course do analytical investigation of other people's sprites. All artists start by copying / imitating other people's work.

Good luck!

 

[Throngled Dongle]

To get better at creating Pixel art, I would make a guess that like all other things considered "art", actually doing the task is the way to improve. There's no shortcuts to creative talents, you need to repeatedly exercise the "muscle".

I can't draw, but i have spent lots of time doing small scale edits to images to fix flaws (the AI generated images I am making for my game tend to have lots of little issues). I've learned how to use brush, using clone stamp, using liquid transform. Merging parts from multiple images, using recolor tools, and learning how to better use both the AI tools and photoshop techniques.
And I am getting a bit better as I do it.

But if you aren't happy with producing output that has some direct target, then you can also do "targeted practice".
That's what "learn to draw" training is all about. In your case, consider doing some pixel art practice tasks - like drawing a 16x16 ball with smooth color shading. Then do it again with the light source coming from a different side. Then try again at 8x8. then 4x4. Do a striped ball like a beachball or a watermelon.

Draw a hat.
Draw a bucket.
Draw a slime.
Freehand a Goomba from a high-res reference.

By the way... 3x4 pixel hemisphere kinda-maybe would look like a boobie if attached to a body...

Also, of course do analytical investigation of other people's sprites. All artists start by copying / imitating other people's work.

Good luck!

Yes! I'm trying that. For right now I'm trying to just get comfortable working in Aseprite. I don't know if it'll amount to much in the long run but I'm practicing a workflow by cutting sprites from spritesheets, doing edits, assembling them in new sheets, and manually placing them in screens to create mock-ups and scenarios.

Y'know those image sets which are like dozens of frames with variations or stepping through a series of events with near autistic dedication that sometimes show up on R34 or related websites? I have suddenly found out that while they may sometimes be cringe to the random viewer, they make for excellent bulk practice.