Jalonso: Why Buloght, where does the handle come from?
Genghis: It's an NPC character from a SNES-style RPG game I was gonna make, but I decided to become better at pixel art first.
Jalonso: You consider yourself new to pixelling yet your pixels are so well received, respected and admired. Explain yo'self?
Genghis: I'm not sure how to answer this. With every piece I do I am still learning and the list of mistakes I need to remember keeps growing...
Jalonso: How did you get started with pixel art and how long have you been at it?
Genghis: I've been pixelling since about January last year, I got more serious when I joined here. I wanted to make an adventure game and was told of AGS (adventure game studio) by one of my friends. They have sprite competitions over there, so I started entering them like weekly, big brother is also a member there and he entered them from time to time. I was so inspired by his entries, and eventually he told me of pixeljoint, and that's the first I learned about pixel art on the internet. Of course I've always been aware of pixel art as I love those oldskool games, though I never tried doing some pixel art.
Jalonso: I understand you are also a programmer. Is this what led you to pixelling or was it the other way around?
Genghis: Yes, this way round, cause I starting programming games and needed graphics and I love pixellated games so it was the only way. And getting an artist is harder than getting a programmer to work with you I believe, am I right?
Jalonso: Do you see yourself more of a programmer or artist (pixelart or other)? Do you have formal education in either one?
Genghis: I don't know, more just a bit of both. I have no formal art education but go to school for programming.
Jalonso: How did you get started making pixel art games?
Genghis: Well I just started making them, before I came on the net. I love games and wanted to make them, so I've made some games before I really joined the net, but they are too embarrassing to show.
Jalonso: In the process of creating a pixel do you have a set order of things?
Genghis: I have stages if that is what you mean, the drawing/sketching, then I scan, then I do the complete lineart, and then I start pixel from the front (nearest parts) to the deepest parts of the image. I choose my colours relatively at the start but change them around sometimes throughout. I don't always block out colours as I usually have an idea in my head of how I want it.
Jalonso: Do tell us, what pixelling technique is the most important to you?
Genghis: Antialiasing, I never thought anything of it, but it makes ugly not ugly, even more so if done perfect like some people from here. This was no way an attempt to get you to do more aa-ed isometric, since your pixels are not ugly hence should be excluded from previous comment :D
Also colour selection is right up there.
Jalonso: What equipment do you use for pixelling?
Genghis: I use Photoshop and ImageReady. I haven't tried anything else so I cannot compare haha.
Jalonso: When using Photoshop/ImageReady what tools do you limit yourself too?
Genghis: The pencil 1x (sometimes 3x), colour dropper and fill bucket.
Jalonso: Are you such the purist that you don't even use layers?
Genghis: Haha, yes. I don't use layers stupidly I know, I save millions of backups, which makes WIP frames more fuller, if I make a mistake I backtrack or search for aa area that went wrong. I know it's more primitive than purist.
I wonder, when using Photoshop/Imageready I always work on a window at 8X and simultaneously view the progress on a separate window at 1X, what do you do?
I have the 1x window too, but I work at 16x most definitely :D
Jalonso: Who or what inspires you?
Genghis: I am inspired by a lot of artists here, too many to name names. I'd say Henk Nieborg also, and a lot of oldskool games like Warcraft 1 and Seiken Densetsu 3. I find inspiration in epic/amazing pixel art and games. A lot of my inspiration comes from lurking here and at pixelation.
Jalonso: What are some of your major artistic influences outside of pixel art?
Genghis: I love cg painted art, I visit art forums all the time. I also like Adrian Smith's work, so detailed, he makes me feel embarrassed for having plain areas.
Jalonso: What's your pixelling environment , (i.e dark, music, coffee, cape)?
Genghis: Haha, um .. music usually, nothing specific. I do sometimes switch the light off and sing "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera.
Jalonso: What's your opinion on tracing?
Genghis: I don't like it I tell you. Tracing other works in size and perfectly copying I don't like, if it's a freehand drawing replica and colouring I don't mind, (especially like parody pictures) but exact photo traces and stuff like that not so much.
Jalonso: Regardless of skill level when viewing the PJ gallery what do you generally find admirable in other's pixels?
Genghis: Just something that looks good, I tend to be drawn in a lot by the actual drawing/lineart too.
Jalonso: Do you ever work for commission? If not, why?
Genghis: I haven't worked for commission in pixel art. I choose to remain a hobbyist, I don't want to mix money with it, I am too busy with my studies and other stuff, and I realize doing commercial projects demand a lot of time.
Jalonso: Boxers or briefs?
Genghis: Both and more.
Jalonso: What exactly was the crime that led to your jail sentence?*
Genghis: I assaulted old men who asked too many personal questions.
*I like to think Buloght is always so mysterious because he's in a prison somewhere.
Jalonso: Any last thoughts?
Genghis: nope
Good read... always nice to dig beneath the surface of a pixel maestro.
indudablemente el mejor.. ;)