I don't think high number of colors is such a bad thing in pixel art, unless you personally aim for a small number. You're still picking each color and placing it separately after all. But i guess there are, uh, standarts and traditions everywhere, so i can see why people keep telling me my color count.

No, i didn't use the gradient. But again forgot to keep a palette and selected colors that that i felt would fit directly from color wheel, like im used to doing it.

I'm using it in how it was originally done on another site and don't wan't to alter it. I'll rather make something new.

ehh i know. I don't have access to original file rn and didn't have much time to re-do it as it is, but didn't want to keep the profile pic empty. I'll be completely redrawing an icon a bit later, since this one is p old anyway.

High color count probably comes from my habit of taking colors randomly from color wheel and trying to smoothen every rough edge. I started doing pixel art only recently and have troubles with working with fixed/limited palette.