Pixel icon symbols for RPG actions.
Printed From: Pixel Joint
Category: Pixel Art
Forum Name: WIP (Work In Progress)
Forum Discription: Get crits and comments on your pixel WIPs and other art too!
URL: https://pixeljoint.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=26200
Printed Date: 09 September 2025 at 10:25pm
Topic: Pixel icon symbols for RPG actions.
Posted By: Zukero
Subject: Pixel icon symbols for RPG actions.
Date Posted: 29 March 2018 at 7:51am
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Hello PJ! I'm working on a game's UI, and due to localization issue with the game's "HUD" layout, I decided to remove words, and replace them by icons. The game is an old-school RPG for Android. The icons I want to make will take place in the action bar while in combat (turn-based, not real-time), and the idea is to convey the action's message efficiently, not to impress with extra-detailed AA on pixel characters. I came up with these: 
The background color is representative of the ones that will be used in-game (it is one of the available colors, the player can chose the theme). I'm struggling with two things mainly: - The color palette to use (bright and saturated is easy to read, but doesn't fit the style) - The impression of movement lacking in #2 (the red one) I'm sure there are plenty of beginner mistakes in these too, so any C&C is welcome. I'm also hoping you would try to guess what the actions are from the icons, so that I don't introduce too much bias, and get proper feedback on their respective conveyed message. Credit given where credit is due, I was heavily inspired by the silhouettes that can be seen here (fourth row from the bottom): https://7soul1.deviantart.com/art/420-Pixel-Art-Icons-for-RPG-129892453 - https://7soul1.deviantart.com/art/420-Pixel-Art-Icons-for-RPG-129892453 Thanks for your help. |
Replies:
Posted By: Hapiel
Date Posted: 29 March 2018 at 7:59am
| It seems that you can't link an image from gDrive, could you upload your file to Imgur.com instead? Thanks :) |
Posted By: Zukero
Date Posted: 29 March 2018 at 8:02am
| I was doing just that. BTW, editing my post from my phone destroyed all newlines... |
Posted By: Hapiel
Date Posted: 29 March 2018 at 8:18am
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Thanks for updating! Those reference icons are super cool indeed! You're saying the color palette does not really match the style. Do you have any examples of the style so we can make informed suggestions? There are quite a few disconnected joints. The leg on the red guy goes to below the hips. the arms on the yellow guy connects on the sides of the shoulder, the back arm of the green guy seems disconnected and his leg has a dent on the place where it meets the hips. Drawing a stick figure on top of these characters might help you see these things too! |
Posted By: Zukero
Date Posted: 29 March 2018 at 9:37am
Here's a screenshot of the game. The icons are meant to replace the text in the top-row's buttons. Thanks for the remarks,these seem so obvious now Drawing a stick figure might not necessarily help because: #1- I suck at drawing #2- I suck at drawing anatomy Which is why I like slowly pushing pixels one by one. |
Posted By: Hapiel
Date Posted: 29 March 2018 at 10:49am
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Thanks for the remarks,these seem so obvious now (...) Which is why I like slowly pushing pixels one by one. Like you said, they seem so obvious now! You know what looks right and wrong when it's shown to you, so all you need is a tool which helps you to look at the right place, and a skeleton/stick figure can be this tool :). Besides, you can still draw those one pixel at a time! |
Posted By: Zukero
Date Posted: 29 March 2018 at 12:49pm
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Learn from the best or die like the rest is it?
Alright, I'll work on my stick-figures-Fu then. Any suggestions palette-wise? Or on how to improve the feeling of movement in Red? Do you believe that these are fit (conceptually) to convey the message they are supposed to? |
Posted By: Zukero
Date Posted: 30 March 2018 at 8:17am
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Here's my attempt at fixing the anatomy.
I also desaturated the colors a bit and used the three possible background colors. 
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Posted By: NancyGold
Date Posted: 31 March 2018 at 5:02am
| The blue character looks a little fat, while walking character looks lower than his friends. Is that intentional? |