Sketch:



Posting because I'm new to pixel art, hardly know what I'm doing and would appreciate critiques along the way.


Edited by slight - 17 December 2014 at 7:33pm

Update:

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I deviated from the sketch here, because I wasn't happy with the first. Still not happy with the paws though.


Edited by slight - 17 December 2014 at 7:34pm

Update:

Tail 1 --> Tail 2 -->

Thoughts? I like the tail being up, but not necessarily this tail because I copped out and did a tail not suitable for the breed. The second tail being down and flowing suits the breed much better, but I hate the pixel job I've done on it. Still having trouble giving the illusion of soft thin flowing fur without doubling up lines and making it look... just bad. I'll keep chipping away. Thinking I'll address the chest area next as well.

Edit: Also added nails and pads to the paws, making me dislike them slightly less.


Edited by slight - 17 December 2014 at 7:33pm

Update:



Thanks jalonso, I know I'm just being fussy. I reworked the chest area here, elongating it, making the shoulders look much less... umm, gigantic? Still have not touched the tail, but have decided to keep it down to better capture the breed. Maybe will leave that for last and take a break from lining to have some fun with color and texture in the body. Or is it better to do each part step by step to ensure a more even style? I know it's probably just a matter of preference, but I'm talking for a beginner here (and I really am a beginner, I'm so-so at drawing but when it comes to color and texture... yikes. You'll see. But that's why I'm here asking for critique as I go so I can learn).


Edited by slight - 17 December 2014 at 7:33pm

Then randomly... while on a break...



This was my animation experiment. I've never animated anything before and just looked up how to for Photoshop. I'm... kind of hooked.


Edited by slight - 18 December 2014 at 1:52am

Your coloring seems a bit ambitious, but I'm sure you could pull it off. It feels like it may need some more shading, though. Ya don't have to listen to me though, I may tell you something that will ruin your piece (I'm just an amateur).

No I agree, it's just I've never really shaded before and honestly I'm really quite proud of the lines I've done, I know I don't want to go down in quality, which is probably why I don't like the most recent color job. Though it was meant to be just for practice. It is of another's original character design (don't worry I had permission to use the design for practice purposes).


It is, the way the character was flat colored on the reference sheet there was a gradient like that at the feet, and on the teal colored mask on the face. I know it raises color count dramatically, but each pixel was placed by hand... I got the few shades I used for it by blurring the two colors together separately. I hope that's not somehow... cheating? I'm crap with colors, ramps and things for shading, I know I get better results when I change hue, saturation AND value, but still... it's a skill I haven't got yet. Also I'm getting annoyed with Photoshop's color picker, I much prefer the wheel, I heard somewhere it's better to use the wheel for picking color anyhow. Though I just found this tutorial on Photoshop's color picker that changes.... everything.

EDIT: Also, I'm curious and thought might as well post here and not start a new thread; is there a way to set up a tablet for pixel art? The issue I have is that yes one tap will click a button but it will not make a single pixel on the canvas. Anyone else have this problem? I just think it would be easier (and easier on my hands) to place pixels with my tablet and not with my laptop's track pad.


Edited by slight - 18 December 2014 at 7:06pm

hahah maybe color by numbers sort thing.

I haven't found a solution to this issue yet, the way I avoid the wasted time of switching my hand to the mouse by dragging to place two pixels, then covering up the unneeded one with another stroke of the original colour (since most of the time, that single pixel is next to a larger area of colour).
Another thing you can do is use the line tool, just make a really short line and it'll place one pixel.

For outlines (the major application in which lone pixels are unquestionably useful), you could just use Line throughout since you'll large be making single-pixel-wide, short line segments anyway, so you don't have to switch tools.

What programme are you working with? For me, I've found that Photoshop's Pencil tool can produce a single pixel without AA. The Brush tool has AA, which is what gives it the natural, non-pixelly line.... Hope that helps?

Oh, dear! Maybe... something to do with sensitivity or pen pressure? I don't know, Dx

If You are having problems with the shadows, try to work on it with a grayscale and then color it with the colors, it's a really old trick.
Good luck.