Hello, first post and all!

As the topic suggests, I'd like to ask the PJ community some feedback and guidance on shading. It's been a while since I worked with pixels, and only returned because I have been daydreaming about an isometric adventure game, which... May never come true, but I'd still like to give it a go. As far as planning goes, I've spent more time on visualizing the initial areas - which may be why I never seem to go ahead with it (it's been nearly two months since I've started drawing concepts, then applying them to pixel art, and I've yet to finish the first area).

With that out of the way, the first scene I'm trying to create is that of a beach. I'm more interested in the surrounding area, though drawing believable (not realistic) rocks, stones and mountains is proving to be quite the challenge.





I started with the above assemblage of rocks. Before you ask, almost all of these are individually drawn; I only grouped them and added details to give an overall idea of how they'd look in clusters.

I then felt they were... OK, and maybe something to explore later on with adjustments, though perhaps too geometricized. So I went back to the pixeling board, and tried a more natural approach, this time not focusing so much on details.



I suppose one day I'll get there ("there" being where I want to go), but I'm having some issues with shading - not only with the pieces I create individually, but also in general. It seems most of the community, or most of those artists' works I've seen, favor light sources coming from the upper left. Is there a reason for this? I'm working with one from the upper right, as I fear it might eclipse the main character. Is there a reason why the left side seems to be a favorite?

Hoping to hear some of your feedback as soon as possible. Cheers!

I like the unrealistic beach much better because its original and unique looking.
The more realistic looking ones are 'better' in every way yet more boring.

Most games are lit from the top left and almost all iso pixels are top left lit because computer GUIs have always been lit from top left and its understood that a viewer sees this as normal/default which is a great thing because when you want the player to have a reaction change then you can light from other points.

Thank you all for your comments :)

Regarding the style, I... Kind of like both, but it may just be that the more geometrical ones do fit better in ruins, either for vertical structures (walls) or maybe horizontal (floor tiles, for instance). It was really an attempt to get back into pixels, which I stopped working for a long time: I began with basic forms then "chiselled" away, so to speak. I've yet to pin down a particular style for the project, at least in terms of environment - I already have several structures on paper, which probably won't change much if at all (I'll try doing some at a later date and post here as well). It's not meant to be abstract, but it does some crossover between geometric and more organic forms.

As for the shading, the volume might really be the issue... I started with the larger piece, then worked on the bottom center one, then the one to the left and the last was the one on the lower right - and that one also seems to me the more well rounded of the bunch. I'll have to keep practicing, both in drawing and pixeling, and all of your comments and suggestions are super welcome!

I'll try to keep this as updated as possible. My thanks once again :)

The first examples look very alien to me.

I'm drooling over the butteriness of the rocks in your last example.

As Jalonso says, the top ones are more unique, but the bottom ones are much more attractive to me. But the bottom ones would probably be ignored more if put into the game, surrounded by other props and characters. I guess it depends if you're ok with that. What is the focal point going to be?

Edited by Iscalio - 29 January 2015 at 4:46pm